Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has purchased a 19th-century Gothic-style castle in southeast Ireland.

Strancally Castle, which was built about 1830 on land overlooking the River Blackwater, underwent extensive renovation in 2003, according to a state architectural archive.

A spokesperson on Thursday confirmed the purchase of the property, which sits 200 kilometres (125 miles) from his company's European headquarters.

The price paid by Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan, has not been disclosed; however, the Irish Times, which first reported the purchase, estimated the property might be worth between €20 million and €30 million. The transaction is not listed on the Irish state property price register.

“Mark and his family are excited to continue caring for this historic home and look forward to spending time in Ireland, where Meta maintains its international headquarters,” a spokesperson said on Thursday.

Meta employs about 1,500 people in Ireland, where a number of U.S. tech multinationals have their European headquarters, in part due to the country's favourable tax regime.

Meanwhile, a landmark trial that could reshape the future of Facebook and Instagram continues. California, Colorado, Kentucky and New Jersey accuse Meta of designing the platforms to hook young users, fueling anxiety and depression, and misleading consumers about their safety.

Those states and 25 others also accuse Meta of violating federal law by improperly collecting and using personal data of children under 13 while they used its platforms.

Experts have said the trial is the biggest legal test yet of social media's effects on young users.

It began in the Oakland, California, federal court on Tuesday and is expected to last six weeks. Jurors are expected to issue an advisory verdict, and U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers will decide whether Meta is liable and, if so, determine any civil penalties and changes to Facebook and Instagram.

In a statement ahead of the trial, a Meta spokesperson said the claims are unsubstantiated, and the company stands by its record of creating strong protections for teens.

“The AGs offer no proof anyone in their states was misled, claim benign features like having an additional Instagram account somehow harmed their residents, and attempt to penalise Meta for industry-wide challenges like age verification,” the spokesperson said. “Rather than sticking to the facts or the law, the states have instead decided to chase an outlandish payout."