Country of residence. Residences of heads of state of the world

Where do presidents and kings live and work, deciding the fate of their peoples? We decided to show you 22 of the most beautiful residences of heads of state around the world.

1. Presidential Palace in Vilnius, Lithuania. The construction of this palace began in the XIV century, and ended only in 1834. (Photo: Birute/Getty Images).

2. Royal Palace in Amsterdam, Holland. This city hall was built in the 17th century and was later converted into the Royal Palace. (Photo: Merten Snijders/Getty Images).

3. Elysee Palace in France. This palace, which is located on the Champs Elysées in Paris, has been the residence of the presidents of the French Republic since 1848. (Photo: REX).

4. Presidential Palace in Warsaw, Poland. Became the official residence of the presidents of this country since 1995. (Photo: Tom Dulat/Getty Images).

5. Quirinale Palace in Italy. Built in 1583 on the highest hill in Rome, the palace was inhabited not only by kings, but also by popes, before it became the official residence of the President of the Italian Republic. This is the largest residence of the head of state in the world. (Photo: LightRocket/Getty Images).

6. Istana Nurul Iman in Brunei. Built in 1984, the palace, which is the official residence of the Sultan of Brunei, has more than 1,700 rooms. (Photo: Tim Rooke/REX).

7. Prague Castle in the Czech Republic. The castle, which is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List, according to the Guinness Book of Records is the largest castle complex in the world. It is currently the residence of the President of the Czech Republic. The castle houses Czech royal jewels and is open to visitors. (Photo: Sean Gallup/Getty Images).

8. Ak Orda in Kazakhstan. The official residence of the President of Kazakhstan was built in Astana in 2004. (Photo: SHAMIL ZHUMATOV/Reuters).

9. Government Palace in Peru. The palace was built by Francisco Pizarro in 1535 to celebrate the founding of the city of Lima. Since the independence of the country, the palace has become the seat of the government of the country. (Photo: Karel Navarro/Bloomberg).

10. Buckingham Palace in the UK. Buckingham Palace in London became the official royal residence upon the accession of Queen Victoria in 1837. (Photo: DARREN STAPLES/Reuters).

11. Royal Palace in Brussels, Belgium. Although the palace is an official residence, the Belgian royal family does not live in it. (Photo: Harold Cunningham/Getty Images).

12. Istana Negara-Jalan Istana in Malaysia. This palace was the official residence of the king until 2011, before moving to a new palace. It is currently the Royal Museum, which is open to visitors. (Photo: LARRY DOWNING/Reuters).

13. White House in the USA. Built between 1792 and 1800, the White House is the official residence of the President of the United States of America. The first president to live there was John Adams. (Photo: iStock/Getty Images).

14. Bellevue Palace in Germany. Situated on the banks of the River Spree, the palace has been the official residence of the President of Germany since 1994. (Photo: Carsten Koall/Getty Images).

15. Royal Palace in Norway. Located in Oslo, the palace was designed by Danish-Norwegian architect Hans Linstov and built in the 19th century. (Photo: Dragos Cosmin/Getty Images)

16. Royal Palace in Madrid, Spain. The official residence of the kings of Spain is used only for official ceremonies. This is the largest palace in Europe in terms of area - 135 thousand square meters. (Photo: Hermann Dobler/REX).

17. Royal Palace in Cambodia. Spread over an area of ​​175,000 square meters, the official residence of the King of Cambodia was built in 1866, modeled after Khmer architecture. (Photo: Michael Nolan/REX).

18. Grand Palace in Thailand. The palace has been the official residence of the kings of Thailand since 1782, but the current king, Bhumibol Adulyadej, lives in Chitralada Palace. (Photo: REX)

19. The Grand Kremlin Palace in Moscow, built in 1838-1849, is the main residence of the President of Russia and is used for official ceremonies, state and diplomatic receptions. (Photo: DeAgostini/Getty Images).

21. Rashtrapati Bhavan in India. The official residence of the President of India ranks second in the world in terms of area among all the residences of heads of state in the world. (Photo: ERIC FEFERBERG/Getty Images).

22. The Royal Palace in Stockholm, Sweden, was built in 1760 and has been the official residence of Swedish monarchs ever since.

Every country has a head of state, be it a president, king, queen, emperor or sultan. And everyone has official residences where they work and sometimes live. We offer you to get acquainted with the most impressive buildings, striking not only by their significance in the life of the country, but also by the beauty of architecture.

Although the residence is located in Taipei, the capital of Taiwan, it belongs to the President of China. It was built in 1919 according to the design of the Japanese architect Nagano during the reign of Japan in the country. The length of the facade, which looks east, towards the rising sun, is 130 meters.

Casa Rosada is the official residence of the Argentine president, its name translates as "pink house". And there is also a museum with exhibits related to the life of previous heads of state. The construction of the building was completed in 1898. This is one of the main attractions of the country, it is considered a monument of national architecture.

The most important symbol of Prague, like the Czech Republic, is the official residence and office of the President of the country. In addition, the treasures of the Bohemian crown are also kept here. The castle has seen the history of Czech princes, emperors of the Holy Roman Empire, presidents of Czechoslovakia and the Czech Republic. Its area is 70 thousand square meters.

Located in Vilnius, the palace is the official residence of the President of Lithuania. Its construction began in the 14th century and lasted until 1834. After that, he underwent many changes, until in 1997 he received a new status.

Officially, the palace, located in the country's capital Accra, became the presidential residence in 2008. It was built on the site of the administrative building of the British government of the Gold Coast. The money for the construction - 30 million dollars - was allocated by the government of India.

