Early Republic · Virginia
Monticello
Also known as Home of Thomas Jefferson
Library of Congress (via Wikimedia Commons)
Why Monticello Matters
Monticello was the mountaintop home of Thomas Jefferson — author of the Declaration of Independence and third President of the United States — which he designed himself and reworked over some forty years. A masterpiece of American neoclassical architecture, it reflects Jefferson's restless mind for design, science, and invention.
Monticello was also a working plantation dependent on the labor of enslaved people, a history the site now interprets in depth along Mulberry Row. Preserved by the Thomas Jefferson Foundation and named a UNESCO World Heritage Site, it appears on the reverse of the U.S. nickel.
By the Numbers
The House
- Designer
- Thomas Jefferson
- Architectural style
- Neoclassical / Palladian
- Rooms
- 43
In Culture
- On the U.S. nickel
- Reverse of the five-cent coin
Timeline
- 1769Jefferson begins building Monticello atop his “little mountain.”
- 1784–1789Jefferson serves as U.S. minister to France, absorbing new architectural ideas.
- 1796–1809Jefferson largely rebuilds Monticello into its domed, 43-room form.
- 1826Thomas Jefferson dies at Monticello on July 4.
- 1923The Thomas Jefferson Foundation acquires Monticello.
- 1987Monticello is designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Complete History
Jefferson began leveling the top of an 850-foot hill he called Monticello — Italian for “little mountain” — and started building in 1769. The first version of the house drew on the Palladian designs he admired in architectural books.
After serving as U.S. minister to France in the 1780s, Jefferson returned with new ideas and largely rebuilt Monticello between 1796 and 1809, adding the distinctive dome and expanding it to 43 rooms filled with his inventions and collections. The estate was run on the labor of enslaved men, women, and children, including members of the Hemings family.
Jefferson died at Monticello on July 4, 1826 — the fiftieth anniversary of the Declaration of Independence — and is buried in the family cemetery on the grounds. Deeply in debt, his heirs sold the estate; the Thomas Jefferson Foundation acquired it in 1923 and has preserved it since, and in 1987 it was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Historic Images
Interesting Facts
- Thomas Jefferson designed Monticello himself and remodeled it over roughly forty years.
- “Monticello” is Italian for “little mountain,” after the hill Jefferson built it on.
- Jefferson filled the house with inventions and clever devices, including a Great Clock and dumbwaiters.
- Monticello was a working plantation; Jefferson enslaved more than 400 people over his lifetime, and the site interprets their lives along Mulberry Row.
- Monticello appears on the reverse of the U.S. nickel.
- Jefferson died at Monticello on July 4, 1826, the 50th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.
Visiting Today
- Hours
- Open daily except Christmas; hours vary by season.
- Admission
- Paid, timed admission (a private nonprofit site); tickets are best reserved in advance.
- Best time to visit
- Spring and fall for the gardens; weekday mornings for smaller crowds.
- Nearby
- Charlottesville, the University of Virginia (also a World Heritage Site), and James Monroe's Highland.
Beyond the house tour, take the Slavery at Monticello or Mulberry Row tour to understand the enslaved community that made the estate function.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who designed Monticello?
Thomas Jefferson designed it himself, reworking the plans over some forty years.
Is Thomas Jefferson buried at Monticello?
Yes. He is buried in the family cemetery on the grounds, where he died on July 4, 1826.
Is Monticello on a coin?
Yes. It appears on the reverse of the U.S. five-cent coin, the nickel.
Were enslaved people held at Monticello?
Yes. Monticello was a plantation dependent on enslaved labor; Jefferson enslaved hundreds of people, and the site interprets their lives, including the Hemings family, along Mulberry Row.
Can you visit Monticello?
Yes. It is open for ticketed tours daily, just outside Charlottesville, Virginia.