The White House america
The White House is the official and principal residence of the US President. It is located at 1600 Pennsylvania Street, northwest of Washington.
The president lives and works in that world-renowned mansion in Washington, DC. The White House contains the residence of the President’s family, and the offices from which he and his associates manage official US affairs. Some very important decisions were taken in this palace.
The 132-room White House is located in the middle of a seven-hectare plot of land with a distinctive aesthetic layout, number 1600 Pennsylvania Road. The building was known at the grassroots level in the nineteenth century, as the houses built of red brick surrounding it clearly reflect the intensity of the whiteness of its limestone walls. But at first, the official name of the palace was the President's House, and then it became known as the Presidential Palace. This designation continued until 1901 when President Theodore Roosevelt agreed that the official name of the palace would be the White House. The palace is one of the most important tourist attractions in the United States. Every year, more than a million and a half visitors roam around the palace, which is open to the public, as people are allowed to visit some rooms of the White House on the morning of most days of the week.
History of the White House building
Built between 1792-1800 in white stone in the late Georgian style, it has been the seat of all Presidents of the United States of America since John Adams. When Thomas Jefferson moved home in 1801, he and the architect Benjamin Henry Latrobe expanded the building's exterior building and built a group of arcades with the aim of concealing stables and storage.
White House Development
Early use, fire 1814, and rebuilding
Extensive repairs and renovations of the palace took place during the presidency of President Harry S. Truman from 1948 to 1952. Those in charge of these reforms used steel and reinforced concrete to reinforce the structure of the Presidential Palace, which had deteriorated to a degree predictive of danger. The construction of the third floor has been completed to become a full floor, and a balcony on the second floor has been added to the south porch for private use. The underground floor was expanded, and the number of palace rooms increased from 125 to 132. But the historic halls known to the American people remained the same without any fundamental change until the era of the administration of President John Kennedy, when the President's wife appointed in 1961 a committee of fine arts, to redesign the White House rooms to what they were originally. In the same year, she founded the Historic White House Association to prepare and publish guide books on the palace and buy historical furniture for the White House. A library committee was formed to provide the White House Library with books representing American thought throughout the country's history.
During President Nixon's reign, other fundamental changes occurred in the historic rooms of the building. Beginning in 1970, Patty, the wife of President Nixon, took it upon himself to continue the efforts that President Kennedy's wife had begun to redesign the White House rooms to where they were in the nineteenth century.
The original building
Work began in 1792, and its design was developed by Irish-born architect James Hobben, whose design had won a competition that the federal government had prepared for this purpose. The building was built in a simple Georgian style, belonging to the classical Palladio style that prevailed in Europe in the eighteenth century. Hopin drew inspiration from the palace drawings and lines from the Irish Parliament Building model in Dublin known as Leinster House.
President John Adams and his wife were the first to live in the White House, and that was in the year 1800, but the house had not yet been completed, and therefore President Adams and his wife suffered a lot, even Mrs. Adams was using the eastern hall to dry her family's clothes. But during the administration of President Thomas Jefferson, the White House became beautiful and comfortable. President Jefferson assisted the architect, Benjamin H. La Trobe implemented many original design drawings, and added two balconies at the end of the east and west sides.
The new building
On August 24, 1814, during the outbreak of the War of 1812, British forces burned the old palace, and President James Madison and his wife Dolly were forced to flee. The house was rebuilt again, and President James Monroe and his wife moved in to the house in 1817. In the 1820s, the northern and southern balconies were added to the palace.
In 1902 CE, President Theodore Roosevelt ordered the restoration of the building and the reconstruction of the eastern balcony, and added the presidential wing adjacent to the western balcony. After that, President Franklin D. Roosevelt expanded the west wing and added an indoor pool, and also expanded the east wing.
On August 24, 1814, during the outbreak of the War of 1812, British forces burned the old palace, and President James Madison and his wife Dolly were forced to flee. The house was rebuilt again, and President James Monroe and his wife moved in to the house in 1817. In the 1820s, the northern and southern balconies were added to the palace.
In 1902, President Theodore Roosevelt ordered the restoration of the building and the reconstruction of the eastern balcony, and added the presidential wing adjacent to the western balcony. After that, President Franklin D. Roosevelt expanded the west wing and added an indoor pool, and also expanded the east wing.
The White House from outside
Executive headquarters
It is 53 meters long and 26 meters high. On the south side of the palace, there is a spacious hallway with a ledge that bends in a roundabout, and columns are spaced of two stories high. On the left side, a square portico is the main entrance to the palace. On the east and west sides, two long halls extend in the form of two low-rise vestibules, the roofs of which form the floor of two long balcony terraces on the first floor. Below the western balcony are the room and facilities for the White House press, while the theater is located under the eastern balcony.
West and East Wing
They are located at the end of the two balconies. The western wing contains the offices of the President and his assistants, as well as the Council Chamber, while the East Wing contains the offices of the President's military aides.
Southern Palaces Park
It is often called the President's Garden. This garden contains many trees and shrubs that were planted by former White House residents. For example, the southern porch shades the famous Magnolia trees planted by former President Andrew Jackson.
Lands
The White House from the inside
Security and public entry
Visitors entered the White House across the building's northern wing. Most visitors are only allowed to see five halls, located on the first floor of the palace. But these halls are a title of the beauty and elegance of the entire palace from the inside.
The official dining hall
It is located at the end of the western part of the palace and can accommodate one hundred and forty guests at once. This hall was renovated in 1902.
The red hall
It is furnished with period furniture between 1810 and 1830 CE and its walls are lined in red silk.
The blue hall
The main reception hall in which the President receives his guests, and its furniture represents the period between 1817 and 1825 CE. It was President James Monroe, who used to occupy the White House at the time, who chose most of the furniture in this whitewashed room.
The green hall
It was restored and renovated between 1800 and 1814 CE and its walls were covered in light green Moeri silk. As for its furniture, it is Duncan Five, the famous American furniture maker who lived in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries.
The East Hall
The largest room in the White House is 24 meters long and 11.2 meters wide. After the official dinner parties, guests are invited to the eastern hall. This hall was renovated in 1902.
Private rooms
The White House also has several rooms that the president, his family, guests, and office staff use on a daily basis. The ground floor includes the diplomatic reception hall that is used as an entrance for official occasions. It also includes the kitchen and library rooms, the White House doctor’s office, and the librarian’s office.
As for the second floor, it includes the living rooms of the president and his family. President Lincoln's Hall, Treaty Hall, and Queen's Chamber are on this floor as well.
The third floor includes guest rooms and housing for White House staff. It also has a private bowling alley, swimming pool and movie theater.