The Biggest Mansion in America
5 Biggest Mansions in America
If you follow my channel closely, you might have noticed some common investments every rich person makes. Typically their most significant purchase is in an ultra-luxurious, comfortable, classy and most importantly, secluded home. We've discussed many manors worth dozens of millions of dollars, yet all of them pale in comparison with the top 5 largest mansions in America.
Thanks For Watching: 5 Biggest Mansions in America
On this Channel we share everything about Luxury and help you experience the billionaire lifestyle. We rank the most expensive things in the world and we have a look inside the lives of the wealthiest people on the planet.
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If you follow my channel closely, you might have noticed some common investments every rich person makes. Typically their most significant purchase is in an ultra-luxurious, comfortable, classy and most importantly, secluded home. We've discussed many manors worth dozens of millions of dollars, yet all of them pale in comparison with the top 5 largest mansions in America.
Thanks For Watching: 5 Biggest Mansions in America
On this Channel we share everything about Luxury and help you experience the billionaire lifestyle. We rank the most expensive things in the world and we have a look inside the lives of the wealthiest people on the planet.
Consider subscribing for inspiration and luxury experiences!
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00:00If you follow my channel closely, you might have noticed some common investments every rich person
00:04makes. Typically, their most significant purchase is an ultra-luxurious, comfortable, classy,
00:10and most importantly, secluded home. We've discussed many manors worth dozens of millions
00:15of dollars, yet all of them pale in comparison with the top five largest mansions in America.
00:20Welcome to Luxury Zone. Before we take a tour of these astounding architectural gems,
00:25hit that subscribe button if you haven't already, and remember to tell us which
00:29mansion impressed you the most in the comments below.
00:32Number 5 The Modern Versailles
00:33What better way to kick off this list than with a house designed after a genuine European palace,
00:39the Palace of Versailles in France. The Modern Versailles is yet to be finished as it has been
00:44under construction for the past 18 years. This behemoth of a home is owned by the Segal family,
00:50who built their massive fortune through selling timeshares. Even before this astounding house
00:55is finished, it's the fourth most expensive property in the US, valued at around $100 million.
01:02The Versailles is roughly about a 9,000-square-foot building. The work on this lavish
01:07mansion began in 2004, but the 2008 financial crisis hit the Segal family hard, and the
01:13construction had to be paused. Back then, the property was listed for sale at $65 million,
01:20but no one wanted to buy it due to the economic situation. In 2013,
01:24the construction was continued and is expected to be finished later this year.
01:28To say that no expenses were spared in building this dream manor would be an understatement.
01:33The Versailles lays on top of an artificial hill of 100 acres on the forefront of Lake Butler.
01:39The colossal palace will accommodate 11 kitchens. I can't imagine why anyone would need more than
01:45one. The house will also have 14 bedrooms, three indoor swimming pools, and another two outside.
