Alex Karp, co-founder and CEO of Palantir Technologies, has made headlines with his recent acquisition of St. Benedict’s Monastery in Colorado for $120 million. This purchase marks the highest real estate transaction ever recorded in the state, according to reports from The Wall Street Journal and Aspen Times.
The monastery, located in the scenic Capitol Creek Valley, spans approximately 3,700 acres. The property includes water rights to irrigate an additional 1,500 acres and features a range of facilities such as a chapel, a communal dining hall, a library, meeting spaces, a retreat center, and several guest cabins, alongside agricultural buildings.
Details of the Sale
The sale was officially recorded on Monday by Pitkin County, with a special warranty deed indicating that the property was sold to Espen LLC, a company registered in Delaware. Although the property was initially listed for $150 million by the Mirr Ranch Group, the sale comes after prior buyer interest fell through, narrowing the pool of potential purchasers.
Karp’s acquisition surpasses a recent record set in April 2024 when gaming mogul Steve Wynn and financier Thomas Peterffy purchased a home in Aspen for $108 million, which included only 2.45 acres.
Karp’s new estate offers abundant natural beauty, encompassing meadows, forests, and creeks. Known for his rigorous cross-country skiing, Karp has expressed a commitment to maintaining the land’s character as a cattle ranch and wildlife preserve. The Mirr Ranch Group stated that the new owner intends to uphold sustainable agricultural practices and collaborate with previous land users to ensure proper stewardship.
Background on St. Benedict’s Monastery
St. Benedict’s Monastery, originally established in the mid-1950s by Trappist monks from Massachusetts, has served as a place of spiritual renewal for decades. Famous for leading the centering prayer movement, Father Thomas Keating was among its notable residents. The monastery’s income was traditionally supplemented by beef sales from cattle raised on the property and the sales of “Monastery Cookies.”
As the number of monks dwindled and aging membership made it difficult to sustain operations, the Trappist Order decided to close the monastery in 2023. Plans for a final public mass at St. Benedict’s on January 11, 2024, have been announced, marking a poignant farewell to the community.
While Karp’s wealth and influence continue to grow—his net worth is estimated between $16 billion and $18 billion—Palantir Technologies, based in Denver, has seen its stock surge by approximately 2,500% over the past three years. The company is currently valued at $436 billion, making it more valuable than all other public companies in Colorado combined.
Despite the positive aspects of his business ventures, Karp and Palantir have faced criticism from civil liberties advocates due to the company’s involvement in government surveillance and law enforcement activities. Karp defends Palantir’s work, asserting that it only partners with democratically elected governments and that its software includes accountability measures to prevent misuse.
As Karp embarks on this new chapter as the owner of St. Benedict’s Monastery, his intentions to preserve the land’s character resonate with the tranquil legacy of the monastery, contrasting sharply with the controversies surrounding his tech firm.
