My favorite landmark in the South has to be the Biltmore estate. The Biltmore is a mansion built by George Vanderbilt from his wealth, which was amassed from several businesses as well as large inheritances. The house was finished in 1895, and despite his large sum of money, it is thought to have used up a majority of his wealth.
When I visited the Biltmore, I found it fascinating because of it seemed old yet at the same time it was so revolutionary at the time. It is an odd mix of an old house an a luxurious home. For example, it has a swimming pool, a two story library, and even a bowling alley. It was truly revolutionary with features such a an intercom system, an elevator, and centrally controlled clocks. It is massive as well; the tour that I took a few years ago took well over two hours. It is hard to imagining living in anything close to the size of that house.
The gardens around the mansion are not to be ignored, either. The grounds were designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, the same man who designed Central Park. All of the greenery is still very well tended to today because of the large amount of tourism that the house sees.
The estate is still very alive, with tours happening everyday and hotel rooms (on the grounds but in a separate building) that cost $600 or more per night.
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