Official residences
Most countries around the world have one or more official residences for their heads of state and heads of government, though whether or not the person actually lives there differs between countries. These buildings are often impressive structures that visitors might want to view from the outside, even if they are not open to the public.
Map of Official residences
Current residences
[edit]Africa
[edit]Asia
[edit]Brunei
[edit]- 1 Istana Nurul Iman, Bandar Seri Begawan. Official residence of the Sultan of Brunei. Due to considerable oil wealth, the sultan is one of the richest people in the world, and this is reflected in the sheer size and extravagance of the palace. Open to the public for three days a year from the second to fourth days of Hari Raya Aidilfitri (Eid al-Fitr), during which men can exchange greetings with the sultan, while women can exchange greetings with the sultan's wife, and lunch is served to the general public for free.
Cambodia
[edit]
- 2 Royal Palace (ព្រះបរមរាជវាំង), Phnom Penh. Official residence of the King of Cambodia. Most buildings, including the throne hall, are built in a traditional Khmer architectural style, though the Napoleon III Pavilion was built in a French colonial architectural style. Also in the palace grounds is the Silver Pagoda, the holiest Buddhist temple in all of Cambodia, and a popular pilgrimage site for Cambodian Buddhists. While most of the buildings are not open to the public, visitors may walk around part of the palace grounds at certain times of the day, and look into the throne hall from the outside.
Hong Kong
[edit]- 3 Government House (禮賓府), Central. Originally built as the official residence of the Governor of Hong Kong during British colonial rule, it has been the official residence of the Chief Executive of Hong Kong since the handover back to China. Open to the public for two days a year, once during the spring timed to coincide with the blooming of the flowers in the garden, and another in the autumn.
India
[edit]- 4 Rashtrapati Bhavan (राष्ट्रपति भवन Rāṣṭrapati Bhavan), New Delhi. Official residence of the President of India, originally built as the residence of the British Viceroy of India during the colonial period. It contains a Mughal-style garden called Amrit Udyan, literally "nectar garden". Public tours are available on the weekends, but must be booked in advance.
Laos
[edit]- 5 Presidential Palace, Vientiane. Official residence of the President of Laos, built on the site of a former royal residence of the Kings of Laos near the bank of the Mekong river; a modern 21st century building that fuses elements of French colonial and traditional Lao architectural styles. Not open to the public, but the front facade can be viewed from outside the front gate. Near presidential palace is the Hor Phra Keo, the former royal temple during the time it was a royal residence, which has been converted to a museum.
Malaysia
[edit]- 6 Istana Negara, Western Suburbs, Kuala Lumpur. Official residence of the King (Yang di-Pertuan Agung) of Malaysia, a position which rotates among the monarchs of the nine royal states every five years. An impressive modern building that draws heavily from traditional Islamic architectural styles. Usually, visitors may only take photographs in front of the front gates, but the grounds are open to the public once a year on the first day of Hari Raya Aidilfitri (Eid al-Fitr), during which lunch is served to the public for free.
- 7 Seri Perdana, Putrajaya. Official residence of the Prime Minister of Malaysia. While the residential quarters are off limits to the public, you may visit the Protocol Block and Banquet Block when they are not in use for hosting state guests provided you reserve a tour in advance.
Japan
[edit]
- 8 Tokyo Imperial Palace (皇居 Kōkyō), Chiyoda, Tokyo. Formerly the main residence of the Tokugawa Shoguns during the Edo Period, and today the main residence of the Emperor of Japan. While the buildings are not accessible to the public, the grounds are open to the public on two days a year: the second day of the New Year, and the Emperor's birthday, during which visitors can assemble in front of the main reception hall to listen to the emperor deliver a speech.
Philippines
[edit]- 9 Malacañan Palace (Palasyo ng Malakanyang), University Belt, Manila. The official residence of the President of the Philippines. The main building itself is not open to the public, but there is a museum on the palace grounds that you may visit.
Qatar
[edit]- 10 Amiri Diwan (الديوان الأميري), Doha. Official residence of the Emir of Qatar. Tours of the palace grounds may be booked through the visitors' center.
Singapore
[edit]- 11 Istana, Orchard Road. The official residence of the President of Singapore, a beautiful British colonial building with influences from traditional Malay and Indian architecture, with a nine-hole golf course on the grounds. Open to the public on five days a year: Chinese New Year, Hari Raya Puasa (Eid al-Fitr), Deepavali (Diwali), Labour Day and National Day. Also within the grounds of the Istana is Sri Temasek, the official residence of the Prime Minister of Singapore, though no prime minister has ever lived there, and it is only used as a workplace.
