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115-421: In antiquity, antechambers were employed as transitional spaces leading to more significant rooms, such as throne rooms in palaces or the naos in temples. In ancient Roman architecture , a vestibule ( Latin : vestibulum ) was a partially enclosed area between the interior of the house and the street. In modern architecture, a vestibule is typically a small room next to the outer door and connecting it with

230-616: A Tiepolo ceiling, lit by a rock crystal chandelier. Adorning the room are huge mirrors made in the royal glass factory of La Granja . The royal family does not reside in the palace, instead choosing a smaller, more modest palace, the Zarzuela Palace , on the outskirts of Madrid. However, the Royal Palace of Madrid remains the official residence of the Spanish monarchy and is used for state occasions. The throne located in

345-459: A proscenium arch supported by a pair of winged figures of 'victory' holding garlands above the two Chairs of Estate, which were originally made for Queen Elizabeth II ’s coronation in 1953 and were refurbished for King Charles III and Queen Camilla for their coronation in 2023 and embroidered with the cyphers of the new King and Queen. It is in the throne room that the sovereign, on special occasions, receives loyal addresses. Another use of

460-473: A National Wing on the east for a historical art gallery, and a wing on the west for official functions. A plan was devised by Colonel Theodore A. Bingham that reflected the Harrison proposal. These plans were ultimately rejected. In 1902, however, Theodore Roosevelt hired McKim, Mead & White to carry out expansions and renovations in a neoclassical style suited to the building's architecture, removing

575-569: A Roman house or domus , one would have to pass through the vestibule before entering the fauces , which led to the atrium. The structure was a mixture between a modern hall and porch . From the 5th century onward, churches of Eastern and Western Christianity utilized vestibules. In Roman Catholic and some Anglican churches, the vestibule is usually a spacious area which holds church information such as literature, pamphlets, and bulletin announcements, as well as holy water for worshippers. In Orthodox and Byzantine church architecture,

690-520: A canal and swampy lands, which provided conditions ripe for malaria and other unhealthy conditions, was questioned. Brigadier General Nathaniel Michler was tasked with proposing solutions to address these concerns. He proposed abandoning the use of the White House as a residence, and he designed a new estate for the first family at Meridian Hill in Washington, D.C. Congress, however, rejected

805-421: A card to open. ATM vestibules may also contain security devices, such as panic alarms and CCTV , to help prevent criminal activity. The vestibule on a railway passenger car is an enclosed area at the end of the car body, usually separated from the main part of the interior by a door, which is power-operated on most modern equipment. Entrance to and exit from the car is through the side doors, which lead into

920-539: A convoy of British ships led by HMS Fantome sank en route to Halifax off Prospect during a storm on the night of November 24, 1814, even though Fantome had no involvement in that action. After the fire, President James Madison resided in the Octagon House from 1814 to 1815, and then in the Seven Buildings from 1815 to the end of his term. Meanwhile, both Hoban and Latrobe contributed to

1035-517: A copy of the Lansdowne portrait , and in 1939 a Canadian man returned a jewelry box to President Franklin Roosevelt, claiming that his grandfather had taken it from Washington; in the same year, a medicine chest that had belonged to President Madison was returned by the descendants of a Royal Navy officer. Some observers allege that most of the spoils of war taken during the sack were lost when

1150-531: A ground-floor double staircase leading to an Ionic colonnaded loggia and the Truman Balcony , built in 1946. The more modern third floor is hidden by a balustraded parapet and plays no part in the composition of the façade. The building was originally variously referred to as the President's Palace , Presidential Mansion , or President's House . The earliest evidence of the public calling it

1265-401: A large picture presenting Catherine II on her horse. The room also holds numerous oil paintings and eleven chandeliers. Regarded as the throne of Russia , the throne of St. George's Hall (or large throne room) is set atop the seven-stepped dais with a proscenium arch above and the symbol of the imperial family behind (the two-headed eagle ). Peter I's Room (the smaller throne room)

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1380-570: A major Tabriz carpet from the 18th century in the precious wood floor. The ceiling is covered with Máximo dos Reis allegorical fresco and a huge crystal chandelier. The thrones are from Portuguese fabric, second half of the 18th century with the Portuguese coat of arms on the top handled by two angels. This fauteuils ware made to substitute the Juste-Aurèle Meissonnier ’s throne made to John V of Portugal and destroyed in

1495-504: A mobile throne, possibly in addition to the permanent one used for enthronement and/or coronation . There are cases in Africa and Asia where the very name of the 'capital' is not a fixed place, but was the place wherever a king settled for a few years. In some climates court migrated annually between a summer and a winter capital. It has also common to spend quite some time, without need for practical reason, in secondary residences, not in

1610-464: A permanent basis, to one or more other rooms, even outside the palace or ambulant. It can also be where the royal court can gather. A common misconception is that kings and other ruling princes governed their lands seated on a throne for most of the working day. This may have been true in earlier times, for some rulers who actually presided over their council; yet often, another room was used, but only in peacetime. Many others were almost constantly on

1725-410: A prominent feature of their palace architecture. These vestibules would sometimes include a fountain or large statue. The Genoese vestibule was large and exaggerated, and seemed "rather designed to accommodate a race of giants". In contemporary usage, a vestibule constitutes an area surrounding the exterior door. It acts as an antechamber between the exterior and the interior structure. Often it connects

