Discover the Largest House in the United States And Just How Big 175,000 Square Feet Really Is 

The largest house in the United States isn’t just a house: it’s an estate. The Biltmore Estate includes a palatial main house, multiple outbuildings, and a property covering around 8,000 acres. The house itself is an impressive 175,000 square feet and features so much more than just a typical home. There are rooms for the family, servants’ quarters, and, of course, plenty of space to entertain and host guests.

At its height, the estate was around 125,000 acres and included a winery, stables, and formal gardens. Today, there are hiking trails, special events on the grounds and in the house, tours, and preservation of the estate’s extensive art collection.

History of the Biltmore

New York industrialist George Vanderbilt dreamed up the Biltmore as his country home. He visited the location in 1888 and quickly fell in love with the backdrop of the Blue Ridge Mountains. The home was designed by architect Richard Morris Hunt and took around 6 years to complete. It hosted its first visitors on Christmas Even in 1895. Hunt also designed the pedestal for the Statue of Liberty as well as The Breakers, the Vanderbilt’s mansion in Newport, Rhode Island. The Biltmore was Hunt’s last project. It was completed by his son after Hunt’s death.

The 75,000-acre formal gardens were designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, the same landscape designer behind Central Park and Prospect Park. Much of Olmsted’s design at Biltmore as well as other places focused on sustainable practices and bringing out the natural beauty of the landscape. He also prioritized thinking of landscape design in broad terms that took into account years and years of growth, the “long view,” as the Biltmore estate calls it. This was monumental in the late 19th century and is one of the reasons why the gardens and grounds remain so beautiful today.

In its heyday, the estate hosted society events and intimate gatherings. There were 35 bedrooms. Everyone had a place to stay when visiting Biltmore. The Vanderbilts were also avid art collectors and there were a variety of pieces throughout the home. George Vanderbilt in particular valued antiques and preservation. Much of his collection focused on conservation and showcasing things that he thought were interesting. Some, such as the Italian Renaissance wellhead in the east terrace, have become synonymous with Biltmore. Hunt designed entire rooms around the art, such as the Giovanni Pellegrini painting “The Chariot of Aurora,” which is featured on the ceiling of the library.

Legacy at the Biltmore

In the 1930s, George’s daughter Cornelia, who now lived in the estate with her husband John Cecil and their family, opened the home to the public. This marked a new chapter in Biltmore’s history and focused on sharing the history as well as conservation of the many artifacts in the home. During World War II, the home brought in extra artwork to store it and keep it safe.

The Biltmore gained recognition as a National Historic Landmark in 1963. The designation was based on the estate’s legacy of conservation of the area’s natural resources. This now includes a winery, established in 1983. The Inn opened in 2001 and allowed even more visitors to come to the estate. Private cottages in some of the buildings on the grounds opened in 2005 and a nearby village, Antler Hill, brought additional shopping and recreation to the area.

The Biltmore Company is still family-owned. Members of the Vanderbilt and Cecil family run the company and estate. George’s grandsons, George and William Cecil, were instrumental in helping the estate transition from a private home to one that is self-sustaining thanks to tourism, winemaking, and other aspects of the estate. Tours of the many rooms, which feature famous pieces of artwork, are one of the most popular things to do at the Biltmore.

How Big is 175,000 Feet?

It might be hard to wrap your head around just how large this house is so we’ll make some helpful comparisons to put things in perspective. The house is 175,000 square feet, which is the same as around 4 acres. For comparison, the average home is around 2,500 square feet, although this figure differs by state. You could fit 70 typical homes inside the Biltmore, enough to make an entire neighborhood.

The grounds of the Biltmore are around 80,000 acres. When it was built, the entire project encompassed closer to 125,000 acres. A standard regulation football field is 1.32 acres. This means that more than 60,600 games could be played at the same time on the Biltmore estate!

The house has 250 rooms, including a bowling alley, personal gym, indoor swimming pool, library, and 35 bedrooms. It has a whopping 65 fireplaces throughout, including two in the main formal dining room tall enough for an adult to stand inside.

Visiting the Biltmore Estate

Tourism is still one of the driving forces behind the success of the Biltmore and why it remains in such excellent condition. You can visit the home, gardens and estate, winery, or Antler Hill Village. Self-guided tours go through all three floors of the home as well as the basement. You’ll learn more about the history and use of the many rooms, including information about the artwork still present.

Special events, such as Christmas the Biltmore, invite guests to see the home decorated for the season. There are special tours as well as self-guided options. The rooftop tour is a must-see if you want to marvel at the natural beauty of the area. It’s easy to understand why George Vanderbilt chose this spot for his country home. The Biltmore offers periodic workshops in yoga, meditation, journaling, fly fishing, clay shooting, nature art, and other topics.

The grounds are also great to explore year-round, although they really come alive in the spring and summer. The formal gardens preserve the designs of Olmsted and special spots like the Diana statue on the hill overlooking the home are a great place to take in the sights. You can also take a stroll along the river, rent a bike to ride on the paths, take in an afternoon tea at The Inn, visit the farmyard and horse barn, or enjoy one of the many hiking paths.

Where Is the Biltmore?

The Biltmore is located in Asheville, North Carolina. This medium-sized city is in the western part of the state. Asheville residents pride themselves on preserving and appreciating the region’s amazing natural beauty and vibrant arts scene. At the time of the Biltmore’s construction, Asheville was a resort destination for the wealthy in America. It was also a mountainous region with a mild climate and plenty of natural beauty. All of these things made it an ideal place for George Vanderbilt to build a palatial estate as a respite from busy city life. Eventually, he and his family moved to Biltmore and made it their primary home.

Things to Do in Asheville, North Carolina

You can also visit the nearby Pisgah National Forest. Edith Vanderbilt, George Vanderbilt’s widow, sold the 87,000-acre forest to create the protected area. She sold it at such a low price that it was practically a donation. Natural conservation was very important to Vanderbilt and the Pisgah National Forest was the first of its kind east of the Mississippi River.

The Blue Ridge Mountains dominate the landscape in this part of the country. There are numerous hiking trails as well as the Blue Ridge Parkway scenic drive. Asheville is also a great place to try a new restaurant, take in a show, or enjoy live music.

The photo featured at the top of this post is © 24dupontchevy / CC BY-SA 4.0 – License / Original