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Portrait of Thomas Jefferson, founder of the University of Virginia (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826) was a polymath: America’s “first distinguished viticulturist,” an architect, author of the American Declaration of Independence and third president of the United States. Thomas Jefferson was a talented architect of neo-classical buildings and he designed his Virginia plantation home, Monticello (Little Mountain) as well as the buildings on the campus of the University of Virginia. Construction of Monticello began in 1769. Jefferson was inspired by classical European architecture. The 43-room mansion has 13 skylights.

Benjamin Franklin, John Adams and Thomas Jefferson writing the Declaration of independence (1776) were all of British descent. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Monticello is situated on the summit of an 850-foot peak in the Southwest Mountains that run parallel to the Blue Ridge Mountains. In 1987, Monticello and the nearby University of Virginia, also designed by Jefferson, were designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Monticello from the west lawn. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Jefferson was inspired by the principles of the Venetian Renaissance architect Andrea Palladio who was active in the Republic of Venice. Monticello is a relection of Palladian proportions on the pedimented portico. Jeffersonian Architecture is an American form of Neo-Palladianism that was very popular between 1790 and 1830 in America.

Architect Andrea Palladio (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Andrea di Pietro (1508-1580) was known as Palladio. Palladio was influenced primarily by Vitruvian design principles; symmetry, perspective and values of the formal classical temple architecture of the Ancient Greeks and Romans.

Palladio was a stone mason’s apprentice who became the most influential architect of his generation. Palladio’s urban dwellings and villas are scattered throughout the Venato. His Palladian architectural principles gained world-wide prominence in the 18^th century.

A villa with a superimposed portico, from Book IV of Palladio’s I Quattro Libri dell’Architettura, in a modestly priced English translation published in London, 1736. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Statue of Palladio in Vicenza (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

A Palladian Villa is characterized by pillared porticos and arches. Unfortunately, fourteen of his villas were destroyed by World War II bombs. The city of Vicenza and the Palladian Villas of the Veneto are UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

American Palladianism: The Rotunda at the University of Virginia, designed in the Palladian manner by Thomas Jefferson. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

For over 40 years, Monticello was designed and redesigned, built and rebuilt. Thomas Jefferson is buried on the grounds and this area is designated as the Monticello Cemetery.

Jefferson’s tomb at Monticello (Photo credit: Chris Devers)

Monticello (Photo credit: willandbeyond)

At one time, Jefferson’s plantation included “quarters for domestic slaves along Mulberry Row near the house; gardens for flowers, produce and Jefferson’s experiments in plant breeding, plus tobacco fields and mixed crops. Cabins for field slaves were located further from the mansion.”

Il Pantheon di sera (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Comparison of the ground plans of the Pantheon in Rome (left) and Thomas Jefferson’s Rotunda of the University of Virginia (middle: ground floor, right: dome room). The plan of the Pantheon is the one by Andrea Palladio in its reprint by Giocomo Leoni—i.e. the plan that Thomas Jefferson had access to while designing the Rotunda. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Monticello and the key buildings of the University of Virginia are directly related to American Palladianism using principles from classical architecture. The similarities between the Pantheon in Rome and the Rotunda of the University of Virginia are apparent when the photos ante pictured next to each other. Jefferson’s rotunda houses the library.

Thomas Jefferson’s design of the “Rotunda”, the library at the heart of the University of Virginia. “South Elevation of the Rotunda, begun 1818, completed March 29, 1819. Ink and pencil drawing.” (according to Library of Congress) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Statue of Thomas Jefferson at the Monticello Visitors Center. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Thomas Jefferson was a wine enthusiast and he had two vineyards at

Monticello & Gabriele Rausse – Charlottesville, VA Photo by Amy C Evans, SFA oral historian. A fence is being used as trellising. June 2008 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Monticello. However, “the successful cultivation of Vitis vinifera, the classic European wine species, was virtually impossible until the development of modern pesticides controlled such destructive pests as black rot and phyloxera, an aphid-like root louse.”

Monticello & Gabriele Rausse – Charlottesville, VA Photo by Amy C Evans, SFA oral historian June 2008 Individually numbered wine bottles (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

“The Southwest Vineyard was replanted in 1993 entirely with the Sangiovese grape, a variety documented by Jefferson in 1807 and the principal ingredient of Chianti in Tuscany. There is an annual Wine Festival at Monticello in May. Several vintages have been made with harvests from this vineyard which are sold from the Monticello Museum Shops. Gabriele Rausse, one of the founders of the modern Virginia grape industry, oversees the production of wine as well as the care of the restored vineyards, which continue to serve as experimental gardens of unusual varieties of vinifera.”

Thomas Jefferson Building, Library of Congress, Washington, DC, USA. General decor. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

In Washington, D.C. you can visit the Thomas Jefferson Building in the Library of Congress.

: Monticello Vineyards & Winery (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

For more information about Monticello’s wine production visit: http://www.monticello.org/site/house-and-gardens/vineyards

Monticello Wine Company (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Dr. EveAnn Lovero writes Travel Guides @ www.vino-con-vista.com

Thomas Jefferson Quote (mountainrepublic.net)
The Most Popular Monuments In America (businessinsider.com)
Jefferson’s birthday anniversary, April 13 (timpanogos.wordpress.com)

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The historic city of Verona in Italy has charming pastel candy-colored buildings. It was founded in the first century B.C. and is located at the foot of Monte Lessini. Verona is the second most important art center in the Venato region outside of Venice.

Verona has developed progressively and uninterruptedly for over 2000 years. The top row of the Roman Amphitheatre offers a panoramic view over the town and on a clear day the Alps are visible. The amphitheatre continues to serve as an opera house and as a venue for an annual Shakespeare Festival. It was completed in 30 AD.

The Giardino Guisti is one of Italy’s most famous gardens and offers a beautiful view from the “monster balcony.” Verona flourished under the 124 year reign of the Scaliger family in the 13^th and 14^th centuries and as part of the Republic of Venice from the 15^th to 18^th centuries. Several seminal stages of European history have been preserved in this magical city. Tour the museums to view masterpieces from the medieval and Renaissance periods.

Think about Shakespeare embellishing Romeo and Juliet’s love story in this romantic city. Visit the old homestead and perhaps your romance will flourish as you gaze at Juliet’s famous balcony.

Consider enrolling in Villa Giona’s cooking school in Verona, associated with the Allegrini Winery. Verona has a long and strong history of wine production with high quality and high productivity. On the Veronese Riviera, Lake Garda is a great place for a Vino con Vista, this area is synonymous with the Bardolino red wine zone and winery tours can be arranged at the Enoteca del Bardolino and at the Wine Museum of the Zeni estate. The Valpolicella appellation was declared 2009’s winemaking region of the year by Wine Enthusiast. Amarone and Recioto wines were upgraded to DOCG status. In April of each year, Verona hosts “Vinitaly.” It is the country’s largest wine exhibition where you can taste thousands of wines from around the world www.vinitaly.com.

To learn more about Verona and Northern Italy visit www.vino-con-vista.com and

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