In September 2024 I visited Nashville for the first time. While I didn't have a lot of time to photograph (as I was there for a meditation retreat), I did get a chance to tour Nashville's historic Belmont Mansion. As you can imagine, it has a long and storied past. From the website: "The Italian villa style mansion included 36 rooms and was the largest home built in Tennessee prior to the Civil War. The estate surrounding the mansion encompassed around 175 acres including a water tower (still standing) to irrigate the gardens, a two-hundred-foot long greenhouse and conservatory, an art gallery, gazebos (still standing), a bowling alley, a bath house, and a zoo."  If you would like to read more about it's history, visit the mansion's website. These are some of the rooms I photographed during my visit.


To start, here is an exterior of the mansion, which now sits amid the Belmont University campus. I loved these two statues and knew I had to include them in the composition.

Tree-lined brick pathway with two statues leading to at the Belmont mansion in Nashville, Tennessee on a sunny day.

The main entry to the house included a female marble statue.

Ornate entrance with green trim, vintage wallpaper, and antique furnishings with statue at the Belmont mansion in Nashville, Tennessee.

In my opinion, the great salon at the back of the house was one of the most dramatic rooms in the mansion - but believe me, there is a lot of competition!

Luxurious interior salon with marble floors, chandelier, a statue and busts at the Belmont mansion in Nashville, Tennessee.

Right across from the salon was this staircase - so exquisite! And yes, we could walk these stairs to the second level.

Grand entrance hall with white columns, curved staircase, and ornate Victorian-era decor at the Belmont mansion in Nashville, Tennessee.

I imagine this dining room has seen a lot of dinner parties over the years. What an exquisite way to dine!

Elegant period room with crystal chandelier, ornate moldings, and antique furniture at the Belmont mansion in Nashville, Tennessee.

The central parlor allowed the guests to hobnob with each other. I love the ceiling depicting a sky and the gold moulding...gives the impression of sitting underneath a large skylight!

Victorian parlor with painted ceiling, ornate furniture, and decorative wall coverings at the Belmont mansion in Nashville, Tennessee.

I couldn't find what the exact use of this room was - perhaps a breakfast room? Or a less formal dining room?It looks like it opens out onto a veranda.

Dining room with green walls, gold-framed artwork, and elegant table settings at the historic Belmont mansion in Nashville, Tennessee.

And last but not least, a study. Or a place to read a book with a nice hot cup of tea in front of a roaring fire. You would be hard pressed to get me to leave this room!

Historic Belmont mansion interior featuring antique furniture, artwork, fireplace and architectural details in Nashville, Tennessee.

Thank you for taking a small tour of the Belmont Mansion with me. If you are ever in Nashville, I highly recommend a visit!

Urban skyline panorama featuring modern skyscrapers and office buildings of Detroit, Michigan.