01:51Of course, no modern palace can be finished without an entertainment center. This house
01:56is planned to have a separate arcade room, a two-lane bowling alley, and a private two-story
02:01movie theater. To make it more comfortable, the mansion will have a private elevator that will
02:06take the Segals from the master bedroom to the closet. I can only imagine that Jackie Segal has
02:11already paid several million dollars to the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra to compose and play the
02:16annoying elevator music for her private lift. To finish off the luxurious look of this colossal
02:22house, there will be an aquarium filled with exotic fish, a stunning garden, two tennis courts,
02:27and even a baseball diamond. The cherry on top will be the lavish ballroom, inspired by the
02:32genuine Versailles in France. In the Segal home, the ballroom will have the capacity to accommodate
02:38up to 1,000 guests and is promised to be lavishly decorated. The materials used for the construction
02:44of this mega-mansion don't come cheap. The wood for this Florida palace comes from some of the
02:49last legal Brazilian mahogany, worth over $4 million. In addition, an astounding amount of
02:55marble, worth several million, had to be imported as well. When the home is finished, it may easily
03:00become the most expensive home in the United States. Number 4. Arden House
03:05At the turn of the 20th century, Edward Henry Harriman, a railroad tycoon, paid the colossal
03:10for the time $52,500 to build the house of his dreams. That is equivalent to roughly $1.75
03:19million in today's money. Due to its size, luxurious setting, and most important historical value,
03:26the Arden House is probably worth in the hundreds of millions today. This stunning 97,188-square-foot
03:34home has become the epitome of unwavering class, with its dozens of priceless art pieces,
03:40sculptures, tapestries, and lavish decorations. The mansion, though gigantic, takes just one
03:46small piece of the whole 355-acres estate. In it, there is a private 125-acres lake,
03:53which admittedly takes the thrill of skinny dipping, but it opens a lot of possibilities
03:58for private yachting, fishing, and all sorts of other water-related activities away from the
04:03public eye. The rest of this enormous land is covered with greenery and forests, along with a
04:08large pool, tennis courts, and other amenities one could enjoy. The home itself is an architectural
04:14masterpiece. The manor was built in the chateauesque style, with imposing stonework
04:19affirming eminence, class, and wealth. The interior is just as impressive. Arden House
04:24has 97 guest rooms, each with luxurious furniture, a unique setting, and ready to accommodate your
04:31every desire. Outside of the rooms, there is a remarkable display of impeccable taste,
04:36as the corridors are covered with brickwork and marble, creating beautiful figures. At the same
04:42time, vivid pieces of art, like tapestries, paintings, and statues, make your walk around
04:47the mansion as if you were at a museum or an art gallery. The huge French windows overlooking the
04:53scenic nature outside allow natural light to illuminate this marvelous display of wealth.
04:58The manor is without a doubt done with a lot of refined taste and comfort in mind. The sitting
05:04room is one of the highlights of this magnificent architectural piece of art. Its design has only
05:09one task, to be impressive. The luxurious royal red-colored drapings alone give this room a
05:15majestic vibe. However, the grandeur design, the oak woodwork, and imported tapestries,
05:21alongside the comfortable designer furniture and relaxing setting, make this room the epitome of
05:26how wealth, taste, and high class can create a masterful piece of art from any room. However,
05:33the cherry on top of this splendid manor is the music room. It was designed after medieval grand
05:38halls. The balcony and ceiling are decorated with stone carvings. A set of one large and four
05:44smaller chandeliers fill the room with light. The music room is heavily inspired by the music rooms
05:49in European castles and palaces. Although this magnificent building was once used only by a
05:55single family, now it's property of the Research Center on Natural Conservation, which uses it for
06:01conferences and relaxation. Not precisely the ultra-luxurious existence this magnificent house
06:07deserves, in my humble opinion. Number three, The One. After bringing some questionable movies like
06:12DNA, The Patriot, and Resurrection to the big screen, Niall Neamey decided to go after something
06:18that he actually had a talent for, real estate development. So, after several multi-million
06:23sales, like two houses in Holmby Hills worth $44 million and $39 million respectively,
06:30Neamey took upon creating his dream home. That's how The One came to life. After nearly 10 years
06:36of construction, the Bel Air Mega Mansion was finished in early 2021. The wait, however,
06:42was truly worth it. The 105,000 square foot mansion is a genuine luxurious heaven with lavish
06:49decorations, amenities, and comfort that only millions of dollars can buy. The One has 20
06:56bedrooms, 30 bathrooms, two massive dining rooms, and a state-of-the-art kitchen that can be the
07:02envy of even the most luxurious restaurants. There is also a parking garage for 30 cars.
07:08While these amenities would be enough for the masses to call The One their dream home, Neamey
07:13dreamt bigger. He commissioned an astonishing wine cellar in his home, capable of holding up to
07:1910,000 bottles. Can you imagine a millionaire's home without a swimming pool? Well, The One has
07:25five of them. For those who prefer to stay dry, there is a bowling alley, a private casino,
07:29and its very own nightclub. Of course, it wouldn't be a film producer's dream house if
07:34there wasn't a private movie theater. The only downside is, you'd probably have to watch some
07:38of Neamey's movies. Believe me, though, that is a small price to pay for having the chance to visit
07:43this architectural masterpiece. If all of this doesn't scream of extravagance,
07:48some of The One's walls are actually aquariums filled with glowing jellyfish. Hearing all of
07:54this, it would be quite surprising to learn that the home has a strictly minimalist design,
07:59with marble walls and glass panels. Though worth several hundred thousand on its own,
08:04the furniture is anything but extravagant, as the whole house has a neat and clean vibe.
