What year was the white house built? The White House is the official residence of the Presidents of the United States

The White House is perhaps the most famous building in the world. This name, chosen simply by the color of the paint, has become a symbol of one of the world's centers of power.

US presidents have not always lived and worked here. The first leaders of the country lived in mansions in New York, then in Philadelphia. The federal government has announced a competition to design a special residence in Washington. The winner was the Irish-born architect James Hoban, who proposed a classical style building. Construction began in 1792. Employed on it were workers and slaves from neighboring slave states, Virginia and Maryland.

The walls were built of sandstone, whitewashed with a mixture of rice glue, casein and lead. The building has taken on its own color. However, for the first time it was called the White House only in 1811.

In a young, poor country, the residence has become an outstanding landmark. Until the Civil War of 1861-1865, the building was the largest in the United States. In 1814, during the Anglo-American War, the British Marines captured Washington DC and burned down the White House, leaving only the walls. The building was restored only by 1830. In 1948, the house fell into disrepair, it was reconstructed: instead of a wooden frame, a solid steel frame was built in. Under Kennedy, the design of the premises was changed - this was done by the president's wife, Jacqueline.

Today's White House is a whole complex: the presidential residence in the center, connected to it by colonnades of the East and West wings. The central building, with its famous circular portico, houses the official reception rooms and living quarters for the President and his family. In the West Wing - the famous Oval Office of the head of state, in the East - the office of the first lady, a cinema.

The building does not seem large, but the impression is deceptive: in fact, there are four floors and two basements. Deep under the East Wing lies an emergency operations center designed to protect against a nuclear strike. The complex has 132 rooms, 35 bathrooms, 28 fireplaces.

In addition to its official purpose, the White House is also a living museum of American history. A rich collection of works of painting, sculpture and furniture is exhibited here. There is a collection of portraits of US presidents and first ladies. One of the most valuable items in the collection is a portrait of George Washington, saved by a slave from a fire set in 1814 by the British. Every day the residence is visited by about five thousand tourists. Tours are free, but you need to sign up for them about six months in advance.

The house is surrounded by a garden of about 7 hectares. The first landings here were personally planned by President Thomas Jefferson. During the First World War, President Wilson's family started a flock of sheep on the South Lawn - their wool was auctioned off in favor of the Red Cross. Michelle Obama set up an organic garden and beehives here - honey and organic products are supplied to official receptions.

The White House looks accessible, the Oval Office with windows to the garden is on the first floor. However, this is one of the most secure buildings in the world, guarded by the US Secret Service.

For two hundred years of the existence of this house, there was nothing there - from animals to ghosts, secret passages, bunkers, swimming pools and even a bowling alley...

The White House is the official residence of the President of the United States, located in Washington DC. All the presidents of America, with the exception of George Washington, under whom it was built, were "registered" here.
A symbol of "USA, Democracy and Freedom", the White House is a Palladian-style mansion (architect James Hoban). Construction began in 1792 and ended on November 1, 1800. On the same day, the second President of the United States, J. Adams, became its first "owner".
The White House is open to the public at scheduled times, but it is not always possible to visit the residences of the president and his family, as well as all private properties.
The White House has a place for the press and the media. Tom Hanks even gave a personal gift to the press office: two coffee machines when he found out that the press corps lives "decaffeinated" ... And this is just one of the many interesting facts about the White House that you will never know knew!

Animal house

In general, the White House has always been a place where not only presidents lived, but also many different animals. President Hoover, for example, kept two alligators and rarely locked them up. Jefferson had a mockingbird that flew quietly around the house. John Q Adams also kept a crocodile in the upstairs bathroom. One of Adams' assistants fed the pet "according to job descriptions."
In addition to that, there was a period of time when the White House was more like Animal House, a John Belushi comedy. The 1820s were a time of open doors. Anyone who is not lazy could always come here. And visitors had to ensure a comfortable stay. Including alcohol! There are cases when visitors were lured out of the house by placing bottles of liquor and wine on the lawn. And everything turned into a party ... Today it would be an absolute nightmare for the special services.

Big? More! Even more!

When the White House was being designed, its architect, Pierre Charles Lanfant, wanted to make a very peculiar mansion: as an example, he imagined the residences of the French kings ... President George Washington, who oversaw the construction of his new residence, hated Lanfan's work. And fired him in the end. The work was completed under James Hoban.
As a result, the residence became five times smaller than its original author wanted. However, at the time of its construction, it was still the largest house in the United States.
It remained so until the Civil War, but after it it lost the title of "the largest house" in the country - mansions, and then skyscrapers, began to be built everywhere.

white house on fire

On December 24, 1929, a fire broke out due to a short circuit in the west wing. He was classified as 4-point in terms of power. The fire caused clogging of all internal air ducts and sewerage. Unfortunately, the White House did not even have insurance for every firefighter, but the tenants managed to get money from Congress and most of the interiors were completely rebuilt and reconstructed.
The fire broke out in the attic during the Christmas ball. The employee smelled smoke and reported it to the president and his assistants. They were able to salvage many of the president's personal belongings, as well as shelter his office from further damage following the fire. But the press center suffered the most: photo archives, articles and materials were lost.

