What is the residence of the head of state. The most beautiful residences of heads of state

29.06.2020

High-ranking persons, according to their rank and rank, receive the right to live in special conditions. The President of Russia - as the leader of the state - can enjoy certain privileges. Putin's residences, which are officially assigned to the leader of the country, will be discussed below.

government status

First of all, it is worth noting that the head of state has three operating locations - Novo-Ogaryovo, Valdai and Bocharov Ruchey, not counting Putin's working residence in the Kremlin and objects with a special status.

Despite this, the president is credited a large number of representations that have nothing to do with it. Another myth is Putin's residence in Gelendzhik. However, according to official data, the mentioned object does not have such a status.

Summer cottage in Sochi

Despite the belonging of this Putin residence to the category of objects intended for summer residence, the president visits Bocharov Ruchey at any time of the year.

The dacha is located in the central area of the city of Sochi. The main object is a massive two-storey building. The interiors of the first floor have retained their decoration from Stalin's times. The style of the space is emphasized by oak furniture and various hunting trophies. This is where all the staff is located - servants and security.

On the second floor of the main building there is a living room, a bedroom, an office, and an apartment for guests. The interiors are made in modern style: light colors and Italian furnishings prevail here.

The rest of the complex housed several objects. This is a dacha intended for the head of Putin's administration, a mansion for the prime minister. The site is equipped with a platform for landing aircraft, there are two swimming pools filled with fresh and sea water, an indoor tennis court, a playground for sports events.

The territory of Putin's residence adjoins the beach, where a berth is equipped for his boat "Caucasus". From the side of the sea, the ships of the Black Sea Fleet ensure the safety of their stay. The site is surrounded by a double fence. The first is a high (2.5 m) fence made on the basis of reinforced concrete, the second is a chain-link mesh structure.

A beautiful orchard is laid out on the site of the Bocharov Ruchey complex. Peach trees and feijoa grow here, greenhouses are equipped in which kiwi and lemons are planted.

A bit of history

In 1934, the people's commissar for maritime and military affairs, Kliment Voroshilov, took the initiative, according to which the construction of the Bocharov Ruchei dacha began. The project was developed under the guidance of the famous architect M. Merzhanov.

Twenty years later, the site was reconstructed, and additional landscaping was also implemented. Agronomist-decorator S. Venchagov made a great contribution to the arrangement of the territory. In the second half of the 60s, the top leaders of our country and the leaders of friendly countries spent their holidays here. All the presidents of the Russian Federation have stayed at this place.

Modern status

After Soviet Union broke up, summer cottage became the only official government-level residence on the Black Sea. Now she has the appropriate status and is ready to receive high-ranking politicians at any time convenient for them. The top leadership of the country and representatives of the government of foreign countries regularly come here.

Presidential estate "Novo-Ogaryovo"

"Ogaryovo" - Putin's residence, located on the Rublevo-Uspenskoe highway, in the Moscow region, near the village of Usovo. The territory acquired official status in 2000. According to historical information, this is an old manor of the XIX century. The largest house was built based on the traditions of English Gothic. The site is adjacent to the banks of the Moscow River.

Putin's new residence is under a strict security regime, which is controlled by the official service of the FSO, access of unauthorized persons is blocked here. In Novo-Ogaryovo, the president lives with the whole family and holds working events.

At the request of the head of state, a significant modernization was carried out on the territory. It houses a poultry house, greenhouses, a German-style stable, a gym and a swimming pool. In addition, the territory has an additional mansion for guests and a house designed for official receptions.

A bit of history

Like all Putin's residences, Novo-Ogaryovo has an interesting history. The main manor house began to be built in the 19th century. Order given Grand Duke Sergey Aleksandrovich. English Gothic became the prevailing style at that time. A real castle grew on the territory, around which there was a park laid out in the best English traditions.

During the existence of the USSR (in the second half of the 50s), the estate acquired the status of a state residence. The initiator was Georgy Malenkov, but the leader himself did not have time to live in Novo-Ogaryovo. Subsequently, the estate served as a place for important guests, representatives of official delegations. Often, unscheduled party receptions were held here.

New story

At the dawn of the birth of the CIS in Novo-Ogarevo, expert groups carried out extensive activities and significant meetings of the heads of the republics of the USSR were held. In this place, the so-called "Novogarevsky process" was implemented, during which a major power could be subjected to a serious reformation. The signing of the Union Treaty was thwarted, as in August 1991 the country was swept by a coup. It was from that time that the fenced-off area and the estate itself acquired the status of an official government residence.

