Government House is the name of many of the official residences of governors-general, governors and

lieutenant-governor A lieutenant governor, lieutenant-governor, or vice governor is a high officer of state, whose precise role and rank vary by jurisdiction. Often a lieutenant governor is the deputy, or lieutenant, to or ranked under a governor — a "second-in-comm ...

s in the

Commonwealth A commonwealth is a traditional English term for a political community founded for the common good. Historically, it has been synonymous with "republic". The noun "commonwealth", meaning "public welfare, general good or advantage", dates from the ...

and the remaining colonies of the British Empire. The name is also used in some other countries.

Government houses in the Commonwealth of Nations

Anguilla

* Government House, Old Ta is the official residence of the governor of Anguilla.

Antigua and Barbuda

* Government House, St. John's is the official residence of the

Governor-General of Antigua and Barbuda The governor-general of Antigua and Barbuda is the representative of the monarch of Antigua and Barbuda, currently King Charles III. The official residence of the governor-general is Government House. The position of governor-general was est ...

Australia

* Government House, Canberra, commonly known as Yarralumla, is the official residence of the Governor General of Australia. * Admiralty House, Kirribilli is the Governor General's official residence in Sydney. * Government Houses for the state Governors exist also in each state and the Northern Territory: ** Government House, Sydney in New South Wales **

Government House, Melbourne Government House is the official residence of the governor of Victoria, currently Linda Dessau. It is located in Kings Domain, Melbourne, next to the Royal Botanic Gardens. Government House was opened in 1876, on land that had originally been ...

in Victoria; between 1901 and 1930 used by the Governor-General **

Government House, Brisbane Government House is a heritage-listed mansion at 170 Fernberg Road, Paddington, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It is the official residence of the governor of Queensland, the representative of the Australian monarch in Queensland. It was ori ...

in Queensland ***

Old Government House, Queensland Queensland's first Government House is located at Gardens Point in the grounds of the Queensland University of Technology at the end of George Street in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. The building's construction was the first important arch ...

, used between 1862 and 1909 ** Government House, Norfolk Island, residence of the Administrator of Norfolk Island ** Government House, Perth in Western Australia ** Government House, Adelaide in South Australia **

Government House, Hobart Government House, Hobart, is the home and official residence of the Governor of Tasmania, Australia. The palatial house is located on Lower Domain Road in the Queens Domain, near the Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens. There have been three Governm ...

in Tasmania **

Government House, Darwin Government House is the office and official residence of the Administrator of the Northern Territory in Darwin, Australia. Built between 1870 and 1871, with later renovations between 1878 and 1879, the building is set on 13,000 square metres of ...

in the Northern Territory **

Government House, West Island Government House is a heritage-listed official residence at Qantas Close, West Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Australia. It was added to the Australian Commonwealth Heritage List on 22 June 2004. History Government House was constructed in ...

in the Cocos (Keeling) Islands

The Bahamas

* Government House, Duke Street,

Nassau Nassau may refer to: Places Bahamas *Nassau, Bahamas, capital city of the Bahamas, on the island of New Providence Canada *Nassau District, renamed Home District, regional division in Upper Canada from 1788 to 1792 *Nassau Street (Winnipeg), ...

is the official residence of the

Governor General of the Bahamas The governor-general of the Bahamas is the vice-regal representative of the Bahamian monarch, currently King Charles III, in the Commonwealth of the Bahamas. The governor-general is appointed by the monarch on the recommendation of the prime ...

, and formerly of the Governor of the Bahamas.

Barbados

* Government House is the former name of

State House State may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Literature * ''State Magazine'', a monthly magazine published by the U.S. Department of State * ''The State'' (newspaper), a daily newspaper in Columbia, South Carolina, United States * ''Our S ...

, the official residence of the

President of Barbados The president of Barbados is the head of state of Barbados and the commander-in-chief of the Barbados Defence Force. The office was established when the country became a parliamentary republic on 30 November 2021. Before, the head of state was ...

. It is located on Government Hill,

St. Michael Michael (; he, מִיכָאֵל, lit=Who is like El od, translit=Mīḵāʾēl; el, Μιχαήλ, translit=Mikhaḗl; la, Michahel; ar, ميخائيل ، مِيكَالَ ، ميكائيل, translit=Mīkāʾīl, Mīkāl, Mīkhāʾīl), also ...

, Barbados.

Belize

Belize House Belize (; bzj, Bileez) is a Caribbean and Central American country on the northeastern coast of Central America. It is bordered by Mexico to the north, the Caribbean Sea to the east, and Guatemala to the west and south. It also shares a wat ...

, Belmopan is the official residence of the Governor-General of Belize. ** Government House, Belmopan was the official residence of the former

Governors of British Honduras A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political r ...

(later Governors of Belize) and used by the Governor-General of Belize between 1981 and 1984. The building is now the Museum of Culture.

