by A Leicester car park where the skeleton of Richard III was discovered will be up for auction along with a number of adjacent Grade II listed buildings.
However, the exact spot where the monarch’s remains were found in 2012 will remain as part of a visitor center for tourists, councilors said.
The Gray Friars car park in the city center will be sold on February 15 by Kal Sangra Shonki Brothers along with the adjacent buildings, 1-7 Gray Friars, with a reference price of £4-£4.1m.
The car park has been a Scheduled Ancient Monument since 2017, meaning Historic England defines it as a “Nationally Important Archaeological Site which has protection against unauthorized change”.
Some of the adjacent buildings up for auction are Grade II listed.
The town’s mayor, Sir Peter Soulsby, said: “The exact location where King Richard III was discovered is now incorporated as part of our successful visitor centre, however the remainder of the site has continued to be used as a working car park. to this day.
“The Gray Friars building has a lot of history and is a stunning building that will attract the attention of commercial developers who may convert the building into office, hospitality or residential space.
“While the building is part of our history and heritage, I am looking forward to the next stage of its evolution.”
Richard III reigned for just over two years before his defeat and death at the Battle of Bosworth in Leicestershire in August 1485.
The defeat marked the end of the rule of the House of York and the beginning of the reign of Henry VII, the first Tudor monarch.
His body was taken to Leicester to show the public that he was truly dead, before being given a simple Christian burial by the Gray Friars Church choir.
It was found in the car park, in the heart of Leicester’s old town, 527 years after it was buried, and the exact spot where it was found is now part of the King Richard III Visitor Centre.
Mike Denby, director of in-house investment at Invest in Leicester, said: “We have seen significant interest in the site from a range of developers, eager to bring the former council offices to life.
“Whoever is lucky enough to secure the building at auction has a unique story to tell about the site that will live on for generations.”
The Gray Friars building remained a religious convent for several years, but in the 20th century it was converted into a school, council offices and a car park.