The Elysee Palace has been the official residence of the Presidents of France since 1848. It was built in the classical French style in the first half of the 18th century. This is one of the main symbols of the country.

The Moscow Kremlin is a historical fortification in the very center of the capital, which is the official residence of the President of Russia. Its area is 275 thousand square meters. This is a complex that includes five palaces and four cathedrals.

Situated on the seventh highest hill in Rome, the Quirinal Palace is the modern residence of the President of Italy. Its area is 110 thousand square meters. It is the sixth largest presidential palace in the world. It was built in 1583, since then it has seen 30 popes, 4 kings and 11 presidents within its walls.

Located in New Delhi, the Rashtrapati Bhavan is considered the official residence of the President of India. The head of state lives in the main palace of 340 rooms, but the complex also includes a huge garden, security and staff quarters.

Built in 1958, the Palacio da Alvorada is the official residence of the President of Brazil. This is one of the most modern palaces in the world of this level. The total area of ​​the building is 7300 square meters.

The Government Palace, also called the Casa de Pizarro, is considered both the residence of the country's government and its president. It was built by Francisco Pizarro, a Spanish conquistador in the first half of the 16th century on the site of a huge Indian burial.

In Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan, there is a presidential palace, which is also called Akorda. The official presentation of the new residence of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan took place on December 24, 2004. The total area of ​​the building is 36,720 sq.m., its height with a spire is 86 m.

Banga Bhaban, an example of British-Mongolian architecture, is the official residence of the President of Bangladesh. The complex, consisting of the main three-story building and a huge garden, was built in the first half of the 20th century. Its area is 6700 square meters.

The building was built in 1643. It is not surprising that it was rebuilt many times and used for different purposes. There was also the Viceroy of the Kingdom of Poland and the Council of Ministers. Only in 1994 the palace turned into the official residence of the president.

In the same 1994, Bellevue Palace, located on the banks of the Spree River, became the official residence of the President of Germany. The building itself was built back in 1785 by the architect Michael Philipp Bowmann as the summer residence of Prince August Ferdinand. This is a marvelous example of neoclassical architecture.
In countries where the monarchy has been preserved, kings still occupy amazing

Status residence officially assigned to the President of Russia at the end of 2008 - beginning of 2009, only four objects had: the Kremlin, "Gorki-9", "Bocharov Ruchey" in Sochi and "Long Beards" in Valdai.

Moscow Kremlin

The working residence of the President of the Russian Federation in the Kremlin is located in the Senate building (in the 19th century it was called the building of government offices, in the 20th century - the building of the Council of Ministers of the USSR).

The Senate building was built in 1779 - 1787 by the Russian architect Matvey Kazakov in the classical style. In 1995, the Senate Palace was restored.

The residence of the President of Russia in the Senate Palace consists of business and representative (ceremonial) parts. The business part includes the working and representative offices of the president, the offices of his closest aides, the meeting room of the Security Council, and the presidential library.

The office of the president is located in the center of the business part of the residence.

The office is small and comfortable to work with. The walls are covered with oak panels. Along the walls are bookcases with unique books and reference books.

In the center of the room is the president's desk. Above the table is the coat of arms of the Russian Federation. To the right and left of the desktop are the flag of the Russian Federation and the standard of the president, respectively. Closer to the window is another table - for negotiations, business meetings and meetings with the closest assistants.

The representative (ceremonial) office is decorated more solemnly than all other working premises. It is housed in the Small Hall of the Senate Palace. Meetings of the President of Russia with heads of foreign states, negotiations are held here, high state awards are presented. At the desktop of the president are the symbols of the Russian state and the attributes of presidential power: the coat of arms, the flag of Russia, the standard of the president. On the walls are portraits of Russian statesmen, military leaders who brought considerable glory to Russia.

In the 14th building of the Kremlin, next to the Spassky Gates, the second working office of the president is equipped. In the building there are halls of receptions, meetings, ceremonial halls. Adjacent to the working area of ​​the building is the Marble Hall, where the president delivers his annual address to the Federal Assembly. Behind the facade area of ​​the 14th building there is an extensive working area, which houses part of the presidential administration departments, including departments, chancellery, assistants, press service, assistants and advisers, and the secretary of the Security Council. In the 14th building there are also units of the Federal Security Service, the commandant's office of the Moscow Kremlin.

The Grand Kremlin Palace, built by the famous architect Konstantin Ton in 1838-1849, plays the role front residence heads of state. It hosts presidential inauguration ceremonies, presentation of state awards, credentials, receptions on the occasion of major public holidays. Five ceremonial halls on the second floor of the palace - Andreevsky, Alexandrovsky, Georgievsky, Vladimirsky, Ekaterininsky - are dedicated to Russian orders, elements of which are included in the stucco decoration of each hall.

"Bocharov creek"

The summer residence of the President of Russia "Bocharov Ruchey" is located in the forest-park valley of the same name in the Central District of the city of Sochi, Krasnodar Territory.

The dacha got its name from a small river that flowed nearby, which the locals called Bocharov Creek.

The construction of the dacha "Bocharov Ruchey" began at the initiative of the People's Commissar for Military and Naval Affairs Klement Voroshilov immediately after Stalin's death and was completed in 1955. Miron Merzhanov was appointed the architect of the project. Landscaping of the territory was done under the guidance of agronomist-decorator Sergey Venchagov.

Since 1960, the top leaders of the USSR have rested here: Khrushchev, Brezhnev, Suslov.

