Monticello, << `mon` tih CHEHL oh or `mon` tih SEHL oh, >> is the home Thomas Jefferson designed and built for himself on a hilltop just outside Charlottesville, Virginia. He started planning Monticello in 1768, and construction began in 1770. The first part was completed in 1775, but alterations and expansions continued until 1809.
In designing Monticello, Jefferson drew on his knowledge of local traditions, ancient Roman buildings, and especially the work of Andrea Palladio, an Italian architect of the 1500’s. Palladio’s Villa Rotonda near Vicenza, Italy, is the major source for Monticello’s symmetrical plan and central dome. Jefferson also added several original and practical elements, such as a revolving desk and an enclosed bed that opened onto both his bedroom and study.