Shadow of Mr. Lincoln

It is said that when Winston Churchill stayed at the White House, he spent the night in President Lincoln's old bedroom. Churchill left the White House the next day in a great hurry. He probably saw the ghost of the late president coming out of the bath.
Churchill returned to the White House more than once, but since then he has never stayed in Lincoln's bedroom.
Should he be blamed for cowardice? After all, the British prime minister is not the first and not the last who saw the ghost of Abraham ... True, before him they were mostly ladies.

White House twin

Yes Yes. The White House has a twin. It was built in Ireland in 1745-1747 and is called the "mini White House".
There is an opinion that James Hoban, on whose projects the construction of the residence of the US presidents was completed, saw the sketches of Leinster House before submitting his own design for the "presidential residence" to the competition of George Washington. There is also a small possibility that he was inspired to create what he was inspired by the image of the residence of the President of Ireland in Phoenix Park, Dublin. After all, Hoban grew up and studied in Ireland. And after his project won, he decided to stay in America. Made a name for himself and a great career, by the way!

Secret tunnels

Indeed, there are secret tunnels under the White House. Approximately at a depth of 6 floors, there is a bunker under the east wing. They say that there is a hole from the Oval Office to a protected bunker.
The only thing known for certain is that after Pearl Harbor, President Franklin D. Roosevelt built a bomb shelter from where he had access to the basement of the Treasury building. The premise specially for the president looks like a concrete box. Roosevelt saw him once in his life. Several U.S. presidents have since toured the site as well, but it was more of a tribute to the hard times in America's great history.

Breakdown in the ventilation system

In 1909, President Taft really wanted an air conditioner, so he went out and bought himself something that looked like a cooling system. This system looked like this: huge fans were installed in the attic of the White House, next to them there was ice in vats. Cold air had to go down the duct and cool the whole house.
In theory it looks convincing, but in practice it did not work at all. Even the attic could not cool. Since there was no way to keep the air at the desired low temperature, warm and dusty currents were blown around the house, to the great annoyance of the cleaners. Luckily, Taft gave up in time and stopped using his home air conditioning system.

Warm went...

President Nixon was impressed when he first saw the presidential bathroom shower. His predecessor, Lyndon Johnson, had very specific requirements for this shower. Well, very specific...
The plumber who was in charge of designing the shower had been working on the system for five long years... Yes, yes. Five. Trying to get a "Johnson standard shower". The poor plumber even ended up in a hospital for the mentally ill.
President Johnson was obsessed: he demanded high-pressure hot water at the faucet. The nozzles had to be located at a height "just right": a jet on the buttocks and a jet on the genitals.
Incidentally, President Johnson has never publicly commented on matters relating to his soul addictions.

Dinner is served!

The White House kitchen is equipped with the latest technology. It is capable of serving 140 guests at the same time. The kitchen is staffed by 5 chefs serving the president's family, White House staff and guests.
State dinners are matters of national importance, and watching how everything is arranged "behind the scenes" is like being a spectator of a theatrical performance. Everything is so perfectly planned.
President John Adams and his wife Abigail established an orchard and vegetable garden where they grew their own fresh produce. President Jackson had a greenhouse, demolished in 1902 to make way for the west wing. At one point, there were even tropical fruits grown in the White House garden.
First lady Michelle Obama planted a large vegetable garden that is quite relevant today. The pediatrician recommended that her children eat more vegetables and fruits. The main family of the state ate fresh vegetables, and even gave part of the crop for soup to the local cuisine! The White House even has an apiary to make your own honey.

Architects competition

President George Washington was extremely dissatisfied with the work of Charles Lanfant, the architect who was originally supposed to build the White House. He fired him and then announced a competition for the construction project of the presidential residence.
It got a lot of attention from extremely talented designers. Nine projects were considered with passion, they were wonderful examples of modern architecture, but only one could be declared the winner. By the way, one of the contestants was Thomas Jefferson. He sent his sketch without mentioning his real name.
The winner was Irishman James Hoban, who replaced Lanfana and built the White House.
The anonymous sketch of President Jefferson did not win, which, of course, surprised many: he was a very talented person, and his residence in Monticello testifies to his love of architecture.

How much does it cost to build a house?

Until the end of the Civil War, the house at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue was considered the largest in the United States. Its construction began in 1792, and the first inhabitants of the House, President John Adams and his wife Abigail, settled in it in 1800. Then their housing was estimated at 232,372 dollars!
If the White House were put up for auction today, according to independent experts, its cost would be $320 million. Not very surprising, is it? Especially when you consider what amenities there are: a cinema, a dental office, a bowling alley, a swimming pool, a tennis court, and, of course, 16 bedrooms and 35 bathrooms.
The White House is a city that can provide for itself. Super luxury accommodation with all the amenities you could ever dream of!

Bitterly!

