Tom Brady And Gisele Bundchen's Former Home Has One Weird Feature

Go big, and then go bigger. Like NFL star quarterback Tom Brady's offensive line, his former Los Angeles home has an odd yet protective feature -– a moat! Located in the prestigious Brentwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, the nearly 20,000-square-foot custom-built mansion includes five bedrooms, nine bathrooms, seven fireplaces, a home gym, a library, an infinity pool with cabana, and a stone moat filled with koi fish. Originally used as a barrier of protection for castles, a moat (old French for motte) is typically built as a ring surrounding the entire fortress, or could be placed centralized to the mound, which is similar to Brady's anterior, per Medieval Britain. Purchased in 2008 for approximately $11 million with a budget of $20 million, the legendary athlete and his supermodel wife, Giselle Bündchen, worked with various architectural and landscape designers like Richard Landry and the late Dennis Hickok for four years to perfect the European-like country estate. The 3.6-acre property also boasts a waterfall, fruit and vegetable garden, and eco-friendly solar panels.

In 2013, the French chateau was featured in Architectural Digest as a friendly, green home. The goal for the Tampa Bay Buccaneer was to create a place where his entire family could experience more time together. Not long after, in 2014, the magnificent property was surprisingly listed on the real estate market for $50 million. Making an immediate impression, the enormous estate was purchased by mega rap mogul Dr. Dre for $40 million, per New York Post.

Like an enchanted castle right out of a fairytale, Tom Brady's domestic style is charming and traditional, but not without a sense of fortification. Located down a winding gated driveway in Brentwood Country Estates, tranquil ponds lead to a motor court paved in reclaimed cobblestones where the moated fortress stands clad in imported limestone. Inspired by the couple's time spent abroad, the structure appears like an exquisite castle inside and out. Homey yet classic, the interior is designed by Joan Behnke & Associates and features several reclaimed wooden materials like the ceiling beams, French oak floors, and the kitchen's uniquely marked 1815 hood beam, as well as a stone fireplace in the living room, per Galerie. Who needs France? From the interior design to the façade and landscape, the home captures it.

Tackling a custom-built home is not a new project for Brady. The seven-time Super Bowl winner and his wife also developed a similar rustic modern home in Brookline, Massachusetts, located about 20 minutes outside of Boston, which they sold in 2020 for $32.5 million, per New York Post. The innovative couple utilized renowned architect Richard Landry, aka "King of the Megamansion," for both their Brookline and Brentwood mansions. Brady, 44, has been quoted as saying that they like the creative process of designing a family home from scratch. Although not all their residences have been custom-made, the pair has also owned various properties in New York City, Montana, and Florida.