November 2, 2012

Biltmore Estate

SDP  11-2-12
Welcome to the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina!  Located on 8,000 square acres in the Blue Ridge Mountains, it's considered the largest privately owned residence in the United States. I could list all the mind boggling statistics such as the number of bedrooms, bathrooms, living rooms, dining rooms, game rooms, libraries, and of course, the 70,000 gallon swimming pool....but, let me just say...it's lavish and enormous!  When George Vanderbilt built this place in 1895, he put the 'conspicuous' in conspicuous consumption.  Biltmore has remained in the family all these years, although it opened to the public for tours during the Great Depression as an economic generator for the Asheville community.  Over the years, it has become a very successful tourism destination.  Believe it or not, the estate employees approximately 1,700 people.  Besides the mansion, there's a lot to explore on the grounds including a variety of stunning gardens.  You can learn more about the Biltmore Estate here.   Definitely a worthwhile visit!

6 comments:

Kate said...

What an amazing residence! Lavish is an understatement!

Lowell said...

We were going to stop here following a vacation in Gatlinburg a year ago last summer but I tore my leg up when I fell on a golf course, so we went straight home. This is a gorgeous shot of this fantastic place!

Dina J said...

Beautiful shot with the fall leaves. This was my favorite weekend getaway when we lived in Atlanta. I haven't been up there in years.

Lois said...

One of those employees is my first cousin! She lives nearby and absolutely loves working there.

gregory urbano said...

wow!
what a fantastic looking mansion and grounds!

Lorraine said...

Wow! I'm trying to imagine what it would have been like to live there back then. The mansion and the scenery are both pretty incredible!