For decades, people from all over North Carolina (and the world) have made it a point to see the famed Biltmore Estate in Asheville. The grand American castle has a reputation for opulence in epic proportions.
But not everyone who visits Biltmore Estate actually stops in the quaint little village at the entrance to the Biltmore. Biltmore Village, originally called ‘Best,’ was the brainchild of George Washington Vanderbilt II who built the entire town for company workers.
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And in 1896, he commissioned the building of the town’s church, the Cathedral of All Souls (shown under construction in 1896 in the photo below).
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Not only is the exterior of the church a work of art, it’s also situated as the hub of a fan-shaped group of streets within the village.
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The expansive and steeply-pitched ornate roof is covered in its entirety in tiles of mismatched colors.
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Inside, the utmost attention was paid to detail. It’s simple, yet elegant and worthy of a visit, if only for a sermon.
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Over the years, Mother Nature has taken much of the original structures from the confines of the Biltmore Village. Floods, in particular, have ravaged the small village, yet the Cathedral of All Souls remains. Some say it’s miraculously never been touched by flood waters.
Google Maps/Marc Czarnecki
The next time you head to the Biltmore, make time to explore the village and pay a visit to the Cathedral of All Souls. You’ll be glad you did.
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While we’re on the subject of the Biltmore, many people don’t know it’s one of the most haunted places in America. Read on to learn more!
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Google Maps/Marc Czarnecki
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TripAdvisor/Angie G
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