Quite a few of you asked some great questions about this estate so I am adding some information I found in a book I purchased there.

Building Begins.

Construction of Biltmore got under way in 1889, it was a massive undertaking that included a mansion, gardens, farms and woodlands. The Centerpiece was a four-story stone house with a 375 - foot long front facade, a monument that would rival the surrounding mountains in grandeur. The architect, Richard Morris Hunt, modeled the architecture on the richly ornamented style of the French Renaissance and adapted elements, such as the stair tower and the steeply pitched roof, from three famous early 16th century chateaux in the Loire Valley, Blois, Chenonceau, and Chambord. The interiors too, were inspired by European properties, such as the English country estates of Knole, Hatfield House, and Haddon Hall, which Hunt and his client had visited in 1889 while on a buying trip for furnishings. In turn of the century fashion, Biltmore was to be decorated with custom made pieces and an eclectic assortment of English and American furniture and artworks in a range of period styles. Thanks for your interest and comments.

Biltmore Estate, North Carolina
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