With the collapse of the Soviet Union, "Bocharov Ruchey" became the only Russian government-level dacha on the Black Sea and acquired the status of the official residence of the President of Russia.

The main building here is a beautiful two-story building, made in the style of Stalinist classicism - with large windows and high ceilings. On the second floor there is a living room, which can accommodate up to 20 people, an office for work, a bedroom for the head of state, and an apartment for guests. All furniture is made of precious wood. Part of the interior has retained the style of the 1950s, while the other part is more modern. On the first floor there are premises for security, a small cinema hall.

In addition to the presidential apartments, there are several other buildings in Bocharov Ruchey: a hall for negotiations and receptions, a dacha for the head of the presidential administration and a cottage for the prime minister.

The presidential residence is equipped with a helipad, two swimming pools - with fresh and sea water, a gym by the sea. On the beach - a berth for the presidential boat "Caucasus".

At the gates of the residence is the public reception room of the President.

Boris Yeltsin built an indoor tennis court on the territory of Bocharova Ruchea, and Vladimir Putin organized a press center.

According to President Putin's decree "On Guarantees to the President of the Russian Federation, who has terminated the exercise of his powers, and to members of his family," the residence was left to Boris Yeltsin. But later Yeltsin chose to move to Barvikha. After that, the residence "Gorki-9" was not used.

After Dmitry Medvedev took office as President of the Russian Federation, Gorki-9 became his official residence. This is the largest of all the residences of the head of state, there are both residential and working areas, a special helipad is equipped.

"Long Beards"

Residence "Long Beards" is located 20 kilometers from the city of Valdai in the Novgorod region.

In Soviet times, it was intended for the rest of senior government officials. According to archival data, Nikita Khrushchev and Nikolai Ryzhkov rested there, and already in the post-Soviet period, ex-President of the Russian Federation Boris Yeltsin liked to come there.

The village next to the residence - Long Beards - got its name under Peter I. Allegedly, when the tsar taxed men wearing beards, bearded men dissatisfied with the innovation hid here from the tsar's tax collectors.

The cottage itself - a small two-story cottage - is located on a peninsula with an area of ​​52 hectares, located between the lakes Valdai and Dinner.

The residences of the former presidents of Russia - the house of Boris Yeltsin in Barvikha and Vladimir Putin in Novo-Ogaryovo have been given the status of state dachas, and they are no longer the residences of the President of Russia.

The head of state can use various regions of Russia for work and leisure, and then the place of his stay becomes the temporary residence of the president.

The material was prepared on the basis of information from RIA Novosti and open sources

Often the residences of the heads of state are located in historically significant buildings, the architecture of which is particularly beautiful. After all, the presidential palace is the first thing high-ranking guests see when they arrive in the country. Where are the most beautiful residences - read in our material

1

White House (USA)

The White House is probably one of the most famous buildings in the world. However, the residence in which almost all the presidents of the United States lived and worked was not always called that. The construction of the building ended in 1800, and until 1901 it was officially called the “Presidential Palace” or “Presidential Mansion”.

Photo: shutterstock.com 2

Palace of Nations (Tajikistan)

Another snow-white building of national importance is located in Dushanbe and is called Kokhi Millat. Here, President Emomali Rahmon receives official guests and resolves state issues. However, an ordinary person will not be able to get inside: you can only look at the palace from the side - for example, walking along the square, where one of the highest flagpoles in the world is installed.

Photo: shutterstock.com

Akorda (Kazakhstan)

The residence of Nursultan Nazarbayev is one of the most significant buildings in Astana. Despite the fact that the palace was built in just three years, Akorda has taken an important place in the life of the capital and even entered the list of the most beautiful presidential palaces in the world. Unlike the Palace of Nations, Akorda can be viewed from the inside, but only on those days when the head of state is away, and only with an official tour.

Photo: megalive.kz 4

Presidential Palace (UAE)

The new palace of President Khalifa Nahyan is located in the capital of the United Arab Emirates - Abu Dhabi. The building is still under construction. The palace complex will include a main building with conference rooms, press rooms, dining areas and more, as well as two separate wings - for the Supreme Council and for ministers.

Photo: rwarmstrong.com 5

Prague Castle (Czech Republic)

At the moment, the fortress is the residence of the President of the Czech Republic, and once the kings and emperors of the Roman Empire were located here. Prague Castle is considered the largest residence in the world. One of its brightest ceremonies is the solemn changing of the guard, which takes place daily. Prague Castle is open to tourists: you can appreciate the scale of the largest castle by purchasing a tour ticket.

Photo: tourprom.ru 6

Kremlin Palace (Russia)

The Moscow Kremlin is the main attraction of the city and is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. This active fortress is considered the largest in Europe.

It is possible to get into the residence: there is a museum-reserve on the territory of the palace, which organizes excursions around the Moscow Kremlin.

Photo: shutterstock.com 7

Palace complex "Oguzhan" (Turkmenistan)

Oguzhan replaced the old presidential palace. The construction of the complex took three years, and the incumbent President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov became its first owner. The palace has many halls for receiving officials. In addition, there are separate rooms for press conferences and various cultural events.

Photo: skyscrapercity.com 8

Unity Palace (Cameroon)

The residence of the President of Cameroon is located in the capital of the republic - Yaounde. Surrounded by green spaces, on one of the hills rises the Unity Palace - a striking architectural structure of Cameroon. It is a tall building surrounded by rectangular columns. And immediately opposite is a beautiful fountain complex.