Bermuda

* Government House,

Hamilton Hamilton may refer to: People * Hamilton (name), a common British surname and occasional given name, usually of Scottish origin, including a list of persons with the surname ** The Duke of Hamilton, the premier peer of Scotland ** Lord Hamilt ...

is the official residence of the

Governor of Bermuda The Governor of Bermuda (fully the ''Governor and Commander-in-Chief of the Somers Isles (alias the Islands of Bermuda)'') is the representative of the British monarch in the British overseas territory of Bermuda. For the purposes of this a ...

The British Virgin Islands

* Government House, Road Town, Tortola is the official residence of the Governor of the British Virgin Islands.

Canada

* Rideau Hall (officially Government House) in Ottawa is the official residence of the monarch and Governor General of Canada. * Citadelle of Quebec in Quebec City, Quebec, is a second official residence for the monarch and governor general and is normally occupied for several weeks each year. * Government Houses or official residences for the provincial

lieutenant governors A lieutenant governor, lieutenant-governor, or vice governor is a high officer of state, whose precise role and rank vary by jurisdiction. Often a lieutenant governor is the deputy, or lieutenant, to or ranked under a governor — a "second-in-comm ...

exist also in most provinces.

The Cayman Islands

Government House, Seven Mile Beach, Grand Cayman is the official residence of the Governor of the Cayman Islands.

Dominica

Government House, Roseau is the official residence of the President of Dominica.

The Falkland Islands

Government House, Stanley is the residence of the Governor of the Falkland Islands. It was the scene of a battle with Argentine troops during the 1982 invasion.

Fiji

Government House, Suva The State House (formerly known as the Government House) is the official residence of the President of Fiji. History The present Georgian mansion was built in 1928 to replace the original building - the residence of the colonial governor - which ...

is located on Victoria Parade,

Suva Suva () is the capital and largest city of Fiji. It is the home of the country's largest metropolitan area and serves as its major port. The city is located on the southeast coast of the island of Viti Levu, in Rewa Province, Central Divi ...

. It is the home of the President of Fiji and was built in 1928 to replace the original building – the residence of the colonial governor – which burnt to the ground after being struck by lightning in 1921.

The Gambia

Government House is the former name of

, the official residence of the President of the Gambia.

Gilbert and Ellice Islands

A Government House of

Gilbert and Ellice Islands The Gilbert and Ellice Islands (GEIC as a colony) in the Pacific Ocean were part of the British Empire from 1892 to 1976. They were a protectorate from 1892 to 12 January 1916, and then a colony until 1 January 1976. The history of the colony w ...

was created in

South Tarawa South Tarawa ( gil, Tarawa Teinainano) is the capital and hub of the Republic of Kiribati and home to more than half of Kiribati's population. The South Tarawa population centre consists of all the small islets from Betio in the west to Bonriki ...

on 1 January 1972. It became the Presidential Residency of Kiribati on 12 July 1979.

Guyana

*Government House is the former name of

, which is the official residence of the President of Guyana.

Hong Kong

Government House, Hong Kong is located on Government Hill in the Central, Hong Kong of

Hong Kong Island Hong Kong Island is an Islands and peninsulas of Hong Kong, island in the southern part of Hong Kong. Known colloquially and on road signs simply as Hong Kong, the island has a population of 1,289,500 and its population density is 16,390/km ...

and the official residence of the Chief executive of Hong Kong.

India

Rashtrapati Bhavan was originally Government House, New Delhi. It was built as a residence for the Viceroy of India. From 1947 until 1950, it was the residence of the Governor-General of India. Since 1950, the President of India has lived in this building. Raj Bhavan, Kolkata was the Viceroy's residence until capital of India shifted from Calcutta to New Delhi in 1911, when the

Governor of Bengal The Governor was the chief colonial administrator in the Bengal presidency, originally the "Presidency of Fort William" and later "Bengal province". In 1644, Gabriel Boughton procured privileges for the East India Company which permitted them to ...

moved in.

The Isle of Man

Government House, Governor's Road,

Onchan Onchan (; glv, Kione Droghad) is a village in the parish of Onchan on the Isle of Man. It is at the north end of Douglas Bay. Administratively a district, it has the second largest population of settlements on the island, after Douglas, with wh ...

is the official residence of the

Lieutenant Governor A lieutenant governor, lieutenant-governor, or vice governor is a high officer of state, whose precise role and rank vary by jurisdiction. Often a lieutenant governor is the deputy, or lieutenant, to or ranked under a governor — a "second-in-comm ...

Vice Admiral Sir Paul Haddacks, Her Majesty's representative on the Island.

Jamaica

King's House, Jamaica King's House (also known as Government House) is the official residence of the Governor-General of Jamaica, who represents the Jamaican Monarch, and head of state. It is located in the part of St. Andrew Parish that is considered part of th ...

, is also known as Government House.

Jersey

Government House, St Saviour is the official residence of the Lieutenant Governor of Jersey (currently

Lieutenant-General Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a three-star military rank (NATO code OF-8) used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on the ...

Sir

Andrew Ridgway Lieutenant General Sir Andrew Peter Ridgway, (born 20 March 1950) is a former British Army officer and Lieutenant Governor of Jersey. He was appointed to the latter role for a 5-year term on 14 June 2006 after a long military career. Early life ...