I wonder if someone played a wedding in the White House?
Yes. In 1820, Mary Monroe married her cousin, Samuel Gouverneur, in the East Room of the White House. In 1828, Mary Hellen married the youngest of three sons, John Adams. Which, however, was somewhat unexpected, since Mary was engaged to her eldest son, had a close relationship with her middle son for a long time, and finally married John II! Probably, family dinners were a big embarrassment for the first few years of living together...
In 1886, Grover Cleveland became the only president to marry in the White House. 49-year-old Cleveland married 21-year-old Frances Folsom.
And in 1906, socialite spoiler Alice Roosevelt married Nicholas Longworth. It was a huge wedding with 1000 guests. In 1971, Tricia Nixon (pictured) married Edward Cox in the White House Rose Garden. Her wedding was televised all over the world...
Of course, there were other presidents who married in office, however, they did not celebrate this affair in the White House.

Let there be light!

Electricity was installed in the White House in 1891. President Benjamin Harrison and his wife Caroline were so intimidated by this innovation that they refused to turn on the lights themselves. This function was performed by butlers.
President Lyndon Johnson was nicknamed "Light Bulb Johnson" for turning off the lights almost everywhere, even when people were working in the room. His explanation was simple: he didn't want to waste any of the extra taxpayer dollars. In 1979, President Carter installed solar panels over the west wing.
They weren't very efficient, and in 1989 the solar panels were removed while President Reagan was working on the roof... In 2003, the first solar electric panel was put into operation under President George W. Bush. It was not installed over the entire residence due to high costs. Only in 2014, under Obama, solar panels were installed over the entire White House.
In 1926, President Coolidge installed the first refrigerator. In 1933, the living rooms of the White House began to be air conditioned. In 1993, President Clinton replaced the windows with more energy efficient ones.

First inhabitants

The first US President George Washington did not have time to be the first tenant of the White House - they were John and Abigail Adams. Washington happened to see the plans for the residence, which he was not very impressed with. He felt that this space would not be enough.
The White House built under him burned to the ground in 1814 (this was during the War of 1812). It was restored and ready for new tenants in 1817. When President Monroe moved into the newly restored residence, people assumed that the charred walls had just been painted or even hastily covered in white paint.
Indeed, the exterior joints were smeared with white paint, especially the fire damage around the windows, but everything inside was rebuilt from scratch. In 1901, Teddy Roosevelt gave the name of the residence - "White House".

Our service is both dangerous and difficult

Everyone knows that the White House is equipped with the best security system. Many of the details of how he is guarded are unknown, but there are facts: the bunker is six stories underground (under the east wing), 147 bulletproof windows, and whenever the president goes outside, snipers and a special security.
They say the White House has the ability to repel air attacks because it has anti-missile defenses. And a bunch of snipers located on the roof around the clock! And at least four intelligence agents on duty in the corridors in front of the west wing.
These measures were introduced after the assassination of President McKinley, when the Secret Service took over full-time presidential protection duties.

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In the movie "Independence Day", aliens blew up the White House, the image of which adorns the 20 USD banknote. However, this fact does not put the White House in the ranking of US attractions in an honorable second place after the Empire States Building in New York. First of all, the White House is a symbol of the American nation and the power of presidential power. This is the third century The White house symbolizes the strength of the nation and the presidency of the United States. The classical architecture of this building, located on Pennsylvania Avenue, is rather laconic, but at the same time elegant and refined.

For the third century now, the White House has symbolized the strength of the nation and the US presidency.

Statistics show that many Russians confuse the White House with the Capitol, the building where the US Congress meets. To avoid confusion, we suggest that you familiarize yourself with the history of the legendary White House

At the start of construction and project implementation

The foundation stone of the official residence of American presidents, known throughout the world as the White House, was laid in Washington on October 13, 1792 at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. as the White House was originally called, it was chosen by George Washington himself - the first president of the United States of America. According to the ruler, it was to be a place "not exceeding ten square miles ... on the Potomac River."

The first stone of the official residence of American presidents, known worldwide as the White House, was laid in Washington on October 13, 1792.

The president also co-designed the building, which was designed by architect James Hoben. worthy of winning the competition announced by George Washington in 1790 to develop an architectural design for the residence.

According to the project, the building of the presidential residence was to be designed in the Palladian style, which was based on borrowing the principles of the classical temple architecture of Ancient Greece and strict adherence to symmetry. $2.5 million was allocated for the construction of the White House.

The Presidential Palace welcomes its first guests

The project of George Washington and James Hoben fully materialized by the early summer of 1800. Date June 4, 1800 - is considered the day of completion of the construction of the White House. The constructed building of the presidential residence fully complied with the ideas of its architectural authors.

Unfortunately, the construction that dragged on for 8 years deprived George Washington of the right to become the first honored tenant of the Presidential Palace.

Unfortunately, the construction that dragged on for 8 years deprived George Washington of the right to become the first honored tenant of the Presidential Palace. At the time of the opening of the White House, on November 1, 1800, the country had already been led by the second president, John Adams, for several years, and it was he who moved into the luxurious mansion with his wife Abigail.

“I pray that the heavens will send down all the best gifts to this house and to all who will subsequently live here. Let only honest wise men rule under this roof,” the words are carved from a letter from John Adams to the first lady on the mantelpiece in the Grand Dining Room.

