From Staff Reports  

The Biltmore Estate, based in Asheville, recently placed second on a list of the “most beautiful landmarks in the U.S.” by travel blog ParkSleepFly, which analyzed Tripadvisor reviews for famous landmarks.

“The blog checked how many people reviewed the landmark, using the words ‘beautiful,’ ‘pretty,’ ‘picturesque’ and ‘stunning’ to calculate its scores for ‘most beautiful,’” the Asheville Citizen Times reported on Feb. 9.

Placing first was the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, with a “beauty review” of 3,163, barely topping the No. 2-finisher, the Biltmore Estate, which came it at 3,042.

Regarding the Biltmore Estate, ParkSleepFly stated that it is the “largest privately owned house in the U.S., comprising 178,926 square feet.

“The estate is renowned for its beautiful architecture, which 3.042 reviewers agree with. The main house was built in the Chateauesque-style, featuring sculptural ornamentation inside and on the exterior, as well as the park-like landscape gardening. It now serves as a museum and tourist attraction.”

The other eight “most beautiful” sites finishing in the U.S. top 10 are:

3. The Empire State Building

4. The National Sept. 11 Memorial and Museum

5. Alcatraz Island

6. The Statue of Liberty

7. The Gateway Arch

8. St. Louis Cathedral

9. Mount Rushmore

10. The Alamo