The Biltmore was built over a span of 6 years in the late 1800′s by Commodore Cornelius Vanderbilt. It is one of the few buildings in America that truly mimics a European Estate. It was built to look like a French chateau built in the 1600′s with 250 rooms, 34 bedrooms, 43 bathrooms, and 65 fireplaces. The basement housed a gymnasium and indoor pool, which was high-tech for the times. This beautiful manor was surrounded by 125,000 acres of gardens. Today, the property is still owned by the Commodore’s successors, now known as the Cecil family. The family makes it their mission to continue the historic preservation of the property, while also making it one of America’s premier vacation destinations.
A view of the manor’s entrance.
This manor has great views!
I admired the architecture.
The gardens were spectacular too!
Today, when visiting the Biltmore, you are not limited to just exploring the manor. You can also explore the miles of trails, the winery, and much more! The buildings that now house the winery were once a dairy farm owned by the Vanderbilts. Because of the location and destination of the Biltmore, this winery is actually the most visited winery in the USA.
Winery buildings.
The Biltmore is more impressive than I’d imagined. I would recommend visiting it to anyone. You can just make it a short trip and visit the manor. Or you could make it an extended trip and explore their grounds. Either way, it’s definitely a worthy place to visit!