1840-459: A reconstruction and to live across the street at Blair House from 1949 to 1951. The work, completed by the firm of Philadelphia contractor John McShain , required the complete dismantling of the interior spaces, construction of a new load-bearing internal steel frame, and the reconstruction of the original rooms within the new structure. The total cost of the renovations was about $ 5.7   million ($ 67 million in 2023). Some modifications to

1955-532: A religious ceremony elsewhere. The Residenz of the Wittelsbach monarchs of Bavaria has one celebration room, which was the former throne-room, but completely destroyed by the bombing of Munich during the Second World War . It is now reconstructed and again visitable; the (smaller) throne room was rebuilt in the classicism style of the 19th century. Once, bronze figures of twelve rulers of

2070-491: A set of solar water heating panels that were mounted on the roof of the White House, was removed during Reagan's presidency. Redecorations were made to the private family quarters and maintenance was made to public areas during the Reagan years. The house was accredited as a museum in 1988. In the 1990s, Bill and Hillary Clinton refurbished some rooms with the assistance of Arkansas decorator Kaki Hockersmith, including

2185-415: A set of outer doors, the intent being to reduce air infiltration to the building by having only one set of doors open at any given time. An ATM vestibule is an enclosed area with automated teller machines that is attached to the outside of a building, but typically features no further entrance to the building and is not accessible from within. There may be a secure entrance to the vestibule which requires

2300-421: A statue, or a laurel tree. In elaborate houses or palaces, the vestibule could be divided into three parts, the prothyron (πρόθυρον), the thyroreion (θυρωρεῖον; lit.   ' porter's lodge ' ), and the proaulion (προαύλιον). The vestibule in ancient Greek homes served as a barrier to the outside world, and also added security to discourage unwanted entrance into the home and unwanted glances into

2415-808: A theme for each room: the Federal style for the Green Room , French Empire for the Blue Room , American Empire for the Red Room , Louis XVI for the Yellow Oval Room , and Victorian for the president's study, renamed the Treaty Room . Antique furniture was acquired, and decorative fabric and trim based on period documents was produced and installed. The Kennedy restoration resulted in a more authentic White House of grander stature, which recalled

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2530-471: A vestibule and the following space is better illustrated by the—so called— entrance (15) to the main gallery in the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum by Frank Lloyd Wright . Many government buildings mimic the classical architecture from which the vestibule originates. A purely utilitarian use of vestibules in modern buildings is to create an airlock entry. Such vestibules consist of a set of inner doors and

2645-788: A vestibule between the main entry doors leading to spaces that are greater than or equal to 3,000 square feet (280 m). One other requirement of the design is that it is not necessary for both sets of door to be open in order to pass through the vestibule, and they should have devices that allow for self-closing. An example of such is in New York City where in the winter, temporary sidewalk vestibules are commonly placed in front of entrances to restaurants to reduce cold drafts from reaching customers inside. [REDACTED] The dictionary definition of vestibule at Wiktionary [REDACTED] Media related to Vestibules at Wikimedia Commons Throne room A throne room or throne hall

2760-466: Is at Christiansborg . The throne was commissioned by King Louis XIV and was in use until 1789. In 1837, the Château de Versailles became a national museum. As part of the greater Versailles museum, the room is open to the public. Compare : Lit de justice . Preferring Fontainebleau over Versailles, Emperor Napoléon I had King Louis XV 's bedroom converted into an Imperial throne room, and it

2875-535: Is hidden by a balustraded parapet . The three-level southern façade combines Palladian and neoclassical architectural styles. The ground floor is rusticated in the Palladian fashion. The south portico was completed in 1824. At the center of the southern façade is a neoclassical projected bow of three bays. The bow is flanked by five bays, the windows of which, as on the north façade, have alternating segmented and pointed pediments at first-floor level. The bow has

2990-409: Is hidden by a raised carriage ramp and parapet . The central three bays are situated behind a prostyle portico that was added c.  1830 . The windows of the four bays flanking the portico, at first-floor level, have alternating pointed and segmented pediments , while the second-floor pediments are flat. A lunette fanlight and a sculpted floral festoon surmount the entrance. The roofline

3105-513: Is in this room that the lord mayor and councillors of the City of Westminster usually present an address of welcome to visiting heads of state on state visits. While the Throne Room of Buckingham Palace has two thrones on the dias, one for the reigning monarch, and another for the monarch's consort, the Throne Room at St James's Palace contains only one throne, for the use of the sovereign. As in

3220-589: Is modest in comparison to the former. The throne was made for Empress Anna Ivanovna in London and the picture behind displays Peter the Great with Minerva . The Royal Palace of Madrid was the official residence of the Spanish monarch . The throne room is unique, as it retains the original decor from the days of Charles III . The sumptuous room has gold garnishing with crimson-velvet wall coverings complemented by

3335-661: Is recorded as being brief, and he quickly selected Hoban's submission. The Neoclassical design of the White House is based primarily on architectural concepts inherited from the Roman architect Vitruvius and the Venetian architect Andrea Palladio . The design of the upper floors also includes elements based on Dublin's Leinster House , which later became the seat of the Irish parliament ( Oireachtas ). The upper windows with alternate triangular and segmented pediments are inspired by

