An unparalleled architectural masterpiece called the Temple of Wings in Berkeley, California, features elements of classical Greek and Roman architecture, as well as a dramatic facade with 16 towering Corinthian columns leading from an entertainment pavilion to the surrounding lush gardens.

The villa belongs to billionaire Gordon Getty, the son of oil magnate J. Paul Getty, and is up for sale for $5 million, according to real estate firm Coldwell Banker.

The three-bedroom, four-bathroom historic landmark spans 3,991 square feet on nearly 0.40 acres. Additional accommodations in the residence include two powder rooms, two entertainment rooms, a library and a study, and eight balconies.

“Overlooking San Francisco Bay, its magnificent entertainment pavilion served as a stage for generations of dance students taught by famed dancer Isadora Duncan,” the MLS property description reads. “When you arrive, you feel as if you have been transported to another time and place. The grand wisteria-covered columns perfectly frame the exterior.”

Duncan, born in California, was a pioneer of modern contemporary dance who performed throughout the United States and Europe.

The Roman-style villa was designed by architect Bernard Maybeck in 1911 and completed by A. Randolph Moore, according to Coldwell Banker. The residence was rebuilt in 1924 after a fire.

Historic property

The property is listed on the California State Historic Resources Inventory. It is also known as Berkeley Historic Landmark No. 173.

Agent Joel Goodrich of Coldwell Banker Realty told us the three things he likes most about the property at 2800 Buena Vista Way.

“The extraordinarily iconic architecture – Bernard Maybeck was truly one of the legendary ‘starchitects’; the incredible park-like setting (and) the unparalleled views of the San Francisco Bay Area, from the Oakland and San Francisco skylines to the Bay and the Golden Gate Bridges and beyond,” he said in an email to the Sacramento Bee.

Adrienne Krumins and Anian Pettit Tunney of The Grubb Company are co-listing agents with Goodrich.

A charming hedge-lined paved driveway with old Parisian style lanterns leads up to the property, which is fronted by lush landscaping and lawns.

The entrance features a double stone staircase leading to the large, semi-circular entertainment pavilion.

The home is divided into two wings, with the north wing featuring an open floor plan concept, dining and entertaining areas, and original beamed ceilings and frescoes. The kitchen has beautiful marble countertops and high-end appliances. An upstairs primary suite is highlighted by a stone tub next to a fireplace and balconies with views.

Opposite the entertainment pavilion is the south wing, which offers a large living room with classic fireplace, stone and shell flooring and glass doors, two bedrooms with bay and garden views, and a terrace and garden. Upstairs there is a bar and two further bedrooms.

“Carefully restored”

The house was originally designed for lawyer Charles C. Boynton and his wife, artist and educator Florence Treadwell Boynton, the Wall Street Journal reported. For years, Florence used the house to teach Berkeley children the theories and techniques of Duncan, the famous choreographer she had been friends with since childhood, Christie’s said.

Gordon Getty and his wife Ann have owned the villa since 1994.

“Ann Getty has carefully restored (Temple of Wings) and furnished it with beautiful and decorative art that honors the rich eclecticism of the late 19th and early 20th centuries,” Christie’s reported.

“It’s pretty unique and it takes a certain type of buyer to appreciate it,” Goodrich told The Bee. “I think there are several possible buyer constituencies — potentially a buyer who wants to showcase an art and/or sculpture collection, someone who wants a super cool space or wants to have a unique living experience, or it could be someone who really appreciates architecture and wants to preserve it for the next century.”

“Although it is time to move on, the Temple of Wings will always be a quiet place where beauty has time to rest before blossoming,” Getty said in a statement to the Wall Street Journal.