Mystery of the name

There are several versions about the origin of the current name of the residence. According to one of them, the president's mansion began to be called the White House, since it, lined with white virgin sandstone and covered with a composition of lime, casein and lead, clearly stood out against the surrounding red granite buildings.

Some scholars note that the name White House was first used in 1811, that is, 11 years after construction was completed. At the same time, historians do not name the reason for the appearance of the name.

However, there is also another version. The opinion of some historians boils down to the fact that the residence was called the White House only after the restoration work carried out to eliminate the consequences of the fire of 1814. It is believed that it was during this global restoration that the building was painted white.

Be that as it may, the official name of the White House was assigned to the building only a century after the opening of the residence, in 1901, by Theodore Roosevelt.

Time for architectural change

The first century for the White House was an era of destruction and new life. In the 19th century, the White House expanded significantly: in 1801, the western and eastern terraces were added to the building.

The residence underwent a special reconstruction after the war of 1812. In August 1814 the "President's Palace" was burned down by the British. Work on the restoration of the mansion began almost immediately, and by 1817 the White House appeared before the people as good as new. Moreover, two underground floors appeared in the building, where the headquarters of the operational management of the foreign policy and military actions of the president was located. The rounded south portico was added to the building in 1824, and the columned north portico six years later.

At the beginning of the 20th century, in 1901 (during the presidency of Theodore Roosevelt), the White House acquired two wings - the West, in which the first Oval Office was created 8 years later, and the East, which served as an entrance for guests. By the way, the East Wing acquired its modern look only by 1942. In 1927, the attic of the mansion was rebuilt for living quarters. And two years later, in order to eliminate the consequences of a strong fire, restoration work was carried out in the West Wing.

By the middle of the 20th century, the building needed a major overhaul. In this connection, under President Harry Truman, in 1949-1952, a major reconstruction of the White House was carried out. The wooden frame of the building was replaced with steel, the interior was redesigned.

Today the White House is a six-story building with 132 rooms, three elevators and many stairs. Tourists who come here on an excursion have a unique opportunity to see the most beautiful and historically significant premises. The famous "colorful rooms" (Blue, Green, Eastern and Red) are open for visiting, where solemn events are held, business and personal meetings are held. Guests are received in the stunning Dining Room, and the Oval Office is the workplace of the president himself. For these and other premises for receptions, two whole floors are given, the rest belong to the presidential family (in addition to the basement).

Tour of the President's Residence

The White House is located in the heart of the US capital and is an integral part of the Presidential Park, which covers an area of ​​7.2 hectares. The ensemble of the White House also includes amazing gardens - on the west side is the Rose Garden created by Woodrow Wilson's wife, and on the East wing is the beautiful Jacqueline Kennedy Garden.

The White House is located in the heart of the US capital and is an integral part of the Presidential Park, which covers an area of ​​7.2 hectares.

The building of the presidential residence itself has 6 floors, 2 of which are underground. The total area of ​​the building is more than 5 thousand square meters. m. There are 132 rooms in the White House, including the famous colored rooms: the Oval Blue Hall for ceremonial receptions, the Green Hall for informal meetings, the Red Room, as well as the Family Dining Room, the Great Hall, the Cross Hall, the Oval Office, in which the the President himself, the Dining Room for official receptions and other rooms. The building also has 32 bathrooms, 28 fireplaces, 8 staircases and 3 elevators.

Interior of the "President's House"

The interior of the White House has changed several times. Since the middle of the 20th century, each presidential family considered it necessary to add something special to the decoration of the mansion. However, despite all the changes, the interior of the White House to this day remains in the style of the 18th and 19th centuries. Moreover, all work related to changes in the design of the residence on the state floors must certainly be approved by a special Committee of the White House Board.

Today, walking through the rooms of the White House open to the public, you can see things that once belonged to members of presidential families. For example, Eleanor Roosevelt's dressing table or Abigail Adams' silver coffee pot.

Visiting the White House

Anyone can visit the presidential residence on any day from Tuesday to Saturday. For excursions, rooms are open on two floors at once.

The doors of the White House were first opened to the general public under Thomas Jefferson.

By the way, for the first time the doors of the White House were opened to the general public under Thomas Jefferson. In 1805, the third President of the United States received guests for the first time in the Blue Drawing Room. At this reception were people who followed the president to the White House after being sworn in at the Capitol. Jefferson soon opened the doors of the residence to everyone. He also introduced the tradition of holding receptions in the White House in honor of the New Year and Independence Day, celebrated annually on July 4th.

1. The history of the renovation of the interiors of the residence of the President of the United States (White House)

2. Architecture and interiors US presidential residence (White House) USA

3. Locations in the White House

4. 12 facts about the White House

5. The White house(Moscow)

The White house- This is the residence of the President of the United States in Washington (English 1600, Pennsylvania Avenue - Pennsylvania Avenue, 1600). It is a mansion in the Palladian style (architect James Hoban). Construction began in 1792, ended on November 1, 1800. On the same day, the second owner became its first owner. USA John Adams. Featured on the $20 banknote.

The White House for Americans is a symbol of power, stability and prosperity. This is one of the symbols of statehood along with the flag, emblem and anthem of the state. This year the White House will be 216 years old.

