What was hidden at the Biltmore Estate?

Famous works by Rembrandt, Raphael, Anthony van Dyck – even Gilbert Stuart's George Washington portrait – were whisked away from Washington's National Gallery of Art by train and hidden at the estate to protect against possible attacks.



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Estate History It was during the winter of 1942 when an unusual array of guests arrived at Biltmore House. Accompanied by guards on their journey from Washington, D.C., 62 paintings and 17 sculptures from the National Gallery of Art were carried into the house and placed in the Music Room.

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Off The Beaten Path: Hidden Gems of Biltmore
  • The Vista and statue of Diana. Statue of Diana overlooking Biltmore House. ...
  • The Bass Pond is one of Biltmore's hidden gems. The view of the Bass Pond from the Boat House is worth the walk! ...
  • Explore the Conservatory.


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Speaking of ghosts, the entire second floor of the hotel is closed off and never used due the presence of spirits (the ghost kind…the other types of spirits can be found in the hotel's two bars). We entered the bar through the Cognac Lounge, which added two paintings that used to reside in the Gold Room.

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Inside Biltmore House Taking photographs by cell phone or cameras, without flash, is permitted on the self-guided tour for personal use only. No commercial photography is allowed. Photography is not permitted on specialty tours inside Biltmore House.

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At the back of the Biltmore House, several of these creatures adorn the downspouts. These are true gargoyles, as these fearsome creatures were originally designed to carry rainwater clear of the walls in ancient times.

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The project was America's largest private residence, Biltmore House, designed for George Washington Vanderbilt. EROSION CONTROL: Nature's natural erosion control agent. Running bamboo's net like root system works to stabilize eroded river banks creating an effective mechanism for watershed protection.

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Who owns Biltmore Estate today? The estate is still family-owned. George Vanderbilt's great-grandson, Bill Cecil Jr, is the current CEO of Biltmore Company. His father (and George Vanderbilt's grandson William Amherst Vanderbilt Cecil) was responsible for most of the dramatic growth of Biltmore.

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Why Is Biltmore So Expensive? The ticket price is you paying for the HUGE amount of maintenance, restoration, and staff that it takes to run the estate, along with all the various activities that there are to do around the estate. It's not JUST to see the house and grounds.

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The 250-room French Renaissance chateau includes 35 bedrooms, 43 bathrooms, and 65 fireplaces. Adjacent to Biltmore House are 75 acres of formal and informal gardens designed by renowned American landscape architect, Frederick Law Olmsted.

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