Taiwan
[edit]- 12 Presidential Office Building (總統府), Zhongzheng District, Taipei. Main workplace of the President of the Republic of China, originally built for the Japanese Governor-General of Taiwan during the colonial period in the typical European-influenced Japanese architectural style of the early 20th century. Open to the public on several days a year. Unlike many other similar buildings, Taiwan's Presidential Office Building does not contain residential quarters, and the president's residence is in a separate location that is not accessible to the public.
Thailand
[edit]- 13 Grand Palace (พระบรมมหาราชวัง Phra Borom Maha Ratcha Wang), Rattanakosin, Bangkok. The official residence of the King of Thailand, though the king does not live here. On the grounds of the palace is the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, the holiest Buddhist temple in all of Thailand, and a popular pilgrimage site for Thai Buddhists. Visitors to the temple are usually allowed to walk around part of the palace grounds, but may not enter the buildings. Perhaps the main highlight of the palace is the Chakri Maha Prasat Hall, which was built mainly in a blend of various 19th-century European architectural styles, but topped with a traditional Thai roof.
United Arab Emirates
[edit]- 14 Qaṣr Al-Waṭan (قَصْر ٱلْوَطَن), Abu Dhabi. Official residence of the President of the United Arab Emirates, a position customarily held by the Sheikh of Abu Dhabi. Open to the public when not in use for state ceremonies, but tickets must be reserved in advance.
Vietnam
[edit]- 15 Presidential Palace (Phủ Chủ tịch), Hanoi. The official residence of the President of Vietnam, a beautiful French colonial mansion that was originally built as the residence of the French Governor-General of Indochina. The building itself is not open to the public, though visitors may walk around part of the grounds. According to the official government narrative, Ho Chi Minh refused to live in the palace for symbolic reasons, and commissioned a simple traditional Vietnamese stilt house on the grounds of the palace to serve as his residence; this stilt house has now been converted into a museum that tourists may visit.
Europe
[edit]Austria
[edit]- 16 Hofburg, Innere Stadt, Vienna. Once the principal residence of the Habsburg emperors, it has been the official residence of the President of Austria since 1946. Most of the palace including the Imperial Apartments can be visited daily by the general public, though the current president's offices are off limits.
- 17 Federal Chancellery (Bundeskanzleramt), Innere Stadt, Vienna. Located on Ballhausplatz, this is the official residence and office of the Chancellor, Austria's head of government.
Czech Republic
[edit]- 18 Prague Castle (Pražský hrad), Castle, Prague. Originally built to serve as the seat of the Kings of Bohemia and still the repository of the crown jewels, today it is the official residence of the President of the Czech Republic. While the castle is open for tours on most days of the year, the crown jewels are displayed to the public only once every five years.
Denmark
[edit]- 19 Amalienborg, Indre By, Copenhagen. The official residence of the King of Denmark. It is not open to the public, but can be viewed from the outside. Christian VIII’s Palace within the grounds of the Amalienborg is home to the royal museum that the public may visit.
Finland
[edit]
- 20 Kesäranta (Villa Bjälbo) (Meilahti, Helsinki). Residence of the Prime Minister, a seaside villa from 1873, originally summer home for the architect F. L. Calonius. In 1904 it became the residence or the Governor General. After Finland's independence it became summer home for the prime ministers, and in 1952 the formal residence. Only some of the prime ministers have made the house their home.
- 21 Kultaranta (Gullranda) (Naantali, south-west Finland). Presidential summer residence. There are guided tours to the garden.
- 22 Mäntyniemi (Talludden) (Meilahti, Helsinki). This large seaside villa in a garden meant to represent Finnish nature has been the presidential residence since 1993. Only a glimpse can be had from the street.
- 23 Presidential palace (Presidentinlinna) (Central Helsinki). Originally built as a merchant's home, the house was bought and expanded to serve as residence of the Russian emperors in the function of Grand Dukes of Finland. As Finland became independent and had fought its civil war in 1918 there was a short flirt with monarchy, during which the building was prepared to serve as royal palace, but as times normalised and the Finnish constitution was approved, it was made the presidential palace in 1921. Since 1993 all presidents have lived in Mäntyniemi, and the palace is for the administration and representation only. The building is occasionally open for visits by the public.
