![Monticello was the primary plantation of Thomas Jefferson, the third President of the United States, who began designing and building Monticello at age 26 after inheriting land from his father. Located just outside Charlottesville, Virginia, in the Piedmont region, the plantation was originally 5,000 acres (20 km2), with Jefferson using slaves for extensive cultivation of tobacco and mixed crops, later shifting from tobacco cultivation to wheat in response to changing markets.
Jefferson designed the main house using neoclassical design principles described by Italian Renaissance architect Andrea Palladio, subsequently reworking the design through much of his presidency to include design elements popular in late 18th-century Europe and integrating numerous of his own design solutions. Situated on the summit of an 850-foot (260 m)-high peak in the Southwest Mountains south of the Rivanna Gap, the name Monticello derives from the Italian for "little mount". Along a prominent lane adjacent to the house, Mulberry Row, the plantation came to include numerous outbuildings for specialized functions, e.g., a nailery; quarters for domestic slaves; gardens for flowers, produce, and Jefferson's experiments in plant breeding — along with tobacco fields and mixed crops. Cabins for field slaves were located farther from the mansion.
At Jefferson's direction, he was buried on the grounds, in an area now designated as the Monticello Cemetery. The cemetery is owned by the Monticello Association, a society of his descendants through Martha Wayles Skelton Jefferson.[4] After Jefferson's death, his daughter Martha Jefferson Randolph sold the property. In 1834 it was bought by Uriah P. Levy, a commodore in the U.S. Navy, who admired Jefferson and spent his own money to preserve the property. His nephew Jefferson Monroe Levy took over the property in 1879; he also invested considerable money to restore and preserve it. In 1923, Monroe Levy sold it to the Thomas Jefferson Foundation (TJF), which operates it as a house museum and educational institution. It has been designated a National Historic Landmark. In 1987 Monticello and the nearby University of Virginia, also designed by Jefferson, were together designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.](https://images.trvl-media.com/place/6082929/fc297070-6be5-4ba5-8b01-2648f1f046f8.jpg?impolicy=fcrop&w=1200&h=500&q=medium)
Photo by Vin Lane-Kieltyka
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Top Hotels Albemarle County
English Inn of Charlottesville
The Meadows
9.2 out of 10, Wonderful, (2633)
"I enjoyed the hotel ambiance, location, and facilities."
Sieda
The price is 2.586.210 ₫
3.046.508 ₫ total
includes taxes & fees
8 Dec - 9 Dec
Omni Charlottesville Hotel
North Downtown
9.2 out of 10, Wonderful, (1005)
"Friendly staff and great amenities. "
Richard
The price is 4.011.355 ₫
4.584.978 ₫ total
includes taxes & fees
21 Dec - 22 Dec
DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Charlottesville
Rio
8.2 out of 10, Very good, (1003)
"Nice clean room, great staff"
Dwayne
The price is 2.464.413 ₫
2.816.824 ₫ total
includes taxes & fees
17 Dec - 18 Dec
Extended Stay America Premier Suites - Charlottesville
Rio
9.0 out of 10, Wonderful, (369)
"Great place to stay. "
raymund
The price is 2.894.394 ₫
3.308.293 ₫ total
includes taxes & fees
17 Dec - 18 Dec
Hampton Inn & Suites Charlottesville-At the University
10th and Page
9.0 out of 10, Wonderful, (963)
"Great central location and clean and comfortable beds."
Mirna
The price is 3.142.470 ₫
3.591.843 ₫ total
includes taxes & fees
12 Dec - 13 Dec
Boar's Head Resort
Ednam
9.0 out of 10, Wonderful, (1003)
"What a great location for a football fall weekend. The hospitality, scenery and meals were all 5 star. "
David
The price is 5.799.860 ₫
7.600.981 ₫ total
includes taxes & fees
7 Dec - 8 Dec
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Top Albemarle County Hotel Reviews
Home2 Suites By Hilton Harrisonburg University
10/10 Excellent
Extended Stay America Premier Suites - Charlottesville
10/10 Excellent
