The owner says that he lived quietly in a mini-loft with an area of less than 10 m2 with his wife until they had a daughter.
If this is not a world record, then it is very close to it.
Casevacanza.it offers the smallest apartment in Italy for tourists to rent. On an area of less than ten square meters (seven, except for the intermediate floor) all the necessary equipment is installed: as a result, the additional area of standard hotel rooms becomes redundant. Such an unusual description on the site refers to an apartment with a separate entrance on the ground floor of a building in the Vicolo San Ceslo alley - this is the most historical center of Rome within walking distance of the Pantheon. It has been renovated with high quality materials: a miniature loft-style apartment with an unplastered brick wall and wooden ceiling. Solid furniture and elements of a "smart home" make the space functional, despite its small size.
The dining table disappears if necessary, the sofa becomes a bed, the latest model’s TV is equipped with all the technological innovations, and the wireless network combines the numerous devices installed in the home. The kitchen has everything you could wish for (a fridge, freezer, toaster, blender, lots of dishes and cutlery), and the mezzanine perfectly separates the sleeping and working areas.
According to the owner of the mini-loft, he calmly lived here with his wife until the birth of his daughter: so that two people will be accommodated in the apartment with comfort. Especially this housing should appeal to those who are looking for a "strategic" means of accommodation in the center of the Eternal City. In addition, as a small bonus, you can later show off to friends who lived in a house that got into Guinness World Records.
Italy's smallest rental housing (almost four meters long) has a long history spanning several centuries. The room was built in the 18th century, it was part of St. Peter's Basilica, and until the thirties of the twentieth century people lived here. Then the requirements of Italians for living space changed, and the place was abandoned for a while. In the absence of tenants, the area was used as a motorcycle rental office, a car repair shop, and a newspaper stall. In 2010, Marco Pierazzi (restoration and archeology architect) saw an advertisement for the sale and bought this “apartment”. At that time she was in terrible condition, and no one could have imagined that such a small space could be used for housing.
“She fascinated me, the landlord shares. It’s hard to believe, but after a long search, I found out that until the thirties people lived in this closet. Rome was different then, the poor needed only a bunk and a cast-iron stove to live, and to wash - The Tiber is near by. There is still a niche hidden in the wall: in such a small space, not everyone had enough legroom when they went to bed, in such cases a niche opened. I was told about this by an old man who worked for many years and lived in such a little room before moving to better housing. "