Yet, no one ever lives here for more than a few weeks each year.
Most have been left to the staff who looks after the properties while the owners are away.
Others have never been occupied.
Several huge properties have fallen into ruins after lying vacant for more than 25 years.
That never happened, and consequently the houses are largely unused.
Another house belonged to a Kazakh businessman accused of a $6 billion banking fraud.
The property was seized following a high court judgment.
Its windows are now bared with heavy iron bars.
It is a terrible place to live really.
It is very boring and the road is very busy.
I don’t think many people want to live in such big houses anyway.
