Biltmore House, located near Asheville, N.C., remains the largest private residence in the United States. It is often considered America's castle, and continues to be one of the most popular tourist destinations in the country. Building of the mansion was commissioned by George Vanderbilt, grandson of the famous industrialist Cornelius Vanderbilt.
George Vanderbilt enjoyed his family's wealth by traveling around the world during his youth. When he was 25 years old, he came to North Carolina to enjoy a retreat with his mother. Falling in love with the mountainous countryside, George bought 125,000 acres with a plan to build an enormous estate.
Vanderbilt hired architect Richard Morris Hunt to design his dream castle. Construction commenced in 1890 and would not be completed until 1895. Over the course of that time, more than 1,000 workers were hired to build the mansion.
Biltmore Estate has 34 bedrooms and 43 bathrooms. There are 65 fireplaces and three kitchens. The library contains over 20,000 books. There are 250 acres of landscaped gardens. Over 70,000 furnishings originally purchased by Vanderbilt still remain on estate, including tapestries, Persian rugs and original artwork by painters like Renoir.
Although the house was modeled to resemble a French Renaissance chateau, Vanderbilt wanted to make sure it contained all the latest conveniences of the time. As a result, Biltmore had central heating, hot and cold running water throughout the house, the latest in refrigeration, an elevator, a swimming pool with lights beneath the surface of the water and even a fire alarm.
The Biltmore Winery has produced award-winning wines and is a must-see for visitors. A free wine tasting for adults is included with the price of admission and bottles of wine can be purchased to take home. Also, be sure to buy a bottle of grape juice for the kids, as Biltmore also bottles what may well be the most delicious grape juice in the world.
After George Vanderbilt's death, much of the estate was purchased by the federal government, which used it to form the Pisgah National Forest. The mansion and 8,000 acres of land remain privately owned by Vanderbilt's heirs, who have kept the estate open for tours.
Biltmore Estate is open to visitors daily from 8:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Visitors need to understand that Biltmore is more than just a tour through a big mansion. Prepare to set aside an entire day to take in all the majesty of the house itself, the surrounding gardens, the winery and the on-site restaurant.
