The largest house in the United States, and one of the largest in the world, it was built in North Carolina by one of the 5 richest families in the early 1900's. Now, most of the Estate belongs to the State of NC, which turned it into Pisgah National Forest. Biltomore Estate


http://www.stat.ohio-state.edu/~brian/hobbies/travel/pics/biltmore.jpg

http://www.elgatoloco.net/Biltmore%20House.jpg

http://www.angelfire.com/ca/xanadu55/images/Biltmore.jpg

http://community.webshots.com/s/image6/6/96/20/82469620GUlZuQ_ph.jpg

http://www.cs.duke.edu/~jaidev/pictures/hnew/Biltmore%20Estate/DSCN4504.JPG

http://nancy.germain.home.att.net/Pictures/Biltmore_House_NC/PICT0003.JPG

I barely remember that in my memory when I went, its a 7 though.

7.5/10
It's eye-catching,but I don't like it's assymetric shape

Beautiful gardens and the building is well sited.

Eh.

8/10

8/10

A few Biltmore tidbits.

Though Biltmore Estate was built for George Vanderbilt, the house is now privately owned by the Cecil family, which Vanderbilt's only child, his daughter Cornelia, married into. The Cecil family today lives in a large but considerably more modest mansion elsewhere on the Estate grounds.

Biltmore Estate once consisted of more than 125,000 acres of land, most of which was sold to the United States federal government and is today preserved as Pisgah National Forest. Biltmore Estate now is made up of the House and more than 8,000 acres of parks and forests.

Biltmore's parklands and gardens were plotted and laid out by Frederick Law Olmsted, one of the 19th Century's premier landscape architects, most famously known for New York's Central Park.

The land upon which Biltmore sits was originally exhausted farmland and scattered villages. Modern American forestry practices were born at Biltmore in the process of transorming that overworked land into verdant parkland.

More than 900,000 tourists pour through the doors of Biltmore House every year, making the Estate the city of Asheville's premier tourist attraction.

Outside the gates of Biltmore Estate lies Biltmore Village, a model town etablished in the late 1800's to house the artisans and craftsmen working on Biltmore House. Originally an independent town, it has since been annexed by the city of Asheville and is preserved today as a quaint, historic shopping district. The Village's centerpiece is the Cathedral of All Souls, an unusual building built in the shape of a celtic sun cross.

Biltmore receives not a single penny of funding from any government body, and is in fact one of the largest tax paying entities in Buncombe County. Its income comes from tourist admission fees, the Estate winery, a luxury hotel, farming ventures including cattle and vegetables, and land development. The Biltmore Farms corporation, also in the hands of the Cecil family, has made a name for itself lately by constructing large-scale smart growth developments in the Asheville area.

Among the priceless treasures on display at Biltmore House include paintings by Renoir, Whistler, and Sargent, a ceiling taken from a Venetian palace, a chess set owned by Napolean Bonaparte, 15th- and 16th Century tapestries, and a set of porcelain candlesticks depicting the 12 Apostles -- the only complete set in the world, as the Dresden factory that produced them was levelled during the bombings of World War II.

How do I rate Biltmore? 10. It's an irreplaceable treasure.

Your pictures don't do the grounds justice...this building can't be explained in 4 or 5 pictures...

Biltmore House interior shots:

Conservatory

http://p.vtourist.com/6443-Travel_Picture-Asheville.jpg

http://p.vtourist.com/828814-Winter_Garden-Asheville.jpg

Banquet Hall

http://p.vtourist.com/6445-Travel_Picture-Asheville.jpg

http://p.vtourist.com/828818-Banquet_Hall-Asheville.jpg

Billiard Room

http://p.vtourist.com/828822-Billiard_Room-Asheville.jpg

Library

http://p.vtourist.com/828827-Biltmore_House_library-Asheville.jpg

Mrs. Vanderbilt's Bedroom

http://p.vtourist.com/828830-Mrs_Vanderbilts_bedroom-Asheville.jpg

Biltmore House exterior shots:

A side view showing arbor

http://p.vtourist.com/263528-Travel_Picture-Asheville.jpg

Front view showing entrance tower and staircase tower

http://p.vtourist.com/263571-Attractions_Activities-Asheville.jpg

Window details

http://p.vtourist.com/263574-Attractions_Activities-Asheville.jpg

Greenhouse

http://p.vtourist.com/541767-Travel_Picture-Asheville.jpg

Details of rear facade and tower

http://p.vtourist.com/541768-Travel_Picture-Asheville.jpg

Carriage House

http://p.vtourist.com/829370-Carriage_House-Asheville.jpg

Staircase tower

http://p.vtourist.com/833290-Travel_Picture-Asheville.jpg

Front door

http://p.vtourist.com/833314-Tourist_Traps-Asheville.jpg

Bacchus fountain

http://p.vtourist.com/834702-one_of_many_fountains-Asheville.jpg

Garden statue

http://p.vtourist.com/834703-grounds_full_of_secret_beauty-Asheville.jpg

Winery

http://p.vtourist.com/1041731-Attractions_Activities-Asheville.jpg

Courtyard fountain

http://p.vtourist.com/1041745-one_of_many_fountains_at_the_biltmore_estate-Asheville.jpg

Gargoyles

http://p.vtourist.com/1062882-gargoyles_at_biltmore-Asheville.jpg

Fountain

http://p.vtourist.com/1363000-small_fountain_pots-Asheville.jpg

Statue

http://p.vtourist.com/1380979-Travel_Picture-Asheville.jpg

Rear facade

http://p.vtourist.com/1712398-Travel_Picture-Asheville.jpg

Front facade

http://p.vtourist.com/1117757-Attractions_Activities-Asheville.jpg

Your pictures don't do the grounds justice...this building can't be explained in 4 or 5 pictures...

Post some yourself instead of running your mouth about it.

JRQ? Where did you get information that Biltmore House is owned by the State of North Carolina???????????

This thread deserves a special interest for the interest things posted in.

i like it very much! 10

JRQ? Where did you get information that Biltmore House is owned by the State of North Carolina???????????

I meant most of the grounds that were turned into the Pisgah National Forest...My post was confusing, sorry. I'll edit it and make it more clear :).

8.5/10

10/10...love this house

Must be seen in the flesh! 9.5, but only because Chambord gets a 10. :)

9.5/10

really great

Biltmore is great! Still not enough pictures though. If I had any I would post them. I could never get tired of visiting this place...I don't mind paying 50 dollars, heck, I'd pay 100 anyday. The trees are amazing! We need some photos of them thrown in, plus some shots of the Mountains in the back. I go to Biltmore every summer, I never get tired of it.

Oh yeah, 10

9,5 full of European charm :)

very classy, 8.5/10

stunning 10/10

Bump? Why yes!

8/10

8.5/10

9.5/10

Topping. Mainly for the sheer hell of it.

9/10

7/10

10/10

stunnig building i like so much the roofs and spires, the spiral stair in the facade is a very original work as well

9/10

9.5/10

I like this Biltmore, but for pure, over the top decoration, I like the Biltmore in Newport, RI, better.

9.5 great!

6/10

8/10

9/10:)

9/10

9/10

10/10

9. Very good. Regards.

9/10

9/10

7.5/10

10/10

10/10

9/10

8/10