A few additional words about the regime

It is impossible to get into the estate, as no excursions are organized here. Even officials, visiting the facility, are forced to undergo a multi-stage check. In addition, guests of the residence are prohibited from taking any photographs of the facade of the mansion and the park located on the territory. It is impossible to record any data about the motorcades of arriving guests, the place of entry to the site, the heliport. In the near future, it is planned to tighten the regime even more. Federal services want to introduce a ban on the use of mobile devices. According to experts, this will eliminate any measurements of the topography of the territory.

Rest house "Long Beards"

Putin's residence "Valdai" is located on the territory of the Novgorod region. The estate was built in 1934 and was intended for Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin. However, the remoteness from the city, poor communication and the presence of a single transport interchange “frightened off” the leader, and he visited here only once.

According to historical information, Nikolai Ryzhkov, Nikita Khrushchev and other high-ranking officials rested here. It is noteworthy that the nearby village - Long Beards - got its name back in the time of Peter the Great. According to legend, it was here that the “bearded men” hid, escaping from paying taxes and royal publicans.

The official name of the residence is "Dinner", which is due to the name of the lake on the shore of which the object is located. On the site is a two-story mansion. Near the residence is the Valdai Reserve. Raccoons, bears, foxes and wild boars are found in the forests of the protected area.

Since 2000, the residence has been regularly visited by Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin.

Putin's main residence in Moscow: the Kremlin

The building of the Senate of the Moscow Kremlin is the working residence of the President of the Russian Federation. It was erected in 1779-1787. Russian architect Matvey Kazakov built it in accordance with the style of classicism. More than 15 years ago, extensive restoration work was carried out here.

The Senate Palace is subdivided into a front part and a business area: Putin's working and representative office, offices of his closest associates, a library, and a meeting room of the Security Council.

The office is located in the very center of the business zone. This is a relatively small room, which is maximally equipped for productive activities. The walls of the room are finished with oak panels, along which bookcases with reference and book publications are placed.

In the central part there is a desktop, over which the coat of arms of our country flaunts. On either side of it are the standard of the President and the flag of the Russian Federation. Near the window there is a table for negotiations, meetings and business meetings.

The front office, located in the Small Hall of the palace, is decorated in a more solemn style. It is here that it is customary to meet the heads of foreign states, hold important negotiations, present high state awards. Near the desktop of Vladimir Vladimirovich there are attributes of power and state symbols. On the walls you can see portraits of prominent military leaders and statesmen.

Not far from the Spassky Gates, in the fourteenth building of the Kremlin, the second office of the leader of the state is located. The building contained numerous reception and ceremonial halls. The Marble Hall is attached to the business zone, where the president delivers a message to the Federal Assembly every year.

The role of Putin's grand residence is performed by the Grand Kremlin Palace. This place hosts ceremonies dedicated to the presentation of state awards, inaugurations, receptions dedicated to major public holidays. On the second floor of the palace there are five ceremonial halls decorated with stucco decoration.

In conclusion, I would like to note that only three of Putin's residences in Russia have official status. However, not only the leader of the state has special privileges, but also the Prime Minister of the country.

In addition, special facilities are provided, the purpose of which is to provide rest for politicians. top management and receiving guests. Also, complexes with a certain status have been created for the circle of dignitaries, for example, "Moon Glade" and "Altai Compound".

(Residence of the President of Brazil)

The President of Russia remains one of the last rulers of the world, whose residence is located in a medieval fortress. However, the rest of the residences of the President of the Russian Federation are modern European-style buildings. The Interpreter's Blog has collected photos of 28 residences of the heads of state of the First and Second Worlds.

Officially, the Russian president has only 4 residences: in the Kremlin, in Novo-Ogaryovo (on Rublyovka), Valdai in the Novgorod region and Bocharov Ruchey in Sochi. However, there are 8 more presidential objects under the manager's office.

In 2010, information appeared that the presidential administration was going to build a residence for the country's top officials on the Gamow Peninsula in the Khasansky district of Primorsky Krai. A little later, they started talking about a certain "Putin's palace" in Praskoveevka on the Black Sea coast. However, officially these objects (one still on paper, the other unfinished) were not accepted by the manager on their balance sheet, so we will consider information about them as speculation.