Photo: theestle.net 9

Taiwan Presidential Palace

The residence of the President of the Republic of China is located in Taipei. The beautiful red and white brick building was built back in 1919 and previously served as the home of the Governor General of Taiwan. The building was bombed, but was successfully restored and in 1950 it was officially declared the presidential palace.

Photo: shutterstock.com

Presidential Palace in Ghana

The flagpole house, located in Accra, the capital of Ghana, is officially the residence of the president. The building was renovated and reopened in 2008. Now the current president of Ghana, John Dramani Mahama, lives and works there.

Photo: shutterstock.com

Based on site materials

A significant part of the time the heads of state of the world spend in their residences: there they receive guests, hold meetings, sometimes even live with their families. These buildings or entire complexes vary greatly in terms of luxury, decoration and accessibility for citizens, many of them have a rich history. "Vlast" found out which residences on each of the continents are the oldest, largest and have incurred the highest construction or maintenance costs. For the description, the residences of people who de facto govern states, or those who formally occupy the first post in the country, are selected. Thus, in presidential or mixed republics, as a rule, this is the president, in parliamentary republics and in European constitutional monarchies it is the prime minister, in all other cases it is the president or the monarch. The names of the residences are given in Russian, since there are well-established names for some buildings or complexes. For other residences, the original names in Russian transcription or their translation are given.

The oldest residences

Vatican

Apostolic Palace- residence of the pope Benedict XVI

The Apostolic Palace, located next to St. Peter's Square, is a complex of several buildings erected at the end of the 16th century. It includes the actual apartments of the head of the Roman Catholic Church, the administration of the church, several chapels, the Vatican Library and museums with the richest collections of paintings and works of art. The ensemble of the palace also includes the Sistine Chapel, decorated with frescoes by Michelangelo. In addition to the chapel, the apartments of Borgia and Raphael's Stanzas, painted by a famous artist, are very popular with tourists.

The total area of ​​the complex is 5 hectares. All museums are open to tourists, the price of an ordinary ticket is €14, but on the last Sunday of each month, you can look at the art collections collected by the predecessors of Benedict XVI, you can for free.

Malta

Auberge de Castille Lawrence Gonzi

The three-story building of the official residence of the Prime Minister was built in the capital of the island nation, the city of Valletta, in 1574. In 1741, the mansion was reconstructed, as a result of which it acquired its present form. Initially, the building, made in the Baroque style, housed the courtyard and the headquarters of the knightly order of St. John. In 1814 Malta became a British colony and the building was given to the British military command. During the Second World War, the mansion was seriously damaged by German and Italian artillery, but was subsequently restored. The Auberge de Castille building became the prime minister's residence in 1972.

Address: Malta, Valletta VLT 1210, St Paul's Street, 13, Auberge de Castille

Italy

Chigi Palace- prime minister's residence Silvio Berlusconi

Chigi Palace, located in the heart of Rome, was built in 1580 for the aristocratic Aldobrandini family. In 1659, the Chigi family acquired the five-story mansion with a courtyard traditional for such buildings, giving it its current name. From 1878 the palace served as the residence of the Austrian-Hungarian ambassador to Italy. In 1916, the mansion became the property of the state, it housed the Ministry of Colonial Affairs, and then the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In 1922, Benito Mussolini moved into the palace, combining the posts of Foreign Minister and Prime Minister. The Foreign Office abandoned the Chigi Palace in 1962 when the building was turned into the Prime Minister's residence.

Address: Italy, Roma, Piazza Colonna 370, Palazzo Chigi

The largest residences

Bulgaria

Palace Evksinograd- residence of the President George Parvanov

The Evksinograd Palace was built on the Black Sea coast in the 1890s as the residence of the Tsar of Bulgaria Ferdinand I. According to the plan of the future owner (who was the grandson of Louis-Philippe I, Duke of Orleans), the residence was to become a copy of the Orleans Palace near Paris, destroyed during the siege of the French capital of the Prussian army. By order of the king, the ruins of a French estate were brought to the place of construction and built into the future palace. In 1946 the Bulgarian monarchy was abolished, and the palace became the seat of the administration of the Bulgarian People's Republic. In 1989 it was turned into the official residence of the president and government.

On the territory of the complex, which is 80 hectares, there are a three-story palace, a park, vineyards with a winery, greenhouses, a swimming pool, a bowling alley, a lighthouse and several small hotels. The cellars of the palace contain a valuable collection of wines, some of which are over 130 years old.

Ireland

Farmley Manor- prime minister's residence Brian Cowan

Farmley Manor, a three-story mansion in the style of King George, was built at the end of the 18th century. Acquired in 1873 by Edward Cecil Guinness, great-grandson of the founder of the famous brewery. In 1881-1884 the building was expanded and the third floor was built on. In 1896 a ballroom was added to the estate. In 1999, the government bought the estate from Guinness for €29.2 million, after which work began to turn it into the official residence of the prime minister. The area of ​​the estate is 31.5 hectares. On May 1, 2004, the ceremony of admitting 10 new states to the EU took place here.

Address: Ireland, Dublin 15, Castleknock, Farmleigh

The most expensive residences

Switzerland

federal palace- residence of the President Pascal Couchepin

The Swiss Federal Palace is located in the center of Bern, the country's capital. Built in 1902 by architect Hans Auer. The cost of construction was 7 million Swiss francs. The palace consists of two buildings, traditionally called the western and eastern wings, united by a single dome. The west wing is the oldest part of the palace, built in 1856 (the dome itself was built in 1902). The height of the palace together with the dome is 64 m, the height of the dome is 33 m. The completion of the first reconstruction in the history of the palace, which began in June 2006, is scheduled for 2008. 83 million Swiss francs (about € 53 million) were allocated for the reconstruction of the palace. The building houses the Swiss Parliament, the Federal Council and the Federal Chancellery.