3450-633: Is speculated as the source of inspiration due to its similarity with the South Portico, although this matter is one of great debate. Italian artisans, brought to Washington to help in constructing the U.S. Capitol , carved the decorative stonework on both porticos. Contrary to speculation, the North Portico was not modeled on a similar portico on another Dublin building, the Viceregal Lodge (now Áras an Uachtaráin , residence of

3565-681: Is the room, often rather a hall, in the official residence of the crown, either a palace or a fortified castle , where the throne of a senior figure (usually a monarch ) is set up with elaborate pomp—usually raised, often with steps, and under a canopy , both of which are part of the original notion of the Greek word thronos . A throne room is an impressive setting for a monarch to preside 'in majesty' over official ceremonies, to hold council, to grant audiences, to receive homage, to award high honors and offices, and to perform other official functions. Any of these could just as well be transferred, even on

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3680-616: The 1 ⁄ 4 and 3 ⁄ 4 of length positions (typical on modern suburban stock). The U.S. Department of Energy Building Energy Codes Program released a publication on 19 June 2018, which detailed the requirements of a vestibule to be used in commercial buildings. The publication states it requires vestibules to reduce the amount of air that infiltrates a space in order to aid in energy conservation, as well as increasing comfort near entrance doors. By creating an air lock entry, vestibules reduce infiltration losses or gains caused by wind. Designers of commercial buildings must install

3795-698: The 1755 Lisbon earthquake . This throne was in Silver-gilt , with winged dragons, the heraldic symbolf of the House of Braganza , and the arms of Portugal supported by two allegorical statues, Europe and America. The Throne room is still used for state events of the Portuguese Republic. Used by the Tsars of Russia , the dais and throne of the Peterhof Palace dominate the eastern wall with

3910-538: The Charleston County Courthouse then under construction, which had been designed by Hoban. Washington is reputed to have met with Hoban during the visit. The following year, Washington summoned the architect to Philadelphia and met with him in June 1792. On July 16, 1792, the president met with the commissioners of the federal city to make his judgment in the architectural competition. His review

4025-656: The Croatian island of Brač , specifically the Pučišća quarry whose stone was used to build the ancient Diocletian's Palace in Split , was used in the building's original construction. However, researchers believe limestone from the island was used in the 1902 renovations and not the original construction. Others suggest the original sandstone simply came from Aquia Creek in Stafford County, Virginia , since importation of

4140-723: The Dordogne region of France. Construction on the French house was initially started before 1789, interrupted by the French Revolution for 20 years, and then finally built between 1812 and 1817 based on Salat's pre-1789 design. The conceptual link between the two houses has been criticized because Hoban did not visit France. Supporters of the connection contend that Thomas Jefferson , during his tour of Bordeaux in 1789, viewed Salat's architectural drawings, which were on file at École Spéciale d'Architecture . On his return to

4255-523: The Hall of Central Harmony and the Hall of Preserving Harmony , of which the Hall of Supreme Harmony was the most important. The throne in the throne room at Rosenborg Castle (now a museum) in Copenhagen was commissioned by King Frederik III in about 1663, and used by the absolutist kings of Denmark from 1671 to 1840 for the anointing ceremony. It was probably created by Bendix Grodtschilling . It

4370-613: The Hall of State at the Stockholm Palace is called the Silver Throne and was commissioned for the coronation of Queen Kristina in 1650. It was last used by the present king, Carl XVI Gustaf , on his accession to the throne in 1973 and at the State Opening of Parliament in 1974. For the coronation of king Adolf Frederick and Queen Louisa Ulrica in 1750 two coronation thrones were made. Both are placed at

4485-794: The Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh , which has been the principal royal residence in Scotland since 1505, was originally the King's Guard Chamber, but has been used as the throne room since the visit of George IV in 1822. The present pair of thrones were made in 1911 for George V and Mary of Teck , and sit upon the dais beneath the Royal Arms of Scotland. Following the death of Elizabeth II at Balmoral Castle in September 2022, her coffin

4600-658: The Palace of Westminster , contains three thrones at its head. These thrones are used for the annual Speech from the Throne , which can be seen as a form of royal audience for Parliament , and thus the Senate chamber can be seen as a throne room in the royal presence. In the Forbidden City , China's last imperial palace, the principal throne rooms are the three halls of the Outer Palace: the Hall of Supreme Harmony ,

4715-636: The President's Park . In 2007, it was ranked second on the American Institute of Architects list of America's Favorite Architecture . Following his April 1789 inauguration, President George Washington occupied two private houses in New York City , which served as the executive mansion. He lived at the first, the Walter Franklin House , which was owned by Treasury Commissioner Samuel Osgood , at 3   Cherry Street, through late February 1790. The executive mansion moved to

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4830-606: The State Department and other departments (it now houses additional offices for the president's staff and the vice president ), and Blair House , a guest residence. The Executive Residence is made up of six stories: the Ground Floor, State Floor, Second Floor, and Third Floor, and a two-story basement . The property is a National Heritage Site owned by the National Park Service and is part of

