We also went to the Biltmore estate, an experience that made me stomach turn.
I should explain what The Biltmore Estate is for those who might not be familiar.
The Biltmore Estate is a gilded age mansion. The largest privately owned home in the united states, and a monument to excess.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biltmore_Estate
It's huge.
178,926 square feet.
Massive.
And the grounds are huge too! 13 square miles today.
It was originally 135 square miles, but the George Vanderbilt died and the US government started collecting income tax and his wife sold many miles to the US government which turned it in to the Pisgah national forest.
It's beautiful. Some of the best views of the Appalachian mountains I've ever seen. Magnificent gardens. An astounding collection of art and prints and furniture.
The tour was more than an hour long and barely covered even 1/4th of the house, much less the rest of the grounds.
It was also just propaganda. The estate is still privately held. They charge $100/head for entry. There were at least 500 people in the main grounds, but likely many many more.
The audio tour stresses how proud the servants were. Talks about all the good the estate did for the community.
Doesn't mention the 700 families that were displaced to build the place.
Anyway, fuck the plutocrats and the aristocracy.
Nothing this overwhelmingly excessive should have ever been in private hands.