Downton Abbey writ large

Four years ago we drove the Blue Ridge Parkway almost into Asheville before we turned west for the Great Smokey Mountains National Park. I have never been to Asheville so I have never been to the Biltmore House and Gardens. Last night, before our planned visit today, Frederick went on the internet to find out what he could of the Vanderbilts. They gained their money mostly from railroads and other forms of transportation and George Washington Vanderbilt II, (born in 1862) and builder of Biltmore, inherited his money. Apparently he was quiet, introverted, loved to read and studied art and architecture and travelled extensively.

In his early thirties, before he married, he worked with chief architect, Richard M. Hunt (architect) and Frederick Law Olmstead (landscape architect) to build this magnificent structure and surrounding gardens, walks and forests. It opened on Christmas Eve, 1895, after six years of construction and three years later, George Vanderbilt brought his bride Edith Stuyvesant Dresser to Biltmore.  In 1900 their only child Cornelia was born hers. It is the largest private home in the United States.

In addition to the house, there are several other areas on the estate. There is Antler Hill Village and Winery, which includes a Museum on the Vanderbuilt's legacy, their life on the estate and travels, and treasures from George and Edith's collections. Also an "Inn", which is a huge hotel and Deerpark a place of restaurants and carriage and trail rides.

The operation of the Biltmore is quite an enterprise. We entered the estate through a main gate and then proceeded to drive a couple of beautiful, green forested miles to the ticket office. From the ticket office to the House parking lots is another four miles through the most beautiful scenery. Forests, blooming rhododendrons, mountain laurel and still some blooming azaleas, a babbling brook, a lake and small waterfalls, these were some of the beautiful natural views we had on our way.

We parked the car and caught a small bus that took us to the door of the House. The esplanade in front of the house was the size of several football fields and the House itself seemed the size of two or three cathedrals put together.  We bought the audio tours and proceeded to spend the next three hours going through the house, at least four stories of the House. There is no photography allowed in the House so I have no pictures, but I did take some outside.

The ticket office.

The Esplanade.

The front door.

I thoroughly enjoyed our visit.  There were numerous nice touches - live music in the Winter Garden and in the center of Antler Hill Village.  The Flower arrangements in the house were spectacular. And the furnishings in the House were original, some dating to the 1500s. The audio tour was very well done and it is really a "must" if you don't go on one of the guided tours, which are extra.

After we toured the House we drove to Antler Hill Village where we got out our folding Airstream chairs and had our picnic lunch beside the bike path.  For some unknown reason, a family was teaching their young son and daughter how to ride a bike on the path. We had brought our bikes, but we didn't have enough time to ride them.

Musician in the Center of Antler Hill Village.

Behind all these people is a lovely fountain in Antler Hill.

We didn't have time to visit the gardens, either. But I did manage one small picture of a garden beside the walkway to the parking lot.

There is a working farm on the estate and these cows were enjoying a lovely afternoon.

The estate is far more beautiful now than when it was first built over a century ago.  At that time the House stood in overworked fields and overlooked logged-over hills.  All the plantings that were done at the time have now reached maturity and the result is spectacular.