Inside the $53million California mansion designed by a Spanish royal architect that boasts a 50-foot deep tennis court that converts into a ballroom and includes a 10,000 square foot Turkish bath

California owes its name and some of its architectural style to the colonizers who came to the area from Spain – but one couple has taken the area’s heritage seriously by creating a villa fit for Sevilla.

Hacienda de la Paz, built by seafood magnate John Blazevich over 17 years in the gated Los Angeles suburb of Rolling Hills, is taking its inspiration partly from the ornate Moorish dwellings of 19th century Andalusia.

Finished in 2008, the dwelling has been listed on the market by Blazevich and his fiancee Alexandra McLeod for the last two years at $53million.

The price buys eight acres and a sprawling 21,000 square feet ranch above ground, but what takes the house to the next level, or five of them, is an array of subterranean facilities that include a Moroccan hammam and a fifty-foot-deep tennis court that converts into a ballroom.

Pictures of the exterior of the house would be enough to induce jealousy, but McLeod, who has lived at the property for more than a decade, told Daily Mail Online that her home is ‘equally mesmerizing above and below ground’.

Hacienda de la Paz, a 51,000 square foot home in the gated city of Rolling Hills, California, is being offered by its owners for $53million

The home took 17 years to complete, and boasts ammenities such as a 10,000 square foot hammam, or Turkish bath, modeled after the 10th century Moorish style

Zoning restrictions limited the property to one story about ground, but seafood importer John Blazevich built 50 feet down into the ground to create 31,000 more square feet of space. Above, a tennis court at the bottom level

Though its underground aspects have garnered the most attention, the eight acre property also has large amounts of outdoor space such as a Moorish garden

Zoning restrictions in the gated community meant that houses can only be one story.

The property includes a tennis court and outdoor pool, but Blazevich decided to get around the rules and build into the earth in order to have space for indoor versions of the facilities.

It keeps neighbors well out of earshot of any parties, but the depth also allows the 31,000 square feet beneath ground level, none of which is living space, to be heated using energy from the soil.

Beyond the underground areas, Blazevich decided to differentiate his dwelling from others by making it as authentically Andalusian as he could.

While many Los Angeles-area mansions are done in a Mediterranean style that approximates some mix of Spain and Italy, the shrimp importer hired renowned architect Rafael Manzano Martos.

The award-winner spent years as a curator for King Juan Carlos and renovated many of the country’s palaces.

A small army of artisans spent years crafting an intricate interior that includes a chapel, a room that functions as a ‘tribute’ to olive oil and a woman’s powder room built from a Catholic confessional.

The Spanish estate is a 19th century Andalusian design, the 10th century design is for the Moorish spa area only, the Neoclassical design in the ballroom is 18th century – the design plan spans centuries, but the overall design is 19th century.

While the mansion was being finished, Blazevich took his fiancee on trips around the world to pick up pieces for the home. Above, the women's powder room was built from a Catholic confessional booth — While the mansion was being finished, Blazevich took his fiancee on trips around the world to pick up pieces for the home. Above, the women’s powder room was built from a Catholic confessional booth

In approximating the 1900s Spanish style, the mansion includes religious aspects such as a chapel (right). Above left, women in the powder room can speak to each other through the confessional’s window

Blazevich's family in Croatia is involved in the olive oil trade, and the mansion has a room that acts as a tribute to the craft of pressing olives — Blazevich’s family in Croatia is involved in the olive oil trade, and the mansion has a room that acts as a tribute to the craft of pressing olives

Guests can expect to stay in rooms such as this bullfighting-themed men's room, which also empties out into a private courtyard — Guests can expect to stay in rooms such as this bullfighting-themed men’s room, which also empties out into a private courtyard

Rafel Manzano Martos, the architect behind the project, spent many years renovating palaces for the Spanish royals. Above, a woman's guest room — Rafel Manzano Martos, the architect behind the project, spent many years renovating palaces for the Spanish royals. Above, a woman’s guest room

Though the mansion uses a door knocker rather than a doorbell, it does boast two movie screens.

McLeod added: ‘I don’t even know how many TVs we have.’

However, all of the technology is able to be hidden, returning the ‘destination resort’ to its antique feel.

The home also has multiple secret passageways, including a James Bond-style elevator behind a wall that leads to hammam, a 10,000 square foot Turkish bath modeled in the 10th century Moorish style.

Three hundred nomadic Moroccan tribesman worked on the sandstone ceiling, archways and details in the Moorish Hamam Spa in Morocco. Upon completion the sandstone pieces were meticulously labeled and ultimately shipped to America and assembled at the site.

‘When you swim in that pool you are basically floating through time,’ McLeod said, who also says she has thrown ‘righteous all girl spa parties’ there.

Saying that living in the mansion is 'otherworldly', McLeod said that she can't imagine leaving despite the fact that the house is up for sale — Saying that living in the mansion is ‘otherworldly’, McLeod said that she can’t imagine leaving despite the fact that the house is up for sale

The house features nine bedrooms and 25 bathrooms as well as four kitchens or kitchenettes as outdoor cooking spaces

Though McLeod says that the house is too big for her and her fiance now that all of the workers have left, the couple are entertained by a rotating cast of relatives and friends

The former television presenter likened living at the home to living at a destination resort every day. Above, the home's outdoor pool — The former television presenter likened living at the home to living at a destination resort every day. Above, the home’s outdoor pool

One artist, Nicholas Luca de Tena, spent ten years at the residence as it was slowly being built to exacting specifications. Above, one of the home's kitchens — One artist, Nicholas Luca de Tena, spent ten years at the residence as it was slowly being built to exacting specifications. Above, one of the home’s kitchens

Manzano Martos and five other men slowly built up the creation, with one artist, Nicholas Luca de Tena, living there on and off for ten years while completing the decorative painting throughout the entire property.

McLeod said that the architect, who she now counts as a friend, accepted the project because it was a challenge bridging architecture from eras back to the 1000s with the demands of a modern home.

As all of the work progressed, Blazevich took his love around the world on an ‘odyssey’ to Morocco, Spain, Portugal and Turkey in search of pieces for the dream home.

Now that it is complete, the couple can put carpet over the tennis court area and show the home off to the hundreds guests that come for their parties, such as former President Jimmy Carter.

A gaming room at the house features modern art, a bar and a pool table as well as a glass window (back left) that was once in a Spanish castle

Perhaps that feature that separates the home most from other southern California mansions is that it has a 10,000 square foot Turkish bath, including a circular table used for massages

McLeod said that the famous Spanish architect accepted the project because it was a challenge melding multiple centuries of architecture, such as the 10th century Moorish hammam, into one residence

One of McLeod’s sisters has already been married there, and the lady of the house says she and Blazevich could tie the knot there too if new owners give them time for a wedding.

The couple chose to pursue selling after deciding to travel more and spend time with the businessman’s family in Croatia.

The property has been up for sale since 2013 and the former television presenter said that it recently came ‘very very close’ to being sold.

McLeod said that she falls in love with the home again every time she does an interview about it and ‘can’t imagine leaving’.

However, she added that she knows she can’t be too attached to the structure that will likely last for hundreds of years.

‘It’s like those great country estates in England,’ she said. ‘We consider ourselves caretakers of the place’.