4945-629: The old palace both had throne rooms called the Balai Rong Seri (Royal Audience Hall), where several state ceremonies including the King's Installation occur. White House The White House is the official residence and workplace of the president of the United States . Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C. , it has served as the residence of every U.S. president since John Adams in 1800 when

5060-554: The president of Ireland ), for its portico postdates the White House porticos' design. For the North Portico, a variation on the Ionic Order was devised, incorporating a swag of roses between the volutes. This was done to link the new portico with the earlier carved roses above the entrance. By the time of the American Civil War , the White House had become overcrowded. The location of the White House, just north of

5175-410: The presidential pool and spa. One hundred sixty-seven solar photovoltaic grid-tied panels were installed at the same time on the roof of the maintenance facility. The changes were not publicized as a White House spokeswoman said the changes were an internal matter, but the story was covered by industry trade journals. In 2013, President Barack Obama had a set of solar panels installed on the roof of

5290-537: The senior palace of the British monarchy. St James's remains a busy working palace, and also retains an important ceremonial function: it still is the place where the Accession Council customarily meets to proclaim the new sovereign and to receive from them the required oath. This was last seen upon the accession of King Charles III. St James's Throne Room is used for official occasions. For instance it

5405-541: The "White House" was recorded in 1811. A myth emerged that during the rebuilding of the structure after the Burning of Washington , white paint was applied to mask the burn damage it had suffered, giving the building its namesake hue. The name "Executive Mansion" was used in official contexts until President Theodore Roosevelt established "The White House" as its formal name in 1901 via Executive Order. The current letterhead wording and arrangement of "The White House" with

5520-690: The 18th century ballroom of the Viceregal Court, positioned almost adjacent to the Throne Room. Malaysia 's head of state, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong (commonly glossed as "King"), is a position rotated every five years among the nine royal houses of its nine hereditary states. Each has separate palaces and throne rooms for each of the individual states, while the King resides in the Istana Negara (National Palace) in Kuala Lumpur . This and

5635-551: The Executive Residence, the third floor attic was converted to living quarters in 1927 by augmenting the existing hip roof with long shed dormers. A newly constructed East Wing was used as a reception area for social events; Jefferson's colonnades connected the new wings. The East Wing alterations were completed in 1946, creating additional office space. By 1948, the residence's load-bearing walls and wood beams were found to be close to failure. Under Harry S. Truman ,

5750-516: The French taste of Madison and Monroe. In the Diplomatic Reception Room , Mrs. Kennedy installed an antique "Vue de l'Amérique Nord" wallpaper which Zuber & Cie had designed in 1834. The wallpaper had hung previously on the walls of another mansion until 1961 when that house was demolished for a grocery store. Just before the demolition, the wallpaper was salvaged and sold to the White House. The first White House guidebook

5865-714: The Garter, with the sovereign's Throne at the head. The current throne housed in the Garter Throne room is another personal throne of Queen Elizabeth II although sometimes the Indian Throne, a gift to Queen Victoria, is used. In British English, "throne room" is also used as a euphemism for " lavatory ". Located in the State Apartments, the Throne Room in Dublin Castle is preserved intact from

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5980-506: The Irish building. Additionally, several Georgian-era Irish country houses have been suggested as sources of inspiration for the overall floor plan, including the bow-fronted south front and the former niches in the present-day Blue Room . The first official White House guide, published in 1962, suggested a link between Hoban's design for the South Portico and Château de Rastignac , a neoclassical country house in La Bachellerie in

6095-612: The Kennedy period were donated to the White House by wealthy philanthropists, including the Crowninshield family , Jane Engelhard , Jayne Wrightsman , and the Oppenheimer family. Stéphane Boudin of the House of Jansen , a Paris interior-design firm that had been recognized worldwide, was employed by Jacqueline Kennedy to assist with the decoration. Different periods of the early republic and world history were selected as

6210-645: The Oval Office moved to its present location: adjacent to the Rose Garden . Decades of poor maintenance, the construction of a fourth-story attic during the Coolidge administration , and the addition of a second-floor balcony over the south portico for Harry S. Truman took a great toll on the brick and sandstone structure built around a timber frame. By 1948, the house was declared to be in imminent danger of collapse, forcing President Truman to commission

6325-470: The Oval Office, the East Room, Blue Room, State Dining Room , Lincoln Bedroom , and Lincoln Sitting Room. During the administration of George W. Bush , First Lady Laura Bush refurbished the Lincoln Bedroom in a style contemporary with the Lincoln era ; the Green Room, Cabinet Room , and theater were also refurbished. The White House became one of the first wheelchair-accessible government buildings in Washington, D.C., when modifications were made during

6440-584: The Stockholm palace, and one is on display in the Lovisa Ulrica audience chamber . The United Kingdom monarchs almost always had their own personal throne constructed. Until 1900, each throne was usually given or melted down at the end of the monarch's reign for the next throne. The thrones after 1900 were saved. The exact number of thrones in the United Kingdom is unknown, though there are at least more than five. The United Kingdom differs from other countries as it has instead of one or two thrones, numerous thrones, some of which are 800 years old. The “throne” used for

6555-417: The Tiffany screen and all Victorian additions. Charles McKim himself designed and managed the project, which gave more living space to the president's large family by removing a staircase in the West Hall and moving executive office staff from the second floor of the residence into the new West Wing. President William Howard Taft enlisted the help of architect Nathan C. Wyeth to add additional space to

