Government House of Prince Edward Island, often referred to as Fanningbank, is the official residence of the lieutenant governor of Prince Edward Island, as well as that in Charlottetown of the

Canadian monarch The monarchy of Canada is Canada's form of government embodied by the Canadian sovereign and head of state. It is at the core of Canada's constitutional Canadian federalism, federal structure and Westminster system, Westminster-style Parliamentar ...

. It stands in the provincial capital at 1 Terry Fox Drive; while the equivalent building in many provinces has a prominent, central place in the capital, the site of

Prince Edward Island Prince Edward Island (PEI; ) is one of the thirteen Provinces and territories of Canada, provinces and territories of Canada. It is the smallest province in terms of land area and population, but the most densely populated. The island has seve ...

's Government House is relatively unobtrusive within Charlottetown, giving it more the character of a private home.

History

Charlottetown Conference Delegates, September 1864

Government House was constructed between 1832 and 1834 as a viceregal residence for the lieutenant governor of the then

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies. ** Britishness, the British identity and common culture * British English, ...

colony of Prince Edward Island. The land, a parcel of known as ''Fanning Bank'' or ''Fanning's Bank'', was in 1789 set aside by Lieutenant Governor

Edmund Fanning Edmund Fanning (July 16, 1769 – April 23, 1841) was an American explorer and sea captain, known as the "Pathfinder of the Pacific." Life Born in Stonington in the British Crown Colony of Connecticut to Gilbert and Huldah Fanning, from ne ...

as Crown land, with the specific stipulation that it be used as the site for the governor's residence. In 1873, approximately was retained for Government House and its grounds. 40 acres was given to the City of Charlottetown and later became Victoria Park. Government House was designated a

National Historic Site of Canada National Historic Sites of Canada (french: Lieux historiques nationaux du Canada) are places that have been designated by the federal Minister of the Environment on the advice of the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada (HSMBC), as being ...

in 1971.

Use

Government House is where members of the

Canadian Royal Family The monarchy of Canada is Canada's form of government embodied by the Canadian sovereign and head of state. It is at the core of Canada's constitutional federal structure and Westminster-style parliamentary democracy. The monarchy is the founda ...

and visiting foreign dignitaries are greeted and often stay while in Charlottetown. It is also where numerous royal and viceroyal events take place, such as the bestowing of provincial awards or inductions into the

Order of Prince Edward Island The Order of Prince Edward Island (french: Ordre de Île-du-Prince-Édouard) is a civilian honour for merit in the Canadian province of Prince Edward Island. Instituted in 1996 by Lieutenant Governor Gilbert Clements, on the advice of the Cabinet ...

, as well as luncheons, dinners, receptions, and speaking engagements. It is also at the royal residence that the lieutenant governor will drop the writs of election, swear-in new members of the Executive Council, and hold audience with her premier. The property is owned by the King in Right of Prince Edward Island and is open to the public for certain periods during the summer.

Architecture and interiors

The wood-frame building's architectural design is

Georgian Georgian may refer to: Common meanings * Anything related to, or originating from Georgia (country) ** Georgians, an indigenous Caucasian ethnic group ** Georgian language, a Kartvelian language spoken by Georgians **Georgian scripts, three scrip ...

with echoes of the

Palladian Palladian architecture is a European architectural style derived from the work of the Venetian architect Andrea Palladio (1508–1580). What is today recognised as Palladian architecture evolved from his concepts of symmetry, perspective and ...

tradition. The two axis of the house converge on the main entrance hall, which has

doric Doric may refer to: * Doric, of or relating to the Dorians of ancient Greece ** Doric Greek, the dialects of the Dorians * Doric order, a style of ancient Greek architecture * Doric mode, a synonym of Dorian mode * Doric dialect (Scotland) * Doric ...

columns and

pilaster In classical architecture, a pilaster is an architectural element used to give the appearance of a supporting column and to articulate an extent of wall, with only an ornamental function. It consists of a flat surface raised from the main wal ...

s and a double switchback stair leading to the second floor. The residence was designed by Yorkshire architect Isaac Smith, who also designed the Island's Colonial Building.

References

{{Prince Edward Island parks

Buildings and structures in Charlottetown National Historic Sites in Prince Edward Island Houses completed in 1834 Georgian architecture in Canada

History

Use

Architecture and interiors

See also

References