Biltmore House, Asheville, North Carolina. November 23, 2010.
This is my post for the Scenic Sunday meme, which shares beautiful scenes from around the world. To see more Scenic Sunday posts, or to join and show your own pictures, click HERE.
Betsy and I went to Asheville, North Carolina, last month to see the Christmas display at Biltmore House. Biltmore, which was built from 1889 to 1895 by George Vanderbilt, has been called America’s Largest Home. It was modeled on three châteaux built in 16th-century France and has 4 acres of floor space, 250 rooms, 34 bedrooms, 43 bathrooms, and 65 fireplaces. The basement contains a swimming pool, gymnasium and changing rooms, a bowling alley, servants’ quarters, and kitchens.
The grounds of the 125,000-acre estate were designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, who created New York’s Central Park. He not only developed acres of gardens and parkland, but in his efforts to protect the environment and reclaim over-farmed land, Olmsted established America’s first managed forest.
The estate contains ‘only’ 8,000 acres today. Much of the estate’s forested mountain land (86, 700 acres) was sold to the federal government in 1914 to form the basis for Pisgah National Forest.
The view from the South Terrace of Biltmore House, Asheville, North Carolina. November 23, 2010.
Even though the estate is much smaller than it was a hundred years ago, the house is in a beautiful setting as the top picture shows. The view from the South Terrace of the house is still spectacular, as can be seen in this second photo.
Tags: History, North Carolina, Scenic Sunday
Senior Moments 
December 5, 2010 at 10:39 pm |
It is a spectacular home and the sky/clouds were so pretty the day you were there. Thanks so much for sharing with us. Hope you have a nice week George.
December 5, 2010 at 10:51 pm |
Oh, what an incredibly beautiful home and you did have gorgeous skies and clouds as well!! What a terrific post and superb captures, George!! Superb! Hope you have a wonderful week!
Sylvia
December 5, 2010 at 11:08 pm |
That is one huge mansion! Absolutely beautiful – but 250 rooms – wow, that’s a hotel! Such wonderful scenery and grounds! Thanks for sharing!
December 6, 2010 at 12:24 am |
It’s not a house, some hotels are smaller than that!! Why would you need so many bathrooms, and why would you ever need a house that big? I wonder how many ever lived in it at once.
December 6, 2010 at 12:40 am |
Ohhh very big, very big!
Didn’t Vanderbilt also custom build a town as the entrance to his estate at the base of the mountain it sits on?
December 6, 2010 at 8:56 am |
That’s a terrific shot you captured. So crisp and clear!
December 6, 2010 at 9:13 am |
Oh I love this house! My stepdad grew up there (asheville) and it is an amazing house! such History! Certainly one of those times I have been found saying “If those walls could talk ;)!!”
December 6, 2010 at 11:09 am |
What a great photograph of the Biltmore House!
December 6, 2010 at 11:19 am |
Yes, we have a pool in our basement. Doesn’t everyone? Of course, it’s only there when we have torrential rains that last a month….
Can you imagine living in a place like that???
December 6, 2010 at 1:00 pm |
i love the sky and your perspecitve of it is amazing. i like the way it is the center of the photo with lines drawing the eye to the house
December 6, 2010 at 1:17 pm |
this is one of the places i want to see if i ever find myself in that part of the country.
have a lovely week.
December 6, 2010 at 3:56 pm |
That is a beautiful shot of the Biltmore House.
December 6, 2010 at 7:03 pm |
Your first photo is a fantastic shot of the place…enjoyed the bit of history also.
December 14, 2010 at 1:24 pm |
The house was one of my favorite places to go when I lived in Atlanta. I never made it there during Christmas though. I really miss those mountains. Great shot of the house.