25 Enchanting Castles Around The World | real castles to visit
Cominginatajaw-dropping178,926squarefeet,theBiltmoreEstate[1]isthelargestprivatelyownedhomeinthenation.ThispalatialGildedAgemansionwasbuiltinthe1880sforGeorgeW.VanderbiltII,anartcollector,all-AmericanRenaissanceman,andVanderbiltfortuneheir.The250-roommansionlookslikesomethingoutofafairytalethankstoitsChâteauesquedesign,aRevivaliststyleinspiredby16th-centuryFrenchRenaissancechâteaux.BiltmoresarchitecturalandlandscapingteamwasledbyRichardMorrisHuntandFrederickLawOlmsted,respectivelyknownforthe...
Coming in at a jaw-dropping 178,926 square feet, the Biltmore Estate[1] is the largest privately owned home in the nation. This palatial Gilded Age mansion was built in the 1880s for George W. Vanderbilt II, an art collector, all-American Renaissance man, and Vanderbilt fortune heir.
The 250-room mansion looks like something out of a fairy tale thanks to its Châteauesque design, a Revivalist style inspired by 16th-century French Renaissance châteaux. Biltmores architectural and landscaping team was led by Richard Morris Hunt and Frederick Law Olmsted, respectively known for their work on the Statue of Libertys pedestal and Central Park. When completed, it contained 35 bedrooms, 43 bathrooms and 65 fireplaces. In those days, Biltmore played host to many famous guests including writer Edith Wharton, who celebrated Christmas there in 1905.
During World War II, the estate protected priceless works of art brought ther...