France
[edit]- 24 Élysée Palace (Palais de l'Élysée), 8th arrondissement, Paris. Originally built as the residence of a French military officer and nobleman, it is today the official residence of the President of France. Open to the public only on the third weekend of September for European Heritage Days.
Germany
[edit]- 25 Bellevue Palace (Schloss Bellevue), Berlin. Originally built as the residence for one of the princes of Prussia, it served as the Berlin residence of the President of West Germany during the Cold War, and has been the official residence of the President of Germany since reunification. The building is only open to the public on one day a year, though it can be viewed from the outside year-round.
- 26 Federal Chancellery (Bundeskanzleramt), Berlin. The official residence of the Chancellor, Germany's head of government, a modern building completed in 2001. Not open to the public, but it can be viewed from the outside.
Italy
[edit]- 27 Quirinal Palace (Palazzo del Quirinale), Modern Centre, Rome. Originally built a summer residence of the Popes during the time of the Papal States, it now serves as the official residence of the President of Italy. Visitors may book tours of the palace at least 5 days in advance.
- 28 Chigi Palace (Palazzo Chigi), Modern Centre, Rome. A Renaissance and Baroque-era building located on Piazza Colonna that passed between various owners before being purchased by the Italian state in 1916. Today, it serves as the official residence of the Prime Minister of Italy. It is named after the Chigi family, a noble family from Siena who owned it during the second half of the 17th century. May be visited by the general public provided you reserve a guided tour in advance.
Netherlands
[edit]- 29 Royal Palace (Koninklijk Paleis), Binnenstad, Amsterdam. The grandest of the three official residences of the King of the Netherlands, having been built during the Dutch Golden Age. The king does not live here, however, and it is today only used for ceremonial functions, such as royal weddings and hosting foreign heads of state on state visits. Open to the public daily when not in use for official functions, but tickets have to be reserved in advance.
- 30 Noordeinde Palace (Paleis Noordeinde), The Hague. One of the three official residences of the King of the Netherlands, and his primary workplace. The building itself is open to the public only on rare special occasions, but you may walk around the palace gardens and view it from the outside. Newly-appointed ambassadors to the Netherlands present their letters of credence to the King here.
- 31 Huis ten Bosch, The Hague. The official residence of the King of the Netherlands, originally built by Frederick Henry of Orange in the middle of the 17th century. Originally a summer retreat, the building was upgraded to a palace in the first half of the 18th century during the reign of William IV. Aside from being the Royal Family's main residence, the stairs of the palace are used for presentation of newly-formed Dutch governments. The palace is, since becoming the main residency in 2019, not open to the public.
Portugal
[edit]- 32 Belém Palace (Palácio de Belém), Modern Centre, Lisbon. Official residence of the President of Portugal, having formerly served as a royal residence of the Kings of Portugal prior to its transition to republic. It was built in fusion of Mannerist and Baroque architectural styles. Tours are available for the general public on Saturdays but must be booked in advance.
Russia
[edit]- 33 Grand Kremlin Palace (Большой Кремлёвский дворец), The Kremlin, Moscow. Originally built as the Moscow residence of the Tsars of Russia, today it is the official residence of the President of Russia. Limited tours of the palace may be booked in advance through approved tour companies.
Spain
[edit]- 34 Palacio Real, Centro, Madrid. The official residence of the King of Spain, but the king does not live here, and it is only used for state ceremonies these days. Open to the public when not in use for official functions.
Sweden
[edit]- 35 Royal Palace (Kungliga Slottet) (Stockholm/Gamla stan). The Stockholm Palace remains the Swedish monarch's official residence, but King Carl XVI Gustaf, reigning since 1973, lives in Drottningholm in Ekerö. Most of the palace is open to the public, unless being used for a state ceremony. Entrance ticket includes The Royal Apartments, the Tre Kronor Museum, the Treasury, and Gustav III's Museum of Antiquities. Since 2011, a restoration of the Palace's exterior is under way, scheduled to finish in the 2030s. See Nordic monarchies for other royal palaces and homes.
- 36 Drottningholm Palace (Drottningholms slott) (Ekerö). The Royal family lives at Drottningholm Palace on the Lovön island in Lake Mälaren. The 18th-century palace is beautiful, and much of it is open to the public. The surroundings are well worth a walk as well.
