The Biltmore Estate

This “little mountain escape” and it’s 8,000 acres of land, was founded at the start of the Gilded Age by George Washington Vanderbilt II, who was the grandson of Cornelius “Commodore” Vanderbilt, a famous industrialist and philanthropist.

With the help of architect Richard Morris Hunt, George began the journey of building his summer home in 1889 and it was complete in 1895. At 175,000 square feet, the Biltmore Estate is deemed America’s Largest Home. 175,000 square feet? That’s more than four acres of floor space! The home has 250 rooms and 65 fireplaces. Bohl Architects has designed some large, luxurious homes, but the Biltmore Estate is next level…props to you, Richard. And props to landscape architect, Frederick Law Olmsted. The thoughtful landscape design and the surrounding Blue Ridge Mountains makes for an extremely peaceful stay.

At first the estate was just for the family, but in 1996 the Vanderbilt’s opened it up to the public so tourists could enjoy the beauty. Over the years, the estate has grown to include an inn and hotel accommodations for overnight stays, a winery, plenty of restaurants, event spaces and more. Although the property has evolved, the mission of preservation and sustainability has remained. It almost feels as if the estate was always a part of the landscape – which is something we greatly appreciate in architecture.