The largest area near the presidential residence in Valdai is 930 hectares. In addition to a residential building, there is a church, a swimming pool, two restaurants, a cinema hall, and a bowling alley.

(Entrance to the residence of Russian President Vladimir Putin - in Novo-Ogaryovo. This and 2 more photos of the residence in Novo-Ogaraevo below were taken by Italian photographer Davide Monteleone)

Especially loved by President Putin (and before him by Presidents Yeltsin and Medvedev) is the summer residence Bocharov Ruchey. In it, he holds both official meetings and rests on vacation. But when the presidential sport became skiing, Medvedev and Putin began to visit Bocharov Ruchey in the winter - from here they fly by helicopter to the track in Krasnaya Polyana.

The residence has 2 floors. The decoration of the first floor has not changed since the time of Stalin - here, for example, massive oak furniture and hunting trophies are placed. The President's servants and guards live on the same floor. The second floor is more modern, with Italian furniture and light-colored wallpaper. It has a living room, an office, a bedroom, and an apartment for guests.

There are several other buildings on the estate: a dacha for the head of the presidential administration and a cottage for the prime minister. There is also a heliport, two swimming pools (with sea and fresh water), a sports ground, and an indoor tennis court.

On the beach there is a pier for the presidential boat "Caucasus".

The territory is surrounded by a double fence - the first, reinforced concrete, about 2.5 meters high, the second - from the chain-link mesh. From the sea, the estate is guarded by ships of the Black Sea Fleet.

The residence has a garden with feijoa and peaches. However, as they say, former President and current Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev prefers to work himself in a glass greenhouse where kiwis and lemons grow.

The most expensive building in the list of unofficial residences is Konstantinovsky Palace in Strelna near St. Petersburg (territory area - 140 hectares).

Its reconstruction cost about 200 million dollars, but the money was not spent from the budget - several Russian raw materials companies dumped on the estate. Formally, in the palace there is only a “working office of the president” (as well as in the library named after Yeltsin in St. Petersburg).

However, the head of state both rests on the estate and holds official meetings. In 2010, paintings purchased at an auction for $20 million were purchased for the palace.

(Residence in the Konstantinovsky Palace near St. Petersburg)

Other presidential sites are much less visited. For example, in Karelian "Shuyskoy Chupe"(in the late 90s, its construction cost $50 million, the area of the estate is 50 hectares) Boris Yeltsin has been several times, Vladimir Putin once, Dmitry Medvedev has not been a single one.

Dmitry Medvedev was completely unpopular with such objects as "Volga cliff" on the banks of the Kuibyshev reservoir, "Tantalum" on the banks of the Volga, 40 km from Saratov, "Angara farms" 47 km from Irkutsk, "Small source" in Yekaterinburg in a forest on the banks of the Malo-Istoksky pond, "Pines" in the Krasnoyarsk Territory. The peak of their use came during the presidency of Boris Yeltsin. So, in the "Volzhsky Cliff" the first president loved to fish - he boasted more than once that he fished up to 20 kg of trout there.

In 2010, a residence was built for the president in Yekaterinburg(palace with an area of 10 thousand square meters).

Not very popular and "Rus" in the Tver region, located on the territory of the hunting farm "Zavidovo". In fact, this is the main hunting ground for all Russian presidents. The guard of this estate in one interview described the local life of high officials as follows:

“Yeltsin came to the dacha much more often than Putin. He is an old man, he needs to rest. For a year and a half, Putin came ten times. At first, he didn't come at all. And then I liked it, I began to fly - he always arrives by helicopter. Once I flew in for 15 minutes: I changed clothes, walked the dog for a bit and flew away again. And we were preparing for his arrival for two months: the grass was cut, not a single piece of paper, not a leaf - and so on all 15.5 hectares.

Protects the residence of 600-700 people.

Yeltsin, when he was president, liked to listen to the soldiers sing. He will go out into the attic, sit down, the battalion commander will give orders and the company will walk around, singing songs until Yeltsin leaves the attic again.

Now Novo-Ogaryovo is considered the main presidential residence - Vladimir Putin lives here.

In Novo-Ogaryovo there are buildings for official meetings, a guest house with a cinema hall, a gym, a swimming pool. Putin drives around the residence driving a jeep. On the territory of the estate there are greenhouses, a poultry house, a swimming pool, a church. Rumor has it that Putin himself takes care of rare breeds of chickens (Rhode Islands, Cochinchins and Brahms - there are more than 30 of them in total). But Putin is especially proud of the large stable (it accommodates about 10 horses).

Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev lives in Gorki-9 with his wife Svetlana, son Ilya, cat Dorofey, as well as dogs - two English setters Daniel and Jolie, a golden retriever Aldu and a Central Asian shepherd dog. Dmitry Medvedev's mother also lives here. Previously, this object was also considered a presidential residence, but now its status is a premier's object.

The area of this residence is 80 hectares. Little is known about the interior of the house. Only information passed that the interiors here were made by the famous Italian designer Roberto Provasi, whose clients in different time were Madonna, George Clooney and Sylvester Stallone. Svetlana Medvedeva personally chose the furnishings for the office. Already under Medvedev, a chapel appeared on the territory of Gorok-9; the personal confessor of the Medvedev family, Vladimir Volgin, serves in it.

(Confessor of the Medvedev family Vladimir Volgin - with a cross and a beard)

It is worth mentioning especially about this confessor that it is better to understand the inner world of Dmitry Medvedev. Vladimir Volgin is 63 years old, since the early 1970s he has served as an altar boy for the liberal priest Alexander Men. Volgin himself was also known as a liberal. However, in the late 1980s, he suddenly went over to the conservative camp, and even denounces Me for being too democratic.

In the early 1990s, Volgin received a temple on Sofiyskaya Embankment - now the main office of Rosneft is located next to it. Also at the temple is the largest church jewelry company in Moscow, Sofiyskaya Embankment. Volgin's student was the bohemian priest Ivan Okhlobystin, he also served with his mentor in the temple (it is interesting that Okhlobystin made the same somersault as Volgin - he moved from the liberal camp to guarding)

The Interpreter's Blog has collected photographs of 28 residences of the heads of state of the First and Second World. Some of them are modest, and some are very majestic (like the President of India), some are made in the traditional style (like the President South Korea or France), but the majority are in classical European. There are no only residences located in a medieval castle - like in the Kremlin. The time has come for Russia to give this majestic complex for tourism and recreational purposes, and the president to start living and working (as he does most of the time now) only in Novo-Ogaryovo.

Residence of the President of Argentina:

Residence of the President of Turkmenistan:

Residence of the President of Bolivia:

Residence of the President of Brazil:

Residence of the President of Hungary:

One of the residences of the President of Vietnam - "Reunification Palace":

Another residence of the President of Vietnam:

Residence of the President of Germany in Berlin:

Residence of the President of Georgia:

Residence of the President of Egypt:

Residence of the President of India:

Residence of the President of Iran:

Residence of the Prime Minister of Canada:

Residence of the President of Colombia:

Residence of the President of South Korea:

Residence of the President of Lithuania:

Residence of the King of Malaysia:

Residence of the President of Poland:

Residence of the President of Portugal:

Residence of the President of Singapore:

Residence of the President of Slovakia:

The residence of the President of the United States - the White House:

Residence of the King of Thailand:

Residence of the Prime Minister of Thailand:

Residence of the President of Uruguay:

Residence of the President of the Philippines:

Residence of the President of France:

Residence of the President of Chile:

Residence of the Prime Minister of Sweden:

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 palace ensemble 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 knightly order Saint 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. 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 different 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 public baths. 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

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. Within the park are small house, outbuildings, the 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 to its external stone walls forbidden to touch. For greater protection, it has been surrounded by a wire fence for some time now.

In this issue you will see almost three dozen residences of the powerful of this world - the heads of state of the so-called first and second worlds. Let's start, of course, with Vladimir Putin - the Russian president remains one of the last rulers of the world, whose residence is located in a medieval fortress. However, the rest of the residences of the President of the Russian Federation are modern European-style buildings.

(Total 46 photos)

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Officially, the Russian president has only 4 residences: in the Kremlin, in Novo-Ogaryovo (on Rublyovka), Valdai in the Novgorod region and Bocharov Ruchey in Sochi. However, there are 8 more presidential objects under the manager's office.

The largest area is near the presidential residence in Valdai - 930 hectares. In addition to a residential building, there is a church, a swimming pool, two restaurants, a cinema hall, and a bowling alley.