Address: Schweizerische Bundeskanzlei, Bundeshaus West, CH-3003, Bern, Switzerland

France

champs elysees- residence of the President Nicola Sarkozy

The Champs Elysees was built in 1718-1722 by the architect Armand Claude Mollet as the residence of the Comte d'Evreux. Rebuilt three times. The palace often changed owners, among which, starting from 1753, the royal family prevailed. In 1814-1815, during the occupation of Paris, the Elysee Palace became the temporary residence of Alexander I. The official residence of the presidents has been since 1874, when Patrice de MacMahon settled in it. It received its name in 1786 in honor of the Champs Elysees located next to it. The three-story palace has 365 rooms and cost €31.9 million to maintain in 2007. In the underground room of the Elysee Palace there is an office from where the president can order the use of nuclear forces.

Address: 55, rue du faubourg Saint-Honore, 75008 Paris

Great Britain

10 Downing Street- prime minister's residence Gordon Brown

The house consists of two mansions built in 1677--mid-1680s. In 1732 it became the residence of the treasurer general, the de facto first prime minister of Great Britain, Robert Walpole. It began to be used regularly as a place of residence for the prime minister since 1902, before that many prime ministers lived in their own houses. On February 7, 1991, the IRA rebels fired a mortar at the residence, but no one inside, including Prime Minister John Major, was injured. Gordon Brown took over the residence in 1997 while still Treasury Secretary, swapping houses with then-Prime Minister Tony Blair, who needed more living space.

The residence is located on three floors. The house is looked after by a staff of 216 servants. The cost of maintaining the residence in 2007 amounted to £17.8 million (about (€24 million).

Address: 10 Downing Street, London, SW1A 2AA, United Kingdom

Interesting Facts

Federal Chancellor of Germany Angela Merkel lives in a private apartment in the center of Berlin, opposite the Pergamon Museum on Gentinerstrasse. In 2006, a scandal erupted around Ms. Merkel's house: it turned out that for eight years one of the museum's security cameras had been directed at the windows of her apartment, and the power of the system allowed for detailed surveillance.

One of the Kyiv residences of the President of Ukraine Viktor Yushchenko, Gorodetsky's house, is decorated with sculptures of mythological and hunting themes, for which the building received the popular name "house with chimeras".

Working residence of the Prime Minister of Iceland Geira Hilmar Horde is located in the center of Reykjavik in a two-story building of the first prison in Iceland.

May 3, 1791 in the palace, which is now residence of the President of Poland Lech Kachinsky, the first constitution in Europe (and the second in the world after the USA) was signed.

The building of one of Residences of the President of Finland Tarji Halonen, Mantiniemi, has 212 corners, 300 windows of various sizes and 190 doors (only 10 of them are the same). In August 2000, the wedding of Mrs. Halonen and Pentti Arajärvi took place in this residence.

Rosenbad, residence of the Prime Minister of Sweden Fredrik Reinfeldt, built in the center of Stockholm in the early 1680s as a public bath. Currently, a restaurant of the same name is open on the ground floor of the building.

The oldest residences

People's Republic of China

Zhongnanhai Complex- Residence of the President of the People's Republic of China, General Secretary of the CPC Hu Jintao

The Zhongnanhai complex ("Central and South Lakes") is located in the center of Beijing, next to the Forbidden City, the residence of Chinese emperors and Tiananmen Square. It was formed in the era of the Jin, Yuan and Ming dynasties (XII-XV centuries). It is a park broken around two artificial lakes (the third lake - Northern - is not included in the complex). Several palaces, temples and pavilions have been preserved on its territory. A year after the proclamation of the Republic of China in 1911, Zhongnanhai became the residence of its first president, Yuan Shikai. In 1949, after the formation of the People's Republic of China, several new buildings were erected on the territory of the complex for the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council.

The land adjacent to the residence of the President of the People's Republic of China is guarded by a large number of intelligence officers in civilian clothes. Parking of private vehicles on nearby streets is strictly prohibited.

Butane

Tashichho Dzong Palace- residence of the king Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck

Built in 1641 by the founder of Bhutan, the Tibetan lama Ngawang Namgyal. Renovated in 1962-69. The palace is one of the official state residences, it houses the throne room, the government meeting room, as well as the chambers of the spiritual leader of Bhutan. At the same time, the palace is the largest Buddhist monastery in the country, and its name is translated from the local dialect as "Fortress of the Blessed Religion."

Tashichho Dzong is a complex of several buildings and seven towers. The interior of more than 100 rooms is richly ornamented in Buddhist style.

Address: Tashichhodzong, Thimphu, Bhutan

Indonesia

Palace of Independence- residence of the President Susilo Bambanga Yudhoyono

Built in 1796-1873, it consists of two parts - the National Palace (completed in 1804) and the Palace of Independence (built in 1873), after which the whole complex is named. For a long time it was the home of the governor-generals of the Netherlands East Indies. It became the presidential residence under President Abdurrahman Wahid. The total area of ​​the palaces is 68 thousand square meters. m.

