MONTICELLO

Those who have passed through Richmond already know the architectural talents of Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826), the ^third president of the history of the United States, who designed the Virginia State Capitol based on the Maison Carrée in Nîmes. A few years earlier, he had started building Monticello, a magnificent Palladian-style residence near Charlottesville where he lived until his death on July 4, 1826. This father of American independence spent his life designing and enlarging this vast residence with 35 rooms, and its immense park, now a museum and listed by UNESCO. From his garden, he could take his eyes and ideas to the University of Virginia grounds, the great work of his late life. Today, it is a place of pilgrimage for many Americans. This house is absolutely worth a visit during your stay in the vicinity of Washington. On the menu: free and very informative guided tours (one on the house itself, one on the gardens of the property and the many plants present, and another on life during the time of slavery in Monticello) and above all whimsical discoveries, such as the clock in the entrance hall or the pulley system that allowed Thomas Jefferson to bring his wine to the lounge directly from the cellar where it was at room temperature. Although many of the furniture is not from the period, the house has been particularly well preserved. For the anecdote, Monticello has been decorating the 5-cent coins since 1938.