1. Entrance to the residence of Russian President Vladimir Putin - in Novo-Ogaryovo. This and 2 more photos of the residence in Novo-Ogaryovo below were taken by Italian photographer Davide Monteleone

Especially loved by President Putin (and before him by Presidents Yeltsin and Medvedev) is the summer residence Bocharov Ruchey. In it, he holds both official meetings and rests on vacation. But when alpine skiing became the presidential sport, Medvedev and Putin began visiting Bocharov Ruchey in the winter as well, from where they fly by helicopter to the track in Krasnaya Polyana.

2. On the beach there is a pier for the presidential boat "Kavkaz".

The most expensive building in the list of unofficial residences is the Konstantinovsky Palace in Strelna near St. Petersburg (territory area - 140 hectares).

Its reconstruction cost about 200 million dollars, but the money was not spent from the budget - several Russian raw materials companies dumped on the estate. Formally, in the palace there is only a "working office of the president" (as well as in the library named after Yeltsin in St. Petersburg).

However, the head of state both rests on the estate and holds official meetings. In 2010, paintings purchased at an auction for $20 million were purchased for the palace.

3. Residence in the Konstantinovsky Palace near St. Petersburg

Other presidential sites are much less visited. For example, in the Karelian "Shuiskaya Chupa" (in the late 90s, its construction cost 50 million dollars, the area of the estate is 50 hectares), Boris Yeltsin has been several times, Vladimir Putin - once, Dmitry Medvedev - not a single one yet.

Dmitry Medvedev was completely unpopular with such objects as the Volga Cliff on the banks of the Kuibyshev reservoir, Tantalum on the banks of the Volga, 40 km from Saratov, Angarskiye Khutor, 47 km from Irkutsk, and Maly Istok in Yekaterinburg in the forest on the bank of the Malo-Istoksky Pond, "Pine" in the Krasnoyarsk Territory. The peak of their use came during the presidency of Boris Yeltsin. So, in the "Volzhsky Cliff" the first president loved to fish - he boasted more than once that he fished up to 20 kg of trout there.

In 2010, a residence was built for the president in Yekaterinburg (a palace with an area of 10 thousand square meters).

Not too popular and "Rus" in the Tver region, located on the territory of the hunting farm "Zavidovo". In fact, this is the main hunting ground for all Russian presidents. The guard of this estate in one interview described the local life of high officials as follows:

Protects the residence of 600-700 people.

Now Novo-Ogaryovo is considered the main presidential residence - Vladimir Putin lives here.

4. In Novo-Ogaryovo there are buildings for official meetings, a guest house with a cinema hall, a gym, a swimming pool. Putin drives around the residence driving a jeep. On the territory of the estate there are greenhouses, a poultry house, a swimming pool, a church. Rumor has it that Putin himself takes care of rare breeds of chickens (Rhode Islands, Cochinchins and Brahms - there are more than 30 of them in total). But Putin is especially proud of the large stable (it accommodates about 10 horses).

The area of this residence is 80 hectares. Little is known about the interior of the house. There was only information that the interiors here were made by the famous Italian designer Roberto Provasi, whose clients at different times were Madonna, George Clooney and Sylvester Stallone. Svetlana Medvedeva personally chose the furnishings for the office.

5. Already under Medvedev, a chapel appeared on the territory of Gorok-9; the personal confessor of the Medvedev family, Vladimir Volgin, serves in it.

But, let's move on to the residences of the heads of other states. Some of them are modest, and some are very majestic (like the President of India), some are made in the traditional style (like the President of South Korea or France), but most are in the classical European style.

6. Residence of the President of Argentina

9. Residence of the President of Turkmenistan

10. Residence of the President of Bolivia

11. Residence of the President of Brazil

14. Residence of the President of Hungary

15. One of the residences of the President of Vietnam - "Reunification Palace"

18. Another residence of the President of Vietnam

19. Residence of the President of Germany in Berlin

20. Residence of the President of Georgia

21. Residence of the President of Egypt

22. Residence of the President of India

23. Residence of the President of Iran

24. Residence of the Prime Minister of Canada

25. Residence of the President of Colombia

26. Residence of the President of South Korea

29. Residence of the President of Lithuania

30. Residence of the King of Malaysia

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.

22 PHOTOS

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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. Listed Castle world heritage UNESCO, 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-born 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).
20. The Presidential Palace in Taiwan was built in 1919 by Japanese architect Uheiji Nagano during the Japanese occupation. (Photo: UIG/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. (Photo: Getty Images).