The stress distribution in ascending thoracic aortic aneurysms is determined by the mechanical properties, geometry, loading conditions, and zero-stress state of the aneurysmal aorta. Our objective was to fully characterize the zero-stress state of the aneurysmal aorta in twelve tricuspid aortic valve patients and eight (age/aortic diameter-matched) bicuspid aortic valve patients, for which little data are available. Opening angles and residual stretches were measured for the intact wall and individual layers according to quadrant and were similar in the two patient groups. The intact-wall and medial opening angles were comparable;​ their circumferential but not their axial ones peaked in the left lateral quadrant, with non-significant regional differences in the other layers. The intima’s circumferential opening angles were the highest of all layers (∼300 deg) and the adventitia’s the lowest (∼165 deg), with lesser layer differences in the axial opening angles. Upon radially cutting aortic rings, the released circumferential residual stretches were tensile (of large magnitude) externally and compressive (of small magnitude) internally, unlike the axial residual stretches released when cutting intact-wall strips, whose magnitude was small externally and large internally. Nevertheless, large circumferential compressive residual stretches were released in the adventitia upon layer dissection, counteracting the large circumferential tensile stretches of the intact wall externally. Moreover, the large axial tensile residual stretches of the intima counteracted the large axial compressive stretches of the intact wall internally. These layer-specific residual stretches may moderate the in-vivo stress gradients across wall thickness, serving as a protective mechanism against aortic dissection or rupture.