The history of the residence of the President of the United States (White House) is rooted in the past, symbolizing the strength and unity of the American nation. Construction of the building, located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, began on October 13, 1792. The first name of the residence of the President of the United States (White House) was different, it was called differently: “Presidential Palace”, “Mansion president", "House president».

Historians disagree about the origin of the current name. Some argue that the White House began to be called that way after a fire during the War of 1812. USA with England. Then the building was very damaged, and during the restoration it was repainted white - hence the name.

Other researchers believe that the current name of the residence of the US President (White House) has been mentioned in official documents since 1809, that is, before the fire.

In 1901, by order of President Roosevelt, the name "White House" began to be used on official papers, documents, state seals. In any case, now the name of the presidential residence is justified by the color of the walls of the building: they are covered with a composition of lime, casein, lead.

James Hoban, an Irish-American, was appointed architect of the US Presidential Residence (White House). He was one of nine architects - contenders for drawing up the project. The co-author of James Hoban can be considered the first US President George Washington. He made his own adjustments to the project of the future residence. Thanks to Washington, the White House has increased the area by almost a third compared to the first option and has become more solemn.

Americans, for obvious reasons, do not like to advertise that in the construction of the main building countries the labor of slaves and emigrants from Scotland, Italy, and Ireland was used. Construction lasted more than eight years and cost the American treasury two and a half million dollars. The first tenants moved into the White House on November 1, 1800.

The history of the renovation of the US President's Residence (White House)

The White House is the residence of the President of the United States in Washington DC. This is the only residence of the current head in the world. states open to the public.

The history of the construction of the residence is associated with the name of the first US President George Washington, who personally chose a place for his "presidential house" and signed an act of Congress ordering the residence of the American government to be "at a distance of no more than 10 miles from the Potomac River."

In 1791, the best project for the new residence of the President of the United States was announced, in which the American architect James Hobans won. Construction of the presidential residence began in October 1792 and ended in 1800 under President John Adams.

In the 1920s, after a fire, the presidential administration building was rebuilt and painted white. During the reconstruction, the western and eastern terraces were added to the building, as well as the southern portico of a semicircular shape and the northern portico with a colonnade. Since then, the building remained virtually unchanged until the middle of the last century, except for the conduction of electricity and telephone.

In 1948, under President Truman, the White House underwent significant reconstruction, including the construction of a two-story basement, which still serves as the headquarters for the operational management of the president's foreign policy and military actions.

Currently, the White House covers an area of ​​about 7.2 hectares. The central part includes living rooms and halls for official receptions. The State Floor contains the East, Green, Blue and Red Rooms, as well as the Front and Family Dining Rooms. Family rooms - the Yellow Oval Room, East and West Drawing Rooms - as well as the Presidential Dining Room, Meeting Room, Lincoln Bedroom and King's Bedroom are located on the third floor. All presidential administrative offices are "assembled" in the west wing. Including the famous Oval Office, where he holds important meetings.

If the appearance of the presidential residence remains virtually unchanged, then the interior changes with the advent of each new president. America's Master Family is allowed to redesign the interior as they see fit, but changes to the so-called State Premises must be approved by the Building Preservation Committee.

Jacqueline Kennedy left the most significant mark in the history of the residence of the President of the United States (White House). It was under Jacqueline Kennedy that many of the residence's historic rooms changed color: the Red Room became dark cherry, the Green Room became the color of Chartreuse liqueur, and the oval Blue Room became white. In addition, Jacqueline Kennedy filled the residence with the best examples of furniture of the 18th-19th centuries, begged US museums to donate 150 old paintings to the White House, bought expensive handmade curtains in France, and restored everything that could be restored. Mrs. Kennedy herself selected fabrics for draperies, furniture and wall upholstery, and lamps. An interesting fact is known: when Jacqueline Kennedy looked after the wallpaper of the 19th century from the house-museum in Maryland to decorate the residence of the US President (White House), these wallpapers were immediately removed from the walls and sent to Washington. But at the same time, many of the historical furnishings of the White House, which Jacqueline Kennedy considered bad taste, were sold at auctions. Designers have been looking for them for many years to restore historical justice.

In the 1990s, under President Bill Clinton, rearrangements were made in the East and Blue Rooms, as well as in the State Reception Hall and Lincoln's Drawing Room. The refurbishment of the Lincoln bedroom was also begun, which was completed after the arrival of authorities George Bush. In addition, it was under Hillary Clinton that the Blue Room of the US Presidential Residence (White House) regained its deep sapphire color.

The first changes made by the incumbent President George W. Bush to the White House, were carried out in the Oval Office, which is the main office of the American president. So, for example, instead of Bill Clinton's favorite bright blue oval wool carpet with the presidential seal in the middle, Bush ordered a similar carpet, but light cream in color, to be placed on the floor in his office. The yellow silk "Clinton" sofas with a thin cherry stripe are replaced by the same ones, but upholstered in a simple cream brocade with an inconspicuous pattern. George W. Bush decided to keep the famous oak desk that was JFK's favorite desk and used by Clinton. This table, made from the wood of the English sailing ship Resolute, was presented to the President of the United States in 1880 by the British Queen Victoria and is considered a historical relic. The table was also used by Presidents Jimmy Carter, and for several months the father of the current president, George W. Bush. In addition, George W. Bush hung on the walls near his desk two paintings he brought from Texas. One depicts a boy fisherman, the other depicts a rider on a horse.

