How Africa News
Cristiano Ronaldo has been granted permission to construct a pergola on the roof of his £6.5 million Portuguese penthouse.
Ronaldo, 38, is repairing a ‘eyesore’ rooftop gazebo that the Lisbon City Council ordered him to demolish.
After discovering that the disputed glass structure had been built without planning authorization, council officials declared he had to demolish it.
The five-time Ballon d’Or winner, who left Manchester United in disgrace for Saudi club Al-Nassr, has now been granted until July to install the new pergola.
Ronaldo’s penthouse in Lisbon’s center, near to Eduardo VII Park, became the most expensive property in the country’s history when he purchased it in July 2018.
But, his purchase has been eclipsed by the remarkable debate over the gazebo, which resulted in the block’s architect, José Mateus, threatening to sue the singer.
Mr. Mateus was dissatisfied because Ronaldo had built the gazebo on the roof, causing the structure to exceed its maximum permitted height. He then accused Ronaldo of’scoring an own goal’ and ‘dishonoring his labor’.
Even Cristiano’s sister Elma Aveiro waded into the row and slammed critics who ‘think they can tell us what to do in our own homes.’ His other sister, former singer Katia Aveiro who is now based in Brazil, raged: ‘Do us Portuguese deserve you?’
There has not yet been any official comment from Ronaldo or his representatives. Photos and video footage showing the last of the gazebo being removed has been published in the Portuguese press.
In May, Lisbon City Hall appeared to confirm that the gazebo had been built illegally and without authorization, announcing an investigation and inviting responses from Ronaldo and his advisors to defend what had happened.
The former Manchester United and Real Madrid star’s penthouse in the city is part of a property empire that also includes a £6 million residence on a fortified estate outside Madrid called La Finca and a seven-story apartment building in Funchal, Madeira, where his mother and older brother Hugo live.
He and his partner Georgina Rodriguez are currently building a massive family home in Quinta da Marinha, a half-hour drive from Lisbon on the Portuguese Riviera.
The 3,100-square foot three-bed apartment where he had to take down his gazebo is said to include a spa, swimming pool, gym, and three large bedrooms.
The gazebo is understood to have been erected in place of a pool and a lounge area which appeared on design models before the property was sold.
