Travel
Vibrant skyline at
sunrise – Courtesy of
ExploreAsheville.com
it’s America’s largest home,
constructed for George Vanderbilt
over six years and opened on
Christmas 1895. After the NYC
tycoon first visited the area, he fell
in love with the surrounding Blue
Ridge Mountains and clean air. His
decision to build in Asheville brought
prosperity to the entire region.
Touring his art-filled house with an
audio guide is a must. Allow between
one-and-a-half to two hours, but
don’t rush. Think of the place as a
vast art museum with the personal
touches of a multi-millionaire:
medieval tapestries, spectacular
sculpture, detailed wood prints,
exquisite paintings and fine furniture
from world-class craftsmen. In
addition, the home includes a
gorgeous library with 10,000 volumes,
a castle-like banquet hall with
a 70-foot ceiling, 65 fireplaces and
43 bathrooms.
The rambling exterior incorporates
stone architecture resembling the
chateaux in the Loire Valley of France
and carved stone figures like those
found on Notre Dame. The immense
property makes you shake your head
in disbelief.
The Biltmore may not be a hidden
gem, but taking the behind the scenes
Rooftop Tour certainly ranks. The
tour, led by a knowledgeable expert,
guides a small group through areas off
limits to regular visitors. Naturally,
ascending to the rooftop is the
highlight; it and the wraparound
balconies offer incredible panoramas.
Climb the spiral staircase in the
Observatory to venture outside.
You can inspect the stone carved
grotesques and gargoyles, stone
figures that act as drain pipes.
“Patting the buttocks of the statue
without a tail gives good karma,”
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