Address: Jl. Veteran 17, Istana Merdeka, Jakarta 10110, Indonesia

The largest residences

Brunei

Sultan's Palace Istana Nurul Iman the residence of the sultan, the prime minister Haji Hassanala Bolkiyah Muizzaddin Waddawla

It was built in 1984. According to various sources, from $500 million to $1.4 billion was spent on the construction of the palace complex. It functions as both a residential and a working residence. Here are the apartments of the Sultan himself, the throne room, government offices, as well as a mosque that can accommodate up to 1.5 thousand people.

The palace complex is included in the Guinness Book of Records as the world's largest residential residence of the head of state. The total number of premises in the complex is 1788 (including bathrooms - 257, elevators - 18, swimming pools - 5). The underground garage is designed for 153 cars, the banquet hall - for 4 thousand people, the stables - for 200 horses. The total area of ​​the premises is 200 thousand square meters. The palace houses a large collection of famous painters, and for the Renoir painting alone, bought in the 1980s, the Sultan paid a record $70 million.

Address: Istana Nurul Iman, Bandar Seri Begawan BA1000, Brunei Darussalam

Singapore

Presidential palace- residence of the President Sellapan Rama Nathan

Built in 1869 on the site of a nutmeg plantation as the residence of the British governor. From 1869 until the country gained independence in 1959, the palace changed 21 owners. Currently, the residence serves as a venue for ceremonial events such as inaugurations. Several times a year during national holidays, the presidential palace is open to visitors.

The total area of ​​the palace is 42.9 hectares. In addition to the three-story palace, the complex includes several villas, ponds, a park, and a nine-hole golf course. One of the attractions of the palace is a Japanese gun that remained on the territory after the Second World War.

Address:238823 Orchard Road, Singapore

Cambodia

Royal Palace- residence of the king Norodom Sihamoni

Construction began in 1866 after the transfer of the capital of Cambodia to Phnom Penh. It is a complex of buildings, almost exactly repeating the royal palace in Bangkok. The king's private apartments are located in the Khmer Palace, built in 1927-1930 by a local architect named Ohna Thep Nimit Khiu. With the exception of the king's apartments, the palace is open to the public. During the reign of the Khmer Rouge, the palace was not used.

The area of ​​the palace complex is 175 thousand square meters. m. National treasures are stored on its territory, the most famous of which are the statues of Buddha and bodhisattvas, including the bodhisattva Maitreya, inlaid with 9584 diamonds. The floor of the Silver Pagoda, which houses the statues and gifts presented to the king, is lined with 5,000 silver tiles. The palace houses two collections of paintings from around the world - in the apartments of the king and in the pavilion of Napoleon III, open to the public, used as a museum.

Address: Royal Palace, Phnom Penh, Cambodia

The most expensive residences

Turkmenistan

Presidential palace- residence of the President Gurbanguly Berdimuhammedov

The palace was built in 1994-97 by the French company Bouygues by order of the President of Turkmenistan Saparmurat Niyazov. The palace of white marble is made in oriental style. The height of the three-story building, together with the golden dome crowning it, is 45 m, the area is about 16 thousand square meters. m. The total area of ​​the palace, the adjacent cascade of fountains and the park is 7.5 hectares. According to various sources, the cost of the palace was $70-80 million. The interiors are decorated with marble and expensive woods. For the interior decoration of the palace, 14 handmade carpets with a total area of ​​218 square meters were ordered for $55,000. m.

Address: 744000, Turkmenistan, Ashgabat, Bitaraplyk Square, Presidential Palace

Kazakhstan

Ak Orda Presidential Palace- residence of the President Nursultan Nazarbayev

Built in 2001-2004 in the new capital of Kazakhstan, Astana. The total area of ​​the palace is 36.72 thousand square meters. m. The building consists of five above-ground floors (the height of the first - 10 m, the rest - 5 m each) and two underground. The area of ​​the central front hall on the first floor is 1.8 thousand square meters. m. In addition to it, the building has at least 13 halls, a number of office space and a library. Under the ground are the premises of technical services, a kitchen, a dining room and a garage. Gold and Italian marble were used in the decoration of the building. Official data on the cost of the new residence was not given, however, according to media reports, it could reach $60 million.

Address: Kazakhstan, Astana, st. Left Bank, Ak Ordasy

Interesting Facts

Gulkhan Palace, residence of the President of Afghanistan Hamid Karzai, is protected by bulletproof glass and metal armor structures, its roof is specially reinforced to protect against rocket projectiles.

In 2005, a fraudster put up for an online auction Panchavati, the residence of the Prime Minister of India Manmohan Singh. An American businessman paid $800,000 for it, and only when he arrived in India did he find out that he had been deceived.

available leader of the DPRK there is a whole network of residences throughout the country. Under his working residence in Pyongyang, tunnels were laid through which you can travel by car and which connect all the Pyongyang residences of Kim Jong Il.

The oldest residence

Ghana

Osu Castle- residence of the President John Agekum Kufuor

Osu Castle was built by the Dutch colonizers in 1660. In 1850, the Dutch colony in Ghana was bought by Great Britain for £10,000. After an earthquake in 1862, the castle was restored and converted into the seat of the colonial government. In 1957, after independence, Osu Castle became the Government House of Ghana. In 1960 it housed the residence of the President. In 2005, controversy erupted around the fate of the castle - President Kufuor and the New Patriotic Party proposed to build a new palace, since the colonialists used Osu Castle as a prison for slaves. As expected, the new residence will be completed in the middle of this year and will cost Ghana $ 30 million (this amount is planned to be borrowed from India).

