Just down the road from Jefferson’s Monticello, Ashlawn-Highland is the home of our fifth president James Monroe. You take a house tour and explore the grounds. There is also an amazing tree known as the Monroe Oak.
Thomas Jefferson founded the University of Virginia and claimed it as one of his proudest achievements. Jefferson designed the UVA Rotunda to be the heart of the “academic village.” The building was based on the Pantheon in Rome and reflects Jefferson’s classic style.
Monticello, the home designed and built by Thomas Jefferson, is one the most recognized homes in the United States and it is a very popular tourist destination. There were big lines when we visited in April 2009. Along with magnificent house, there are also some great gardens to see.