6670-404: The U.S., Jefferson then shared the influence with Washington , Hoban, Monroe, and Benjamin Henry Latrobe . Construction of the White House began at noon on October 13, 1792, with the laying of the cornerstone. The main residence and foundations of the house were built largely by both enslaved and free African-American laborers, and employed Europeans . Much of the other work on the house

6785-436: The UK's honours system. There are also other thrones in the Throne Room. To the right of the sovereign's throne is Queen Victoria 's throne and opposite that on the other side of the room is the throne chairs of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth . There are also two further thrones in the room. Although Buckingham Palace has been the primary official residence of the British monarchs since 1837, St James's Palace remains

6900-443: The West Wing, which included the addition of the Oval Office . In 1925, Congress enacted legislation allowing the White House to accept gifts of furniture and art for the first time. The West Wing was damaged by fire on Christmas Eve 1929; Herbert Hoover and his aides moved back into it on April 14, 1930. In the 1930s, a second story was added, as well as a larger basement for White House staff, and President Franklin Roosevelt had

7015-415: The White House, no substantive architectural changes have been made to the house since the Truman renovation. Since the Kennedy restoration, every presidential family has made some changes to the private quarters of the White House, but the Committee for the Preservation of the White House must approve any modifications to the State Rooms. Charged with maintaining the historical integrity of the White House,

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7130-416: The addition of the semicircular South Portico in 1824 and the North Portico in 1829. Because of crowding within the executive mansion itself, President Theodore Roosevelt had all work offices relocated to the newly constructed West Wing in 1901. Eight years later, in 1909, President William Howard Taft expanded the West Wing and created the first Oval Office , which was eventually moved and expanded. In

7245-406: The anointing and crowning of the monarch during the Coronation of the British Monarch is called the Chair of St. Edward , or St. Edward’s Chair. The Chair, which is centuries old, is usually on display at Westminster Abbey . The Throne Room of Buckingham Palace , the official residence of the British monarch in London , is used for court gatherings and as a second dancing room. It is dominated by

7360-406: The article on thrones . Once the seat of the Holy Roman Empire and the Austrian Empire for over 600 years, the Hofburg Imperial Palace 's throne room now serves as a conference centre, used by the Austrian Congress and for other international events. The chamber of the Senate of Canada in Centre Block , which takes many of its design cues from the chamber of the British House of Lords at

7475-421: The aspect of anticipation. The residence of the White House in the United States is such an example. At the north portico , it contains a tiny vestibule between the doors flushed with the outer and inner faces of the exterior wall of, and in the past inside, the Entrance Hall (called incorrectly Vestibule ) separated from the not much bigger Cross Hall by just 2 double columns. The difference in sizes between

7590-468: The building and sold at a public auction . All that was saved were bust portraits of John Adams and Martin Van Buren . A proposal was made to build a new residence south of the White House, but it failed to gain support. In the fall of 1882, work was done on the main corridor, including tinting the walls pale olive and adding squares of gold leaf , and decorating the ceiling in gold and silver, with colorful traceries woven to spell "USA." The Red Room

7705-421: The building. It remained vacant until 1800 when it was sold to the University of Pennsylvania . On Saturday, November 1, 1800, Adams became the first president to occupy the White House. The President's House in Philadelphia was converted into Union Hotel and later used for stores before being demolished in 1832. The President's House was a major feature of Pierre (Peter) Charles L'Enfant's 1791 plan for

7820-429: The capital be permanently located in the new Federal District , and temporarily in Philadelphia for ten years while the permanent capital was built. Philadelphia rented the mansion of Robert Morris , a merchant, at 190 High Street, now 524–30 Market Street , as the President's House , which Washington occupied from November 1790 to March 1797. Since the house was too small to accommodate the 30 people who then made up

7935-434: The case of Buckingham Palace, the throne is placed under a canopy. The velvet cloth behind the throne is dominated by the coat of arms of the United Kingdom. This room was more recently the setting for the announcement of the engagement of Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine Middleton , and in September 2022, the Accession Council met to proclaim Charles III as King of the United Kingdom. The Throne Room of

8050-487: The congressionally authorized committee works with each First Family — usually represented by the first lady, the White House curator , and the chief usher — to implement the family's proposals for altering the house. During the Nixon Administration (1969–1974), First Lady Pat Nixon refurbished the Green Room, Blue Room, and Red Room, working with Clement Conger , the curator appointed by President Richard Nixon . Mrs. Nixon's efforts brought more than 600 artifacts to

8165-434: The construction of both the U.S. Capitol and the White House. Hoban was born in Ireland and trained at the Dublin Society of Arts . He emigrated to the U.S. after the American Revolution , first seeking work in Philadelphia and later finding success in South Carolina , where he designed the state capitol in Columbia . President Washington visited Charleston, South Carolina , in May 1791 on his Southern Tour, and saw

8280-556: The design and oversight of the reconstruction, which lasted from 1815 until 1817. The south portico was constructed in 1824 during the James Monroe administration. The north portico was built in 1830. Though Latrobe proposed similar porticos before the fire in 1814, both porticos were built as designed by Hoban. An elliptical portico at Château de Rastignac in La Bachellerie, France, with nearly identical curved stairs,