The largest residence

Kenya

government house- residence of the President Mwai Kibaki

Kenya Government House was built in 1907 by the British colonial authorities. After the country gained independence in 1963, it received the status of the official residence of the head of state, but in practice it became an administrative and management center, and also served as a guest state residence and a venue for receptions.

The territory of the government house is 300 hectares. The Presidential Residence is located a 10-minute drive from the center of Kenya's capital, Nairobi.

The most expensive residences

Republic of South Africa

Union buildings- residence of the President Thabo Mbeki

The Union Buildings were built between 1910 and 1913 by the architect Sir Herbert Baker for the leadership of the Union of South Africa, South Africa's historical predecessor. Currently, they house the official residence of the President of the country, offices of members of the government and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The general view of the building - two identical buildings, united by a semicircular central part - symbolizes the unification of formally separated peoples, and the buildings themselves - two official languages, English and Afrikaans. The three-story buildings of the Union are built in neoclassical sandstone style, the central semi-circular wing is in the ancient Greek style, and the space between the buildings is designed as an amphitheater. The total length of the buildings is 285 m; 14 million bricks and 28.3 thousand cubic meters were used for their construction. m sandstone. The construction cost was £1.66 million.

On May 10, 1994, Nelson Mandela, the first elected black president of South Africa, delivered his inaugural speech in this building, which marked a new stage in the development of the country.

Address: Union Buildings, Private Bag X1000, Pretoria, 0001

Namibia

government house- residence of the President Hifikepunye Pohamba

The new building of the Government House of Namibia was founded in September 2002 and went into operation on March 21, 2008, on the day of the 18th anniversary of the country's independence. The construction cost amounted to 400 million Namibian dollars (about $50 million). The area of ​​the premises of the Government House is 18 thousand square meters. m. The residence, among other things, provides 11 apartments for foreign leaders visiting Namibia. The building is located in Ausblick, a suburb of the country's capital, Windhoek.

The construction of the residential residence of President Hifikepunye Pohamba began on November 19, 2007. It is expected that the building with an area of ​​3.5 thousand square meters. m will be built in November this year.

Interesting Facts

In the chambers Marble Palace, residence of the President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo Joseph Kabila was killed in 2001 by his father. In 2002, an unknown person shot two guards of the palace, then he was killed himself.

In the early 1990s, a $100 million palace was completed in Malawi. The palace, which has 300 bedrooms, covers an area of ​​555 hectares. Soon the palace was handed over to the country's parliament. In 2004 President of Malawi Bingu wa Mutharika took it as his residence, but in 2005 he refused to live in the palace. According to local media, the reason for the refusal was the president's fear of palace ghosts.

North and Central America

The oldest residence

Panama

Palace of Herons- residence of the President Martina Torrijosa Espino

The Palace of the Herons was built in 1673 as the residence of the Spanish governors of Panama. Subsequently, the building housed a school, a royal court, customs, government, and the National Bank of Panama. Since 1903 the palace became the residence of the President of the Republic. It got its name in 1922, when the poet Riccardo Miró presented President Belisario Porras with two white herons. Herons took root in the courtyard, made in the traditional Andalusian style, after which the tradition was established to keep two herons in the palace. In the same period, another floor and a tower were built over the two-story building.

According to rumors, in 1977, before the visit of US President Jimmy Carter to Panama, the American security service treated the courtyard with a disinfectant, which caused the herons to die. Two new herons were brought to the palace under the cover of night. This information, however, has not been officially confirmed or denied.

Address: Palacio de Las Garzas, Presidencia de la Republica, Panama 1, Republica de Panama

The largest residence

Dominican Republic

National Palace- residence of the President Leonel Fernandez Reyna

The palace was designed by the architect Guido d'Alessandro in 1944-1947 for the dictator Rafael Trujillo Molina. The three-storey neoclassical building is crowned with a dome 34 meters high and 18 meters in diameter. The area of ​​the palace is 25,000 square meters. m. On the first floor there are administrative services, on the second - the offices of the president, vice president and other senior officials, on the third - halls and reception rooms, as well as the personal apartments of President Leonel Reina.

Address: Palacio Nacional, Av Mexico esq, C/Dr. Delgado, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic

most expensive residence

USA

The White house- residence of the President George Bush

The White House was built in 1792-1800 by architect James Hoban. The first tenant of the house was the second US President John Adams. The building was rebuilt several times, the main changes were extensions in 1901 of the western, and in 1942 - of the eastern wing. Since 1901, the name "White House" has become official. Currently, the central part of the building houses the executive residence, which contains the residential apartments of the president and his family, kitchens, laundry and work areas. In the western wing there is an office of President Bush, offices of his assistants, and meeting rooms. In the east wing is the residence of the first lady and the emergency management center.

The residence of the head of the United States has six floors, two of them underground. The area of ​​the premises of the building, including 132 rooms, is 5.1 thousand square meters. m. The construction of the White House cost $ 232.37 thousand ($ 2.66 million in 2008 prices), the cost of reconstruction, adjusted for inflation, exceeded $ 60 million.

Address: The White House, 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20500, USA

Interesting Facts

Residence of the President of Mexico Felipe de Jesus Calderon Hinojosa Los Pinos("pine trees") stands in central Mexico City on the spot where, in 1325, the Aztecs laid the foundation stone for their capital, Tenochtitlan, Mexico City's historical predecessor.

First building Presidential House, residence of the President of El Salvador Elias Antonio Saki Gonzalez, was under construction for 10 years, from 1921 to 1931, due to frequent earthquakes. In January-February 2001, the building was again damaged as a result of tremors, and now another building bears the name of the Presidential House.