It is also known about George W. Bush that he constantly cares about savings. electricity in the White House. Under him, special sensors were installed in some rooms of the house, which automatically turn on the light if someone enters the room, and turn it off when no one is in the room.

Architecture and interiors of the residence of the President of the United States (White House) USA

Americans joke: if you want to see the real America, you don't have to go to Washington.

And there is a lot of truth in this statement. It is probably difficult to find a city on the entire continent that would be so “un-American”. The reason lies in the very origin of the metropolis, and in its original purpose.

Washington was built almost like Petersburg. Just as Peter the Great once said “a city will be founded here” and built the Northern capital of the Russian Federation, so a stick was once stuck in the soil of the state of the Colombian Republic. And on this site one of the most beautiful and most unusual cities in America was built.

The history of the building began with George Washington, who personally chose the site for his "presidential house" and signed an act of Congress requiring the residence of the American government to be "not more than 10 miles from the Potomac River."

In 1791 it was announced Contest for the best project for the new residence of the President of the United States, which was won by the American architect of Irish origin James Hobans, and construction began in October 1792. And although George Washington did a lot to build one of the most famous buildings in the world, he never managed to live there.

Construction dragged on until 1800, when John Adams was already in the presidential chair. It was he, along with his wife Abigail, who became the first inhabitant of the residence of the President of the United States (White House). In general, since the time of the first president, 40 American presidents have lived in the White House, whose memorials are located on National Mall Boulevard, stretching from the Capitol.

By the way, this house began to be called white, albeit unofficially, right away - thanks to the light sandstone from which it was built. But it wasn't until the late 1920s, when America's oldest office building was rebuilt and painted white after a fire, led by the house's architect, Hobans, that President Theodore Roosevelt officially approved the name.

During the reconstruction, Hobans added to the building the western and eastern terraces, as well as the south portico of a semicircular shape and the north portico with a colonnade. Since then, the building has remained virtually unchanged, until the middle of the last century, except for the electricity and phone.

But in 1948, under President Truman, a significant reconstruction was carried out in the White House, including the construction of a two-story basement, which still serves as the headquarters for the operational management of the president's foreign policy and military actions.

Currently, the White House covers an area of ​​about 7.2 hectares.

It has 6 floors (two of them are basement), 132 rooms, 32 bathrooms, 147 windows, 412 doors, 3 elevators, 7 stairs.

The main building is still a residential area, where the apartments of the presidential family are located, the interior of which is designed in the style of the 18th and 19th centuries.

All presidential administrative offices are "assembled" in the west wing. Including the famous Oval Office, where the president, as you know, holds the most important meetings.

The most beautiful room of the house is the Blue Room, which, however, was not always blue. The fact is that Jacqueline Kennedy, when she was her first lady of the state, tried to change the interior design of the residence of the US President (White House) literally in the bud, as a result, at her request, many of the historical rooms of the palace changed color. The Red Room became dark cherry, the Green Room became the color of Chartreuse liqueur, and the oval Blue Room became white.

It wasn't until Hillary Clinton moved into the White House that the Blue Room regained its deep sapphire color.

By the way, it is here that the main Christmas tree of the country is set in winter. And although it is much inferior in size, for example, to New York, it is still considered the main one. Small models of memorials, which are symbols of each of the American states, are hung on the Christmas tree as decorations. These toys are made by artists in each state, and the best craftsmen in the country are competing for the right to make a Christmas model for the next holiday.

A few more words about the interior. If the appearance of the residence on Pennsylvania Avenue has remained practically unchanged since its foundation, then the interior changes with the arrival of each new president, and especially the first lady.

The main family of America is allowed to remodel the interior at their discretion (of course, within certain limits). So the first lady of the country, like any other woman in the world, begins her housewarming with repairs and a change of scenery.

It is thanks to the first ladies that the White House is the most interesting museum in the country, since each presidential family left fragments of their life in it.

Here you can see Martha Washington's sugar bowl and Abigail Adams' silver coffee pot.

In one of the 132 rooms of the palace is Eleanor Roosevelt's dressing table. A significant mark in the history of the residence of the US President (White House), as we have already said, was left by Jacqueline Kennedy. She filled the mansion with the best examples of furniture of the 18th-19th centuries, begged US museums to donate 150 old paintings to the White House, bought France handmade curtains.

And in the State Dining Hall, everyone can read the lines engraved on the mantelpiece from a letter from President Adams to his wife Abigail, which are a kind of "prayer" of the residence of the US President (White House):

“I pray that heaven will send down all the best gifts to this house and to all who will subsequently live here. Let only honest, wise people rule under this roof.”

Locations within the White House

The first floor, on which there are 10 rooms, connects the western wing with the eastern one. Once it was a basement where servants lived.