8395-584: The design for the East and West Colonnades, small wings that helped conceal the domestic operations of laundry, a stable and storage. Today, Jefferson's colonnades link the residence with the East and West Wings. In 1814, during the War of 1812 , the White House was burned by British forces during the Burning of Washington , in retaliation for acts of destruction by American troops in the Canadas ; much of Washington

8510-634: The direction of the Lord Great Chamberlain, and that is used by the monarch to robe and to unrobe before and after the State Opening of Parliament. Windsor Castle has a throne room known as the Garter Throne Room, where a chapter meeting of the Order of the Garter, including, if necessary, the investiture of any new Knights and Ladies, takes place once a year. The room accommodates two rows of chairs for all Knights and Ladies of

8625-434: The doorway to a lobby or hallway . It is the space one occupies once passing the door, but not yet in the main interior of the building. Although vestibules such as a modified mud room are common in private residences, they are especially prevalent in more opulent buildings, such as government ones, designed to elicit a sense of grandeur by contrasting the vestibule's small space with the following greater one, and by adding

8740-442: The finished structure contained only two main floors instead of the planned three, and a less costly brick served as a lining for the stone façades. When construction was finished, the porous sandstone walls were whitewashed with a mixture of lime, rice glue, casein, and lead, giving the house its familiar color and name. The main entrance is located on the north façade under a porte cochere with Ionic columns. The ground floor

8855-596: The floor plan were made, the largest being the repositioning of the grand staircase to open into the Entrance Hall, rather than the Cross Hall. Central air conditioning was added, as well as two additional sub-basements providing space for workrooms, storage, and a bomb shelter. The Trumans moved back into the White House on March 27, 1952. While the Truman reconstruction preserved the house's structure, much of

8970-417: The home. The vestibule's alignment at right angles of private interior spaces, and the use of doors and curtains also added security and privacy from the outside. The Classical Period marked a change in the need for privacy in Greek society, which ultimately led to the design and use of vestibules in Greek homes. In ancient Roman architecture , where the term originates, a vestibule ( Latin : vestibulum )

9085-620: The house in 1801, he and architect Benjamin Henry Latrobe added low colonnades on each wing to conceal what then were stables and storage. In 1814, during the War of 1812 , the mansion was set ablaze by British forces in the burning of Washington , destroying the interior and charring much of the exterior. Reconstruction began almost immediately, and President James Monroe moved into the partially reconstructed Executive Residence in October 1817. Exterior construction continued with

9200-440: The house of Wittelsbach stood there, between corinthic columns on a rostrum. These were the honourable monarchs of Bavaria for centuries. Note that the throne room of this beautiful, dream-like castle, Neuschwanstein , does not have a throne in it - the reason being that Ludwig II of Bavaria , its commissioner, did not live to see Neuschwanstein's completion, therefore one was never installed. The throne room at ʻIolani Palace

9315-537: The house, the largest acquisition by any administration. Her husband created the modern press briefing room over Franklin Roosevelt 's old swimming pool. Nixon also added a single-lane bowling alley to the White House basement. Computers and the first laser printer were added during the Carter administration , and the use of computer technology was expanded during the Reagan administration . A Carter-era innovation,

9430-443: The interior of the building. Vestibules were common in ancient Greek temples. Due to the construction techniques available at the time, it was not possible to build large spans. Consequently, many entranceways had two rows of columns that supported the roof and created a distinct space around the entrance. In ancient Greek houses, the prothyrum was the space just outside the door of a house, which often had an altar to Apollo or

9545-623: The interior rooms were completely dismantled and a new internal load-bearing steel frame was constructed inside the walls. On the exterior, the Truman Balcony was added. Once the structural work was completed, the interior rooms were rebuilt. The present-day White House complex includes the Executive Residence, the West Wing, the East Wing, the Eisenhower Executive Office Building , which previously served

9660-495: The larger quarters at Alexander Macomb House at 39–41 Broadway , where Washington stayed with his wife Martha and a small staff until August 1790. In May 1790, construction began on a new official residence in Manhattan called Government House . Washington never lived at Government House since the national capital was moved to Philadelphia in 1790, where it remained through 1800. The July 1790 Residence Act designated

9775-493: The late 18th century, while the throne was made for the visit of George IV to Ireland in 1821, and was last used by George V in 1911. The Throne Room no longer has any role in modern-day State ceremonial. However Dublin Castle still plays an important role in this respect, serving as the location for the inauguration of the President of Ireland every seven years. This takes place in the much larger and grander St. Patrick's Hall,

9890-428: The least hunting lodges. Even when their capitals were fixed, English and French Renaissance kings used to travel extensively, and maintained many royal castles, in addition to paying visits to grandees of the realm. Henry VIII 's most frequently used residence was, in fact, at Hampton Court , which was then outside London . Even when in the main or only palace, the monarch often spent much time in other parts of

10005-486: The main residence were paneled in wood from the timbers. Jacqueline Kennedy , wife of President John F. Kennedy (1961–63), directed a very extensive and historic redecoration of the house. She enlisted the help of Henry Francis du Pont of the Winterthur Museum to assist in collecting artifacts for the mansion, many of which had once been housed there. Other antiques, fine paintings, and improvements from

