Travel Guide Charlottesville

Charlottesville is located on the banks of the River Rivanna, 23 miles east of access to Shenandoah National Park. A peaceful and university small town, its name is associated with three presidents of the United States from the region: Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826), James Madison (1751-1836) and James Monroe (1758-1817), who were the 3rd, 4 th and 5 th American Presidents, respectively.Thomas Jefferson lived and died in his magnificent home of Monticello, whose plans he drew before he realized those of the University of Virginia, which he founded in 1819. These buildings are now part of UNESCO's World Heritage.Former students of Charlottesville University include writers Gertrude Stein (1874-1946), William Faulkner (1897-1962), Julien Green (1900-1998) and Truman Condom (1924-1984).The city centre is home to the Downtown Mall, one of the most extensive pedestrian areas in the United States, with many shops, bars and restaurants that are very popular with students.