1. Card Room

It is used for meetings of the President and the First Lady with guests in a tête-à-tête mode. During World War II wars Franklin Roosevelt used this room as an operations center.

2. Reception

This is actually the entrance to the White House. This is where ambassadors hand over their credentials to the president.

3. Bronze room

It is also sometimes called the "Golden" or "Room of the First Ladies". Here are portraits of some of the presidential wives.

4. Porcelain room

Once it was a pantry, a stoker's room and a dressing room. Since 1917, a collection of porcelain and glass has been exhibited here, which is replenished under each president. The room is used by first ladies for meetings and small receptions. Traditionally, the interior is decorated in red tones, matching the color of the dress in the portrait of First Lady Grace Coolidge.

5. Library

Until 1935, this room housed a laundry room, and then a service locker room. The room acquired its current interior under Bush Jr., earlier the library was decorated in green tones.

The second floor is called the state floor, because all state receptions take place here. There are eight rooms here. This floor is on the same level as the third floor of the west and east wings of the building.

6. Formal dining room

Under Jefferson, the room served as a library and study. At various times there was a living room, then a billiard room and, finally, a dining room.

7. Red room

Under Madison, Lincoln, Grant and Kennedy, the room was used as a music room - in memory of this, there is a music stand in front of the fireplace.

8. Blue room

Under Carter, it was the playroom of his daughter Emmy, and Reagan set up a small gym here. George Bush Sr. returned the room to its original appearance, and now this room is intended for guests.

9. Green room

Used for meetings and receptions. Traditionally decorated in green tones. In 2007, the interior was renovated under the leadership of First Lady Laura Bush: the walls were covered with silk, as under Jacqueline Kennedy, the brick upholstery of the chairs was replaced with scarlet. The Turkish carpet laid under Nixon was replaced with a new one in the style of the French savonari.

10. East room

The largest room in the White House. It is used for press conferences, ceremonies.

The third floor houses the living rooms of members of the presidential family, as well as several guest bedrooms.

On the fourth floor there are bedrooms, a solarium, a music room, a billiard room, offices and office space.

11. Oval Office

According to tradition, with the advent of the new administration, the interior is updated, the curtains, the oval carpet with the seal of the head of state and some furniture are changed. Presidents can also take art from the storerooms. Under Clinton, Rodin's sculpture The Thinker stood in his office. Bush Jr. traded the statue for paintings depicting Texas landscapes. The mantel chairs in Bush's office were at first reddish. But since reporters began to call them pink, Bush ordered that the upholstery be changed to blue.

12 facts about the White House

All over the world, the White House is known as the residence of the President of the United States and one of the symbols of the American authorities. But, like the nation of which it is a symbol, the White House is fraught with mysteries and unexpected surprises.

1. The exact counterpart of the residence of the President of the United States (White House) is located in Ireland

James Hoban, an Irish-American educated in Dublin, was appointed architect for the White House. He was one of nine architects - contenders for drawing up the project. According to historians, Hoban took Leinster House, one of Dublin's palaces, as the basis for the project, which today houses the Irish Parliament.

2. Another double of the residence of the President of the United States (White House) is located in France

The White House has been rebuilt several times. At the beginning of the 19th century, President Thomas Jefferson, together with architect Benjamin Henry Latrobe, designed a series of annexes to the White House. In 1824, the architect James Hoban, on the basis of this project, added some architectural elements, including colonnades. Thus, the semicircular southern colonnade of the US President's residence (White House) repeats the shape of the colonnade of Chateau de Rastignac, an elegant French mansion built in 1817.

3. Slave labor was used to build the US presidential residence (White House)

The land on which Washington was later built was purchased from the states of Virginia and Republic of Colombia where slave labor was still used. According to historical documents, a large number of black workers were involved in the construction of the residence of the President of the United States (White House), most of whom were slaves. Black workers worked alongside whites: they mined sandstone at a field in Virginia, dug a foundation pit for the foundation of the US President's residence (White House), laid the foundation and fired bricks for the construction of internal walls.

4. Europeans took part in the construction of the US presidential residence (White House)

The construction of the residence of the President of the United States (White House) would not have been possible without the participation of European craftsmen and immigrant workers. So, the Scots masons built sandstone walls. Scottish artisans also carved the rose and garland ornaments that today adorn the western entrance. Immigrants from Ireland and Italy performed installation work. In addition, Italian craftsmen also carved decorative stone elements that adorn the columns of the US President's Residence (White House). Construction lasted more than eight years and cost the American treasury two and a half million dollars.

5. George Washington never lived in the White House

The co-author of James Hoban can be considered the first US President George Washington. It was he who approved the project of the Irish architect, but considered it not large enough and grandiose, so he made his own adjustments to the project of the future residence. Thanks to Washington, the White House has increased the area by almost a third compared to the first option and has become more solemn. However, President Washington never lived in the White House. In 1800, when the construction of the residence of the American presidents was almost completed, the first tenant moved into it - the second US president, John Adams. His wife Abigail subsequently repeatedly complained that the president's house was unfinished. Adams lived in the house for only about a year, after which he was succeeded by Thomas Jefferson.