08:09When it was finished, the home was worth half a billion dollars, making it the most expensive
08:14mansion in America. However, in October 2021, Neamey went bankrupt, and the property value
08:21dropped significantly. In January 2022, it was listed for $295 million. If you've started counting
08:28the coins in your pocket to see if you can afford this dream house, I'd have to disappoint you.
08:32Just a few days ago, on March 4th, 2022, this palace was sold for merely $127 million.
08:40Number 2. Oheka Castle Built on the highest point of the prime Long
08:44Island area, Oheka Castle is the second biggest mansion in America. Named after the acronyms of
08:49its first owner, Otto Hermann Kahn, this architectural masterpiece has the size of
08:55two White Houses. The 109,000 square foot house was built in 1919, and became the inspiration
09:02behind the Great Gatsby novel, as it represented this fabulous lifestyle. Back then, Otto Kahn
09:07invested the equivalent of $158 million in creating this lavish manor, where he often
09:13gathered around 600 of his closest friends, as absurd as that sounds. After Kahn's death,
09:19the property changed hands several times, and in the late 70s, Oheka Castle was abandoned.
09:25Gary Mellius took this lavish home out of oblivion for less than $1.5 million just five
09:31years later. He invested another $37 million into restoring this magnificent piece of American
09:37history in its original shape. To this day, this is the most expensive renovation in the US.
09:43Mellius spared no expense to recreate Otto Kahn's vision during the renovation, as he replaced all
09:48222 windows and doors with exact replicas. In addition, the new owner spent a fortune restoring
09:55the marble floors and original railings. The whole building was heavily influenced by French culture,
10:01a bit weird for a German-born investment banker at the start of the 20s. But I'm not here to judge.
10:06Once you set foot through the main gate, you will see an astonishing dual staircase with priceless
10:11hand-rod iron railings. To this day, the railings are still in their place, although it took more
10:16than 18 months to restore them. Today, the home entrance is a replica of how it looked during the
10:22roaring 20s, with breathtaking chandeliers hanging above the staircase and classy decoration all
10:28around. The ballroom, where once parties went from dusk till dawn and beyond, now is a restaurant.
10:34The rest of the house is a hotel, where guests are treated like royalty. In the 127 rooms,
10:40there are all sorts of pamperments and luxuries. However, one of the biggest changes is the newly
10:45designated man cave that the new owner made for himself. Costing around $200,000, this secluded
10:52space had to be literally carved in the concrete. Now it's the favorite place of owner Gary Mellius.
10:58After all, it's the only place where he can enjoy his cigars without being yelled at by his wife.
11:03Gary, though, kept untouched most of the Oheka Castle, as the library, the school room,
11:08the lounge, terraces and corridors remain as they were built in 1919. However, the prized
11:14possession of this extraordinary house is the original inside pool, a commodity that was unheard
11:21of when it was first built. The home is surrounded by 443 acres of greenery. The English gardens are
11:27a genuine piece of art. Moreover, they are accompanied by a private golf course, which only
11:32underlines the sophistication of this establishment. Thankfully, you can visit this magnificent piece
11:37of American history as it allows tours. Moreover, you can even become a part of the lavish lifestyle
11:43Otto Kahn once had by staying a night or two at this majestic mansion.
