US White House: where it is located, excursion and interesting facts

The history of the United States as a state is inextricably linked with the White House - the residence of the Presidents. This name is known in all countries of the world, because it is often used as a synonym in the meaning of "Presidential Administration". The article deals with the history of the building, the rules and procedure for organizing excursions and other important points.

History and description

The facility was built during from 1792 to 1800... Prior to this, the American authorities held an architectural competition, in which James Hoban won with a design for a building in the Palanga style. The construction of the facility took 8 years. The project was created by analogy with the exterior of the upper floors of the Irish Parliament.

The building has 6 floors:

• 2 - base;
• 2 are used for public meetings and receptions;
• the presidential family is located on 2 floors.

The buildings survived 2 serious fires - in 1814 (it was burned down by the British after the capture of Washington) and in 1929 year.

Note! The White House has been called that since 1901.

The building has been overhauled in 1948 by order of Harry Truman, and cosmetic - during the reign of Ronald Reagan.

Where is the White House

The American White House of the United States is located at: America, District of Columbia, Washington, st. 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue (near the Capitol).

How to get to the White House

In this aspect, it all depends on which airport the plane arrives at. After landing at Dulles Airport, the passenger:

• takes a bus to Washington Flyer Coach metro station;
• enters the metro and reaches the central interchange station Metro Center;
• leaves it not far from the house of interest.

After landing at Ronald Reagan Airport, the passenger:

• leaves the terminal at the bus stop;
• gets into a vehicle and reaches the covered bridge;
• descends into the metro and goes to Gallery Place station;
• takes the red line train to Metro Center.

Guided tour of the White House

It is rather difficult for non-US citizens to get to the American White House on an excursion, but this issue is also being resolved.

Russians can choose the most convenient option out of 3 real ones:

• To pay for the services of a travel company that offers to visit the residence of American Presidents. There is no way to accurately orientate the cost of making a dream come true, since a unified tariff is not provided. Clients will be able to learn all the details directly from the manager of the company.
• Contact the Russian embassy with an official request. Registration is carried out no earlier than 6 months before departure and no later than 21 days. 100% guarantee Nobody gives the satisfaction of the request, therefore the applicant must periodically take an interest in the fate of the issue.
• Contact your friends who live in the United States. In turn, American citizens contact their senator, through whom they receive permission to visit certain areas of the residence, available to tourists.

Appearance

The total area of ​​the complex is 7.2 hectares. The decision that the residence will be located in a picturesque area over a large area was taken by George Washington. The territory of the state facility is fenced outside with a metal fence made of rods. Unauthorized entry of individuals here entails detention by the police and is punishable by a fine.

The homestead is located in the center of the entire estate, surrounded by grassy lawns with few trees. On the front side, evenly trimmed rows of evergreen bushes are observed.

4 floors of the building are accessible to the human eye. The main material used for the construction is sandstone from the state of Virginia.

Note! The architectural appearance of the building is a mixture of Greek classical temple architecture, Gregorian and Palladian styles.

Interior decoration. Building plan. Number of rooms

The construction of the building provides for two entrances: north and south porticoes. The first is for guests (administration staff will tell you how to find it using the map), and the second is for the head of the country and his family.

On the ground floor there are:

• an official hall for diplomatic receptions;
• "Golden Room" with a collection of dishes and vases;
• The Porcelain Room;
• library and other offices.

The second floor is the main base for excursions. Tourists have an excellent opportunity to visit the following lounges:

• Blue;
• Green;
• Red.

Note!In addition, the East Hall is located on the second floor, where the largest state receptions are held.

Tourists are not provided with access to the third and fourth floors, since there is space for the location of members of the presidential family and representatives of the service staff.

How many rooms are there in the US White House? After all the renovations, a little over 140 rooms remained in the building.

The plan of the object looks like a cross with a thick transverse line: at least this is how the White House (Washington) looks from a bird's eye view.

Documents for visiting a US attraction

Admission to an excursion to the house of American presidents is provided with a passport for traveling abroad (for foreigners) with a visa (if necessary) and a ticket as proof of payment for admission.

Schedule of visiting the White House and the cost of the excursion

The schedule for tourists visiting the Administration of the President of the United States is clearly regulated:

• Tuesday and Thursday - from 7:30 am to 11:30 am;
• Friday and Saturday - the above time is extended by 2 hours.

Note!The tour is officially free, but admission is by ticket. Passing papers are issued at the visitor center.

Entrance fee

Tickets are issued free of charge, but there are the following features:

• one person receives a maximum of 4 tickets;
• A pass is required for all family members, including children, in order to fully control the number of persons simultaneously in the building.

Security measures

It should be borne in mind that during your stay on the excursion you cannot:

• use mobile phones;
• visit toilets;
• stay close to employees.

Important! Photographing is permitted on devices that have been verified by security personnel.

Interesting Facts

The house was designed without taking into account the fact that it will ever be necessary to punch walls and floors, so the implementation of the benefits of civilization (gas lighting - in 1848, heating in 1863 and electricity - in 1899) led to the threat of destruction of the entire structure during the reign of Truman. The failure of the building and the inability for people to stay inside here became the main reason for the reconstruction in the middle of the 20th century.

Unusual facts

There are several unusual facts in the history of the residence:

• British troops in 1814 the structure was almost completely burned;
• lime whitewash on the house appeared not after the first fire, but already in 1798 in order to protect porous stones from destruction.

The White House is a large mansion in downtown Washington, built in 1800. Serves as the residence of American Presidents. It is a major attraction for tourists from all over the world.