Why is there bamboo at the Biltmore?

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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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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In addition to the house, the 8,000-acre estate is home to forested trails and beautiful gardens, which include one of the country's most complete collections of azaleas. Biltmore is also where you'll find the nation's most-visited winery. As you explore the estate, enjoy shopping, dining and luxury accommodations.

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One of the most popular tourist attractions in the state, Biltmore Estate proves that even the most-visited places have their secrets. The sprawling Vanderbilt mansion conceals hidden doors and secret passageways.

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Branches of the family are found on the United States East Coast. Contemporary descendants include American art historian John Wilmerding, journalist Anderson Cooper, actor Timothy Olyphant, musician John P. Hammond, screenwriter James Vanderbilt, and the Duke of Marlborough.

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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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George Vanderbilt engaged two of the most distinguished designers of the 19th century: architect Richard Morris Hunt (1828-1895) and landscape designer Frederick Law Olmsted (1822-1903). The four-story stone house with a 780-foot façade was designed to rival the surrounding mountains in grandeur.

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“Forrest Gump” (1994) Scenes of Tom Hanks' title character running were shot in and around Asheville, including on the Biltmore Estate.

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Often the highlight of a stay at Biltmore, dinner featured between six and ten courses, including soup, fish, entrée, roast or relevé, game and salad, dessert, and coffee to aid digestion. Meals included a combination of store-bought delicacies and the home-grown bounty of estate farms.

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Today, Biltmore is still family owned and operated under George Vanderbilt's mission of preservation through self-sufficiency – a philosophy embraced before the first stone was ever placed.

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Like other married couples of the Vanderbilts' social class, Edith and George had separate bedrooms so maids could dress her and valets could dress him. Behind curtains is Edith's walk-in closet.

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Complimentary tickets are valid for one daytime visit and include a self-guided visit to Biltmore House (advance reservation required) and access to our gardens and grounds, Antler Hill Village & Winery, shopping, dining, outdoor activities, and more.

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Staffing America's Largest Home In the days when George, Edith, and Cornelia Vanderbilt resided at Biltmore, they employed up to 40 staff members who each played a crucial role in the day-to-day operations of the house and stable.

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