South America

The oldest residence

Peru

government palace- residence of the President Alana Garcia Perez

The palace, built by the Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizarro in 1535, is the building of the government of Peru and the personal residence of the President of the Republic. Located on the main square of Lima, on the banks of the Rimac River. In 1937 it was reconstructed. The area of ​​the building is 19.2 thousand square meters. m. In the palace there are offices, a chapel, a television studio, a garage, a swimming pool and the president's personal apartments. The palace is famous for its balcony, from where, following a long tradition, the president welcomes parades and processions in honor of Jesus Christ, the patron saint of Lima, and delivers public speeches.

Address: El Palacio de Gobierno, Plaza Mayor, Lima 1, Peru

The largest residence

Uruguay

Anchorena Park- residence of the President Tabare Vasquez Rosas

Anchorena Park is located at the confluence of the San Juan and Rio de la Plata rivers, 208 km west of the country's capital, Montevideo, and 55 km from Buenos Aires, the capital of Argentina. In 1907, the wealthy landowner Aaron de Anchorena built his estate on this site with an area of ​​1370 hectares. He died in 1965 and bequeathed the land to the government of Uruguay on the condition that it be used as a presidential residence. On the territory of the park there is a small house, outbuildings, a church and the de Gaboto tower, 75 m high, where de Anchorena created a paleontological museum. The house was built on the model of English Tudor manors and has its own coat of arms.

most expensive residence

Brazil

Palace of Alvorada- residence of the President Luis Inacio Lula da Silva

Opened on June 30, 1958, the Alvorada Palace ("morning dawn") was designed by the famous Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer. It is located near the capital of the country, Brasilia. The palace is a rectangular three-story building, the main decoration of which is white marble columns. On the ground floor there is a conference room for 30 people, offices of the building administration, a kitchen, a laundry room, a pantry, a wine cellar and a medical center. On the first floor there are workers, on the second - the personal apartments of the President of Brazil. In 2004, the overhaul of the palace, organized by Marisa Leticia, wife of Luis Inacio Lula da Silva, cost $18.4 million.

Address: El Palacio da Alvorada, SHTN Tr. 1 - Asa Norte, Brasilia, Distrito Federal, Brasil

Interesting Facts

Manor in Olivos, residence of the President of Argentina Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, has wide dovecote-like windows, which is why it received the popular name pajarera - "bird cage".

Bolivian President Evo Morales, after winning elections in 2005, refused to enter his residence in San Jorge, explaining this by the fact that he was born in the hut of the Aymara Indians and was not used to luxury. He nevertheless moved to the residence to "work 24 hours a day", but before that he invited Aymara shamans, who carried out fumigation and offerings to the gods, clearing the residence of bad spirits.

Australia and Oceania

The oldest residences

New Zealand

premier house- prime minister's residence Helen Clark

Laid down in 1843, significantly expanded in the 1860s. It began to be used as the residence of the Prime Minister from 1865. In the 1870s, the country's first elevator was installed in the building, and the first elevator in New Zealand was laid out in front of the building and a tennis court was built. From 1937-1976, the house housed a children's dental clinic, which earned it the nickname "The Murder House". In 1990, the building was returned to the status of the prime minister's residence, and $1.8 million was spent on its reconstruction.

The residence is a two-story building. The Prime Minister lives on the second floor with his family. The dining room and ballroom, located on the ground floor, were restored to their original appearance with stucco and furnishings during the renovation. The area of ​​the plot on which the house is located is about 1 hectare.

Address: 260 Tinakori Road, Thorndon, Wellington, 6001, New Zealand

The largest residences

Australia

Lodge- prime minister's residence Kevin Michael Rudd

The residence was built in 1927 by architect JJ Taylor. It was originally planned that the house would serve as a temporary residence for the prime minister until a more monumental building was built, but in the end the Lodge became the official residential and working residence of the head of government. One of the few prime ministers who refused to live in the Lodge was Prime Minister John Howard, who preferred to live in a Sydney residence rather than in Canberra. Translated from English, Lodge means "shelter", but the reason why the residence received such a name is unknown.

The lodge is a two-story colonial-style mansion. The site, which contains gardens, tennis and croquet courts and a swimming pool, was originally 2.8 hectares, but in the 1960s this was reduced to 1.8 hectares due to the expansion of the adjacent street.

Address: The Lodge, Adelaide Avenue, Canberra, ACT 2600, Australia

The most expensive residences

Papua New Guinea

House of Morauta- prime minister's residence Michael Somare

Built in the early 2000s. It is the official working residence of the Prime Minister. It got its name in honor of Mekere Morauta, who served as prime minister of Papua New Guinea from 1999-2002.

The Prime Minister's office and apartments are located on the fifth floor of a five-story building. In 2006, a five-year building maintenance project costing about $1 million was accepted.

Address: Morauta House, Waigani, P.O. Box 639, Waigani, Papua New Guinea

Interesting Facts

June 2000 residence could not save the then Prime Minister of the Solomon Islands Bartholomew Ulufa'alu from being kidnapped by local militants. In 2003, the residence again became a target for militants, because of which the head of government was forced to temporarily live and work in a secret shelter.

During the riots in 2001, the official Presidential residence of Nauru Bush Lodge(literal translation - "forest shelter") was completely burned down, since then the heads of state are forced to live in their own homes.

Wood Royal Palace of Tonga considered sacred, and its outer stone walls are forbidden to be touched. For greater protection, it has been surrounded by a wire fence for some time now.