6. The White House has long been America's largest home.

The new capital of the country - Washington - was built according to a pre-designed plan by the French architect Pierre Charles Lanfant, and the White House was conceived by him in the image and likeness of the huge majestic buildings of Ancient Rome. However, Lanfan's design was not accepted - the much less grandiose Hoban and Latrobe design was preferred to him. Nevertheless, the White House was simply huge by the standards of that time. It remained the largest house in America until the end of the class struggle, when active construction began in the country.

7. The White House nearly burned down because of the British Army.

During wars In 1814, the White House almost completely burned down - only the outer walls remained of it. Washington was set on fire by the British army - in retaliation for the arson of the Parliament building in Ontario, which was arranged by American soldiers two years earlier, in 1812. Of the artifacts stolen after the fire by looters, the American state managed to save only two: a painting by George Washington and a casket with jewels. The latter was returned in 1939 to then US President Roosevelt by a Canadian citizen. He reported that the jewels had been taken from Washington by his grandfather. After the fire, the White House was rebuilt almost from scratch, and President James Madison at that time lived in Octagon House, which later became the headquarters of the American Institute of Architects (AIA). Monroe moved into the partially reconstructed White House only in October 1817.

8. The west wing of the White House was destroyed in a fire.

In 1929, shortly after the start of the Great Depression, a fire broke out in the West Wing of the US President's Residence (White House) caused by a short circuit. Almost all the rooms on the first two floors of the West Wing had to be rebuilt after the fire.

9. Under President Roosevelt, the White House was remodeled to accommodate the needs of the disabled.

The original builders of the US presidential residence (White House) could not have foreseen that one day a disabled president would become its owner. Moving around the White House in a wheelchair became possible only in 1933, when Franklin Delano Roosevelt took over as president. Because President Roosevelt was paralyzed by polio and unable to move freely, the White House was rebuilt to be wheelchair accessible. In addition, under Roosevelt, an indoor heated swimming pool appeared in the White House - this was necessary for his treatment.

10 President Truman Saved The White House From Demolition

One hundred and fifty years after its construction, the wooden piers and outer load-bearing walls of the US President's Residence (White House) have weakened considerably. Engineers sounded the alarm, declaring the building emergency and requiring major immediate repairs. In 1948, President Truman ordered the reconstruction and installation of new steel support structures. While the reconstruction lasted, the president's family lived in a nearby mansion, Blair House.

11. The White House used to be called differently.

During its two hundred years of history, the White House has changed several names: it was called the “presidential castle”, the “presidential palace”, and the “house of the president”. Officially, the White House began to be called that only in 1901, when the name was introduced by President Theodore Roosevelt.

12. The White House wasn't always white.

The White House was built from gray sandstone quarried in Virginia. The sandstone walls were painted white only after the reconstruction of the US Presidential Residence (White House) after the fire of 1814. It took about 570 gallons of white paint to paint the building. The original wall coverings were made from rice paste, casein and lead.

White House (Moscow)

The White House (officially since 1994 - the House of the Government of the Russian Federation) - the building of the government RF in Moscow. Located on the banks of the Moskva River, on the other side overlooks Svobodnaya Square Russian Federation. The building is located at the address: Krasnopresnenskaya embankment, 2.

The “White House” in the Russian media is sometimes called the Government of the Russian Federation: the Chairman of the Government of Russia, his deputies with their secretariats; Government Office; government commissions and councils.

It was built from 1965 to 1979 according to the project of architects D. Chechulin, P. Steller with a team of authors as the House of Soviets of the RSFSR. When designing the residence of the President of the United States (White House), D. Chechulin's earlier developments were used (the project of the Aeroflot House), the building itself was the last project of the Soviet architect.

In 1981-1993, the Committee of People's Control and the Supreme Soviet of the RSFSR, the Supreme Soviet of Russia were located in the White House, since 1994 - the House of the Government of Russia.

During the events of the August Putsch of 1991, it turned into a center of resistance to the actions of the State Emergency Committee and gained all-Russian fame. For several days, numerous supporters of the President of the RSFSR B.N. Yeltsin gathered near the residence of the President of the United States (White House), and B.N. Yeltsin himself and other representatives of the Russian authorities repeatedly spoke to the people (B.N. Yeltsin’s speech on August 19 is most famous from an armored personnel carrier in front of the White House).

The White House was badly damaged during the October events of 1993, when troops called by B. N. Yeltsin opened fire from tanks on the building, which was defended by supporters of the dissolved Supreme Soviet of the Russian Federation. After these events, the White House underwent a massive renovation. For the work carried out over several months and ended in 1994, workers from Turkey were also involved.

After the events of 1993, the White House was fenced with a high figured lattice, which made it almost impossible to hold mass actions in the immediate vicinity, however, protests and pickets have since been repeatedly held on the Humpback Bridge. Not far from the residence of the President of the United States (White House) in the park (formerly named after Pavlik Morozov) and near the stadium there are places where supporters of the rebellious Supreme Council (communists, representatives of various opposition organizations of a communist and nationalist orientation) gather to honor the memory of the dead, distribute propaganda literature. There is also a memorial to the fallen defenders of the Supreme Council and several self-made commemorative signs.

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