- 37 Sager House (Sagerska huset), Strömgatan 18. Sweden's Prime Minister's home. This 1900 neo-Renaissance palace was the last of its kind in central Stockholm used as a private home; the last resident, widow Vera Sager, died in 1988. The 1986 assassination of Olof Palme called for increased security, and since 1995, it is the home of Sweden's Prime Minister. Only a few VIP events are held here; press conferences and receptions are held in Rosenbad, the nearby cabinet building. See Stockholm quay palace tour for context.
Switzerland
[edit]- 38 Federal Palace, Bern. The seat of the Federal Council, the executive body of Switzerland. Unlike most other countries, Switzerland does not have a single person serving as Head Of State or Head of Government; rather, the entire Federal Council fulfils both roles collectively. The position of President of the Swiss Confederation rotates among the seven councillors annually, with the year's vice president becoming next year's president. Apart from ceremonially chairing Federal Council meetings, the President is primus inter pares, having no authority above and beyond the other six councillors.
United Kingdom
[edit]- See also: Monarchy of the United Kingdom
- 39 Buckingham Palace, Westminster, London. Principal London residence of the King of the United Kingdom. Open to the public for 10 weeks in the summer, and on selected days in winter and spring.
- 40 10 Downing Street, Westminster, London. Official residence of the Prime Minister, the head of the British government. The street itself is off limits to the public, but you may catch a glimpse of the house's iconic front door from outside through the gates of the street.
- 41 St James's Palace, Westminster, London. The official seat of the monarch's royal court, and the most senior of Britain's royal palaces. Not open to the public, though the changing of the guard may be viewed from the outside, and is popular among tourists.
- 42 Windsor Castle, Windsor and Eton, bookinginfo@royalcollection.org.uk. Official country residence, and principal weekend residence of Queen Elizabeth II during her lifetime. One of the oldest continually inhabited castles in the world. The state rooms are open to the public when not in use for official functions, but the monarch's private quarters are off limits.
- 43 Holyrood Palace, Edinburgh. Official residence of the King in Scotland.
- 44 Hillsborough Castle, Belfast. Official residence of the King in Northern Ireland.
Oceania
[edit]Australia
[edit]
- 45 Government House, South Canberra, Canberra. Official residence of King Charles III in his role as King of Australia, and official residence of the Governor-General of Australia in his absence. Open to the public on two days a year, one each in the summer and autumn, but there is a lookout open all-year.
- 46 Admiralty House, Kirribilli, Sydney. Second official residence of the King in Australia, built in the federation architectural style. Open to the public for one day a year in the autumn.
- 47 The Lodge, Canberra. Principal official residence of the Prime Minister of Australia. Occasionally hosts open houses where the grounds are open to the public.
New Zealand
[edit]- 48 Government House, Wellington. Official residence of King Charles III in his role as King of New Zealand, and official residence of the Governor-General of New Zealand in his absence, built in the Tudor Revival architectural style. Public tours are available but must be booked in advance.
North America
[edit]Canada
[edit]- 49 Rideau Hall, Ottawa. Official residence of King Charles III in his role as King of Canada, and the main official residence of the Governor-General of Canada in his absence.
- 50 Citadelle de Québec, Quebec City. The King's second official residence in Canada, located within the walls of the old city of Quebec, in an active military base. Although you may not enter the residence itself, the citadel may be visited on a guided tour, during which you can view the residence from the outside and there is a changing of the guard ceremony you can watch in the summer.
United States of America
[edit]- See also: Presidents of the United States
- 51 The White House, 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, D.C. (West End). Perhaps the most famous residence in the world, home to the President of the United States, arguably the most powerful person on the planet. Visitors may view the exterior from outside the front gate. Tours can be booked through your senator or representative if you are a U.S. citizen. Foreigners can in theory book tours through their embassies, but in practice this is close to impossible for regular people as the White House requires participants to be accompanied by a senior diplomat on embassy-organized tours.
South America
[edit]Argentina
[edit]- 52 Quinta de Olivos, Buenos Aires. Official residence of the President of Argentina since 1955. Argentinian presidents formerly lived in their own residences. Quinta de Olivos is only a residence. Presidential business is conducted at the Casa Rosada.
- 53 Casa Rosada (Palacio de Gobierno), Buenos Aires. Executive mansion of the President of Argentina. Official business is conducted here and foreign dignitaries are welcomed here. The president and his family actually live in Quinta de Olivos.
