Nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains in Asheville, North Carolina is the Biltmore Estate.  In 1887 and 1888, George Vanderbilt visited the land and decided that it would be ideal for his vision.  In 1889, construction began on Vanderbilt’s 250-room French Renaissance chateau which is a true marvel and the largest undertaking in residential architecture. Over a six-year period, an entire community of craftsmen comes together to create America’s premier home and the environmental wonderland that surrounds it.

The luxurious family home of George and Edith Vanderbilt is a marvel of elegance and charm, as magnificent today as it was more than a century ago. Faithfully preserved and filled with original furnishings and masterpieces of art, no other residence in America offers a more authentic and inspiring view of Gilded Age life while suggesting that the Vanderbilts and their guests are still at home.

Biltmore House - Lagoon with Fall Foliage
Photo Credit: The Biltmore Company

On Christmas Eve 1895. George Vanderbilt opened his magnificent Biltmore home to family and friends.  The country retreat George Vanderbilt has spent so long planning is marvelously decorated and full of festivity. The finished home contains over four acres of floor space, including 35 bedrooms, 43 bathrooms, and 65 fireplaces.

The Vanderbilt family responded to requests to increase area tourism during the Depression, and to generate income to preserve the estate. Honoring these requests, the Biltmore House was open to the public in 1930.  In 1942, during the World War II, the Biltmore House stored priceless works from the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C.

1. Banquet Hall

Biltmore House - Banquet Hall Top View
Photo Credit: The Biltmore Company

2. Library

Biltmore House - Library
Photo Credit: The Biltmore Company

3. Tapestry Room

Biltmore House - Tapestry Room
Photo Credit: The Biltmore Company

4. Master Bedroom (Mr. George Vanderbilt’s Bedroom)

Biltmore House - Master Bedroom
Photo Credit: The Biltmore Company

5. Mrs. George Vanderbilt’s Bedroom

Biltmore House - Mrs. Vanderbilt's Bedroom
Photo Credit: The Biltmore Company

6. Conservatory

Biltmore Gardens - Conservatory
Photo Credit: The Biltmore Company

7. Tulip Gardens

Biltmore Gardens - Red and Pink Tulips
Photo Credit: The Biltmore Company

8. Aerial View of Biltmore Gardens

Aerial View of Biltmore Gardens
Photo Credit: The Biltmore Company