The Biltmore Estate, nestled amidst the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, stands as a testament to the Gilded Age in America, a period of unprecedented wealth and extravagance. More than just a grand mansion, it is a story of ambition, artistry, and enduring legacy. In the late 1880s, George Washington Vanderbilt II, the youngest son of William Henry Vanderbilt, embarked on a quest to create a country retreat where he could pursue his passions for art, literature, and horticulture.