ure five, left) The Cabinet measures 18’ 6" x 11’ 10"; ceiling 10’ 0". This room has been influenced by the Ionic style. (figure five, right) There are a total of forty-three rooms in the entire structure: thirty three are in the house itself (cellar, twelve; first floor, eleven; second floor, six; third floor four); four in the pavilions; and six under the South Terrace. The stable and carriage bays under the North Terrace are not included in these totals. The first design of the Monticello had fourteen rooms total (cellar, six; first floor, five; second floor, three). The overall dimensions of the building are 110’ long, 87’ 9" wide (to outer faces of porticoes), 44’ 7" high (to oculus of dome). The heights of the different rooms vary, but as examples, the North Octagonal Room is 9’ 10" Vs the Entrance Hall which is 18’ 6". There are thirteen skylights (oculus plus twelve.) The oculus was used in Greek architecture not only for light but for religious ceremonies and a monitor of the sun. The entire house is about 11,000 square feet. However this is including all the modern additions. Only one-third of the window glass remains. Brief Chronology of construction:1768Mountaintop cleared and leveled1769First bricks made and construction begun1770 Jefferson moved into South Pavilion1796Demolition of upper story and construction based on new design begun1802 Terraces Built and Dependencies begin1808North Pavilion completed and South Pavilion remodeled Although the materials Jefferson used to build his house (bricks constructed at the sight, wood, etc.) differed than that of the Greek’s (marble, plaster etc.), he managed to have many features including the dome, oculus, friezes, arches, porticoes, and columns of different orders. Other than being a leader politically, Jefferson was an inspired and inventive architect. He greatly influenced American art and architecture by ...