11:47Number 1 Biltmore Estate Finally, we have the 178,926
11:54square foot Biltmore Estate, the biggest mansion ever built in America. This gigantic home is
12:01located in Asheville, North Carolina, and was built over 120 years ago to accommodate George
12:08Washington Vanderbilt's family. While other homes on this list cost astonishing amounts of money,
12:13Vanderbilt's castle had a whole industry working for its construction. While it's hard to estimate
12:18how much this Herculean endeavor would have cost, it's safe to say that it would be equivalent to
12:23several billion dollars in today's money. A woodworking factory, a brick kiln, a railroad
12:29and 60 stonemasons had to be built for this lavish palace to come into existence. Over 1,000 workers
12:37worked every day for three years to create this magnificent piece of architecture. The grandeur
12:43of this jaw-dropping mansion can be seen before you even set a foot inside. The facade is covered
12:49in ornaments, gargoyles, trefoils, flowing tracery and more. This, however, pales in comparison with
12:56the main staircase, where a three-story high decorated winding balustrade with statues of
13:02St. Louis and Joan of Arc is situated. Famous Austrian sculptor Karl Bitter carved the sculptures
13:09himself. The 125,000 acres of surrounding parks, gardens and landscape were entrusted to Friedrich
13:17Lord Olmsted, the designer behind Central Park in New York. Along with the cultivated gardens,
13:22there is an outdoor tea room, a conservatory, fountains, stables, several ponds and a lagoon,
13:29which was once used as a fishing and rowing place. If you're impressed by the outside,
13:33just wait to get in. The Winter Garden on its own is worth as much as a whole house in Asheville,
13:39with its unique design, breathtaking decorations, rare flowers and the priceless bronze,
13:44boy-stealing geese fountain. The Vanderbilts knew how to show off their wealth. While some
13:50small-time millionaires may have garages full of luxury cars, in this massive house there is a 90
13:56foot long room filled with 16th century tapestries. Not as flashy, I agree, but definitely a better
14:03investment since these tapestries are now practically priceless, as are the 10,000 books
14:09in eight languages in the library. This is not simply a room, but an exhibition model of its own.
14:15The two-story high library is as if taken out of a fairy tale or a Harry Potter book. Baroque
14:21detailing, magnificent fireplace and priceless furniture make this room a paradise for any
14:28bookworm. In Biltmore, you can find one of the biggest chandeliers in the world. The four-story
14:34high handcrafted piece of art that holds 72 light bulbs is hanging beside the grand staircase. Of
14:41course, one of the most lavish rooms in this castle is the master bedroom. Just as in European
14:46castles, George's bedroom was connected to his wife's. What they did at night, I will leave it
14:51to your imagination. Nonetheless, both rooms are a testament to van der Bilt's class and unwavering
14:56taste, with uniquely designed furniture, breathtaking decorations and stylish pieces of art
15:02hanging from the walls. Going through all 250 rooms and explaining in detail all the lavish
15:08decorations and astounding furniture will take approximately a month or so. The mansion has 35
15:14bedrooms, 43 bathrooms and three kitchens. By now you're probably wondering where all these people
15:20eat. Why, in the banquet hall of course, ready to accommodate 60 guests. This one-of-a-kind interior
15:26piece of art is famous for its triple fireplace, decorated with stone carvings and tapestries on
15:32both sides. Several massive chandeliers hang from the magnificently decorated 70-foot high ceiling.
15:39Not the safest place to eat in my opinion, but definitely one of the fanciest. In addition,
15:44there are a total of 65 fireplaces to make this colossal building cozier during the winter.
15:50As well as a 70,000-gallon heated swimming pool, a bowling alley and a gym fitted with top-notch
15:56equipment. For the end of the 19th century that is. There is a whole wing dedicated to entertainment,
16:01elegantly called the bachelor's wing. It accommodates a billiard room, a smoking room and of course
16:06a haunting room. This home is not a place that mere words can represent. One needs to visit it
16:12to feel the royal taste and luxury the van der Bilt's lived in. Thankfully, today their home is a
16:17museum, so visiting it won't be an issue. In 2017, the property was estimated to be worth $157.2
16:25million for tax purposes. However, its market value is well over several billion dollars. This
16:32home is truly priceless with its centuries-old tapestries, furniture and art collection. So,
16:38those were the five biggest mansions in America. Which one would you prefer to call your home?
16:44Let me know in the comments below.