10120-476: The mantel in the State Dining Room. Adams lived in the house only briefly before Thomas Jefferson moved into the "pleasant country residence" in 1801. Despite his complaints that the house was too big ("big enough for two emperors, one pope, and the grand lama in the bargain"), Jefferson considered how the White House might be expanded and improved. With Benjamin Henry Latrobe , he helped lay out

10235-688: The monarch for addressing Parliament in the Speech from the Throne , arguably making the Chamber something of a throne room. Clerks and officers of the House of Lords bow to the throne when crossing the chamber. The Palace of Westminster also has a second throne under a canopy in the Robing Room, a room of the palace that remains under the authority of the Crown (and not of either House of Parliament), under

10350-832: The move with an ambulant court. It could even have been that the crown did not have an effective capital, as in England during most of the time before the Norman conquest . Or it could have been that the crown had, rather, a series of alternative residences, as did the Holy Roman Emperors . In their case, these developed into palatinates under the Habsburg dynasty when they also acquired extensive crown lands outside Germany and Austria , and their court often travelled on an almost continental scale. Other monarchies frequently changed their capital, but then they would have used

10465-458: The nation's first president courted the first lady in the mid-18th century. On Saturday, November 1, 1800, John Adams became the first president to take residence in the building. The next day he wrote his wife Abigail: "I pray Heaven to bestow the best of blessings on this House, and all that shall hereafter inhabit it. May none but honest and wise men ever rule under this roof." President Franklin D. Roosevelt had Adams's blessing carved into

10580-828: The national capital was moved from Philadelphia . The "White House" is also used as a metonym to refer to the Executive Office of the President of the United States . The residence was designed by Irish -born architect James Hoban in the Neoclassical style. Hoban modeled the building on Leinster House in Dublin , a building which today houses the Oireachtas , the Irish legislature. Constructed between 1792 and 1800, its exterior walls are Aquia Creek sandstone painted white. When Thomas Jefferson moved into

10695-531: The new interior finishes were generic and of little historic significance. Much of the original plasterwork, some dating back to the 1814–1816 rebuilding, was too damaged to reinstall, as was the original robust Beaux Arts paneling in the East Room. President Truman had the original timber frame sawed into paneling; the walls of the Vermeil Room , Library , China Room , and Map Room on the ground floor of

10810-516: The newly established federal city of Washington, D.C. After L'Enfant's dismissal in early 1792, Washington and his Secretary of State, Thomas Jefferson , who both had personal interests in architecture, agreed that the design of the President's House and the Capitol would be chosen in a design competition . Nine proposals were submitted for the new presidential residence with the award going to Irish-American architect James Hoban . Hoban supervised

10925-685: The period when Ireland was part of the United Kingdom, when both Lords Lieutenant and visiting monarchs from Britain would use the room during important ceremonies held in the Castle. These included the investing of a new Lord Lieutenant every five years, the presentation of débutantes to the Lord Lieutenant during the Castle Season held leading up to St. Patrick's Day, and the presentation of subjects to visiting monarchs on official State visits to Ireland. The throne canopy dates to

11040-496: The plan. Another option was Metropolis View, which is now the campus of The Catholic University of America . When Chester A. Arthur took office in 1881, he ordered renovations to the White House to take place as soon as the recently widowed Lucretia Garfield moved out. Arthur inspected the work almost nightly and made several suggestions. Louis Comfort Tiffany was asked to send selected designers to assist. Over twenty wagonloads of furniture and household items were removed from

11155-652: The presidency of Franklin D. Roosevelt , who used a wheelchair because of his paralytic illness . In the 1990s, Hillary Clinton , at the suggestion of the Visitors Office director, approved the addition of a ramp in the East Wing corridor, affording easier wheelchair access for the public tours and special events that enter through the secure entrance building on the east side. In 2003, the Bush administration reinstalled solar thermal heaters. These units are used to heat water for landscape maintenance personnel and for

11270-477: The president. This prevented them from being sold (as many objects in the executive mansion had been in the past 150 years). When not in use or display at the White House, these items were to be turned over to the Smithsonian Institution for preservation, study, storage, or exhibition. The White House retains the right to have these items returned. Out of respect for the historic character of

11385-637: The presidential family, staff, and servants, Washington had it enlarged. President John Adams , who succeeded Washington and served as the nation's second president, occupied the High Street mansion in Philadelphia from March 1797 to May 1800. Philadelphia began construction of a much grander presidential mansion several blocks away in 1792. It was nearly completed by the time of Adams' 1797 inauguration. However, Adams chose not to occupy it, saying he did not have Congressional authorization to lease

11500-430: The residence, such as the dining hall, the chapel, private quarters (for rest and family life), possibly a separate presence room, the council chamber, ballroom, gardens, court, theatre, and other recreational facilities. Nowadays, throne rooms are only used for occasional grand ceremonies. Paperwork is done in an office, and most guests are received in a salon. The following are notable throne rooms. Others are listed in

11615-442: The stone at the time would have proved too costly. The initial construction took place over a period of eight years at a reported cost of $ 232,371.83 (equivalent to $ 4,172,000 in 2023). Although not yet completed, the White House was ready for occupancy circa November 1, 1800. Pierre L'Enfant 's plan for a grand palace was five times larger than the house that was eventually built. Due in part to material and labor shortages,