Brazil
[edit]Chile
[edit]
- 55 Palacio de La Moneda, Santiago. Official seat of the president of Chile, the building was originally built as the country's mint, producing coins (hence the name) until 1929. It has since been the official seat of the presidency. The president also has a country summer home called Palacio de Cerro Castillo.
Colombia
[edit]- 56 Casa de Nariño, Bogota/La Candelaria. Official residence of the President of Colombia since 1908. The north side includes a Plaza de Armas and is used for ceremonies and to welcome official state visitors.
Peru
[edit]- 57 Palacio de Gobierno (Casa de Pizarro), Lima. The official seat of power in Peru is the historic Casa de Pizarro, built in 1535. It was extensively renovated and rebuilt in 1937 with neo-baroque details and has since been officially known as Government Palace (though locals often prefer the old name).
Venezuela
[edit]Former residences
[edit]- 1 Çankaya Mansion, Ankara. The former residence of Turkish presidency is a late Ottoman building, with later additions combining western and Turkish styles. It serves as a museum since 2018, when the president's residence was moved to the Ak Palace, a monster of a building with more than a thousand rooms à la the Palace of the Parliament in Bucharest.
- 2 Catete Palace (Republica Museum), Rio de Janeiro. Former official residence of the Brazilian president until 1960 when the country moved its capital to Brasilia.
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- 3 Los Pinos, Casa Miguel Alemán, PB, Col. San Miguel Chapultepec, CDMX, Mexico (south end of Chapultepec Park Section I), ☏ +52 55 4155 0200. The official residence of the President of Mexico from 1935-2018. After winning the election in 2018, President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador moved the presidential office and residence to the Palacio Nacional, and opened Los Pinos to the public.
- 4 Presidential Palace (总统府), Nanjing. Former official residence of the President of the Republic of China until 1949, when the Nationalists lost the Chinese Civil War and were forced to retreat to Taiwan. It was here than Sun Yat-sen was sworn in as the first President of China in 1911 after the fall of the Qing Dynasty. The front gate of the palace is in the Art Deco style, while the buildings in the complex are in a mix of European and traditional Chinese architectural styles. It is one of the few places on the mainland where the flag of the Republic of China still flies.
- 5 Royal Palace (ຫໍຄຳ Haw Kham), Luang Prabang. Former official residence of the King of Laos, it was converted into a museum and opened to the public by the victorious communists after they won the Laotian Civil War and overthrew the monarchy. Also in the palace grounds is the Haw Pha Bang, the former royal temple, which houses the most sacred Buddha statue in all of Laos.
- 6 Royal Museum (Muzium Diraja), Jalan Istana, Kuala Lumpur. Former official residence of the King of Malaysia from 1957 to 2011. After the king moved into the new palace, it was converted to a museum and is now open to the public, in which you can view the residential and work spaces formerly used by the king.
- 7 Independence Palace (Dinh Độc Lập), Ho Chi Minh City. Formerly the official residence of the President of South Vietnam, and one of the finest examples of American-influenced 1960s architecture. After the Fall of Saigon, it was converted to a museum by the victorious communists, and is today a major tourist attraction. Visitors can see the state reception rooms, residential quarters, as well as American military equipment left behind from the Vietnam War in the basement.
- 8 Tamminiemi (Ekudden) (Meilahti, Western Helsinki). President of Finland Urho Kekkonen got to stay in the presidential residence when he resigned in 1981, and it was subsequently made a museum.
- 9 Narayanhiti Palace (Central Kathmandu). Former residence of the King of Nepal, it was converted to a museum after the monarchy was abolished in 2008 in the wake of the landslide communist victory in the parliamentary elections earlier that year.
- 10 Blue House (청와대 Cheong Wa Dae), Jongno, Seoul. The official residence of the President of the Republic of Korea from 1948-2022, built in a style reminiscent of traditional Korean architectural, albeit with modern methods and construction materials, and named after its distinctive blue roof. It was relieved of its duties as the presidential office and residence by the newly-elected president Yoon Suk-yeol in May 2022, and the grounds have been converted to a public park. However, only a limited number of visitors are allowed per day, so by sure to reserve your visit in advance.
See also
[edit]- Some monarchies have multiple palaces in addition to the official residence.
- There are other grand houses than these residencies.
- Local governments for state, county and city administrative buildings