11730-605: The temple antechamber is more commonly referred to as an exonarthex . In early Christian architecture, the vestibule replaced the more extravagant atrium or quadriporticus in favor of a more simplified area to house the vase of holy water. Vestibules are common in palace architecture. The style of vestibule used in Genoa , Italy, was transformed from a previously modest design to a more ornamental structure, which satisfied Genoese aristocracy, while becoming an influential transformation for Italian palaces. The Genoese vestibule became

11845-559: The throne room has been for formal wedding photographs. The throne room is usually not used for ambassadors' arrival, which is usually in the ambassadors room of Buckingham Palace. Apart from the Thrones in the room actually named Throne Room, there is also a pair of Thrones in the Buckingham Palace Ballroom, that is a larger multi-purpose hall within the palace. The ballroom is also used for investiture ceremonies in

11960-717: The trial of Queen Liliʻuokalani also occurred in this room where she was found guilty and imprisoned within the palace by the Republic of Hawaii . The throne room, like the rest of the palace, is open to the public. The Portuguese Throne room (pt. Sala do Trono ) is in the Piano nobile of the Ajuda National Palace ( Palácio Nacional da Ajuda ) in Lisbon. The present decoration is from the 19th century, with walls covered with crimson velvet, gold gilded French mirrors and

12075-401: The vestibule. When passenger cars are coupled, their vestibules are joined by mating faceplate and diaphragm assemblies to create a weather-tight seal for the safety and comfort of passengers who are stepping from car to car. In British usage the term refers to the part of the carriage where the passenger doors are located; this can be at the ends of the carriage (on long-distance stock) or at

12190-460: The word "Washington" centered beneath it dates to the administration of Franklin D. Roosevelt . Although the structure was not completed until some years after the presidency of George Washington, there is speculation that the name of the traditional residence of the president of the United States may have been derived from Martha Washington 's home, White House Plantation , in Virginia , where

12305-477: Was a space that was sometimes present between the interior fauces of a building leading to the atrium and the street. Vestibules were common in ancient architecture. A Roman house was typically divided into two different sections: the first front section, or the public part, was introduced with a vestibule. These vestibules contained two rooms, which usually served as waiting rooms or a porters’ lodge where visitors could get directions or information. Upon entering

12420-405: Was affected by these fires as well. Only the exterior walls remained, and they had to be torn down and mostly reconstructed because of weakening from the fire and subsequent exposure to the elements, except for portions of the south wall. Of the numerous objects taken from the White House when it was sacked by the British, only three have been recovered. White House employees and slaves rescued

12535-437: Was done by immigrants, many of whom had not yet obtained citizenship, including the sandstone walls, which were erected by Scottish immigrants , the high-relief rose, and garland decorations above the north entrance and the fish scale pattern beneath the pediments of the window hoods. There are conflicting claims as to where the sandstone used in the construction of the White House originated. Some reports suggest sandstone from

12650-621: Was here that Napoléon abdicated. The palace was last used by Napoléon III ; it was later declared a national monument in 1871, after the collapse of the French Empire . For over 700 years, the Grimaldi family have ruled Monaco , and it is in this throne room that many historic festivals and ceremonies have taken place since the 16th century. It is also where most civil marriages of the Princely Family occur, before then having

12765-544: Was inspired by King Solomon's throne which, according to the Bible , was made of ivory and had six steps with lion figures on each. Tooth of Narwhal was chosen as the material, both because it was found in Danish waters and owing to its mythical associations with the unicorn ; twelve lions were also commissioned, three of which, in silver, have been preserved in the room. The throne room actually used for receiving ambassadors

12880-405: Was painted a dull Pomeranian red, and its ceiling was decorated with gold, silver, and copper stars and stripes of red, white, and blue. A fifty-foot jeweled Tiffany glass screen, supported by imitation marble columns, replaced the glass doors that separated the main corridor from the north vestibule. In 1891, First Lady Caroline Harrison proposed major extensions to the White House, including

12995-491: Was produced under the direction of curator Lorraine Waxman Pearce with direct supervision from Mrs. Kennedy. Sales of the guidebook helped finance the restoration. In a televised tour of the house on Valentine's Day in 1962, Kennedy showed her restoration of the White House to the public. Congress enacted legislation in September 1961 declaring the White House a museum. Furniture, fixtures , and decorative arts could now be declared either historic or of artistic interest by

13110-535: Was transported to the palace, where it lay in repose in the Throne Room, before being taken in procession to St Giles' Cathedral . Although the primary purpose and reputation of the Palace of Westminster is as the seat of the Parliament of the United Kingdom , it is also officially a royal residence. While the palace has no throne room per se , the Lords Chamber contains at its head a throne, used by

13225-466: Was used by King David Kalākaua , his wife Queen Kapiʻolani , and his successor Queen Liliʻuokalani . Kalākaua and his wife actually disliked sitting on the thrones, instead preferring to stand in front of them while receiving guests. King Kalākaua held formal audiences, diplomatic receptions, and state balls, receiving and entertaining guests from all walks of life, from royalty and diplomats to writers, entertainers, and sportsmen. Following her overthrow,

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