). It is also the official residence of the

Duke of Normandy In the Middle Ages, the duke of Normandy was the ruler of the Duchy of Normandy in north-western Kingdom of France, France. The duchy arose out of a grant of land to the Viking leader Rollo by the French king Charles the Simple, Charles III in ...

(currently King Charles III) as head of state when staying in Jersey.

Kenya

Government House is the former name of

, which is the official residence of the President and First Lady of Kenya.

Mauritius

Le Réduit, the official residence of the former Governors and Governors-General of Mauritius, was also known as Government House from 1810 until 1992. Since then, it has been called

and is the official residence of the President of Mauritius.

Montserrat

* Government House, Woodlands is the official residence of the Governor of Montserrat.

New Zealand

Government House, Wellington is the primary residence of the

Governor-General of New Zealand The governor-general of New Zealand ( mi, te kāwana tianara o Aotearoa) is the viceregal representative of the monarch of New Zealand, currently King Charles III. As the King is concurrently the monarch of 14 other Commonwealth realms and li ...

. There is a second house in Auckland, Government House, Auckland. Official Link
Governor-General of New Zealand

Nigeria

Government House, Port Harcourt is the official residence of the Governor of Rivers State.

Pakistan

* Government House of Baluchistan in Quetta. * Government House of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in Peshawar. * Government House of Punjab in Lahore. * Government House of Sindh in Karachi.

Saint Kitts and Nevis

* Government House, Basseterre, Saint Kitts, is the official residence of the Governor-General of Saint Kitts and Nevis.

Saint Lucia

* Government House,

Morne Fortune Morne Fortune is a hill and residential area located south of Castries, Saint Lucia, in the West Indies. Originally known as Morne Dubuc, it was renamed Morne Fortuné in 1765 when the French moved their military headquarters and government admi ...

is the official residence of the

Governor-General of Saint Lucia The governor-general of Saint Lucia is the representative of the Saint Lucian monarch, currently Charles III. The official residence of the governor-general is Government House. The position of governor-general was established when Saint Lucia ...

Sierra Leone

Government House is the former name of

, the official residence of the President of Sierra Leone.

Singapore

* Government House – Former residence of Stamford Raffles and the

Governors of Singapore The Governors of Singapore were the political leaders of Singapore during its pre-independence phase in the history of Singapore. Residents of Singapore (1819–1826) The Resident of Singapore ruled the British colony that is today the Republi ...

at Government Hill, Singapore, demolished in 1859 and a replica of it currently stands on its former site. * Government House of Singapore – Currently The Istana, the official residence of President of Singapore. * Pavilion - Former Government House from 1859 - 1861.

South Africa

Trinidad and Tobago

*Government House is the former name of President's House, which is the official residence of the President of Trinidad and Tobago.

Government Houses outside the Commonwealth of Nations

Armenia

Government House, Yerevan The Government House Number 1 (Armenian: Հայաստանի Հանրապետության կառավարական տուն; ''Hayastani Hanrapetut'yan Karavarakan Tun'') is located on Republic Square, Yerevan. It was designed by Alexander Tamani ...

Azerbaijan

* Government House, Baku, is a government building housing various state ministries of Azerbaijan. It is located on

Neftchiler Avenue Neftchiler Avenue ( az, Neftçilər Prospekti; literally Oil Worker's Avenue) is an arterial road in Baku, Azerbaijan. It begins at the west end of the Bayil district of Baku and continues east until terminating at Javanshir Bridge (formerly G ...

and faces the Baku Boulevard. From 1924 to 1927, construction of several large government buildings was planned and included in the budget of

Baku Baku (, ; az, Bakı ) is the capital and largest city of Azerbaijan, as well as the largest city on the Caspian Sea and of the Caucasus region. Baku is located below sea level, which makes it the lowest lying national capital in the world a ...

. In 1934, the Soviet authorities announced a tender for the construction of the Baku Soviet Palace (later renamed the Government House). *The Presidential Palace houses the executive administration of the President of Azerbaijan. The office is in charge of fulfilling the constitutional responsibilities of the President. The building is located on Istiglaliyyat Street of the capital city,

. Built in 1971, it was occupied by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Azerbaijan. After the restoration of Azerbaijan's independence in 1991, the building was assigned to the President of Azerbaijan and his administration. It was renamed the Presidential Palace in 2003.

Bahrain

Government House, Manama A government is the system or group of people governing an organized community, generally a State (polity), state. In the case of its broad associative definition, government normally consists of legislature, Executive (government), e ...

Belarus

* Government House, Minsk

Hong Kong

* Government House, Hong Kong, is located on Government Hill,

Central Central is an adjective usually referring to being in the center of some place or (mathematical) object. Central may also refer to: Directions and generalised locations * Central Africa, a region in the centre of Africa continent, also known as ...

, on

. It was the official residence of most of the Governors of Hong Kong during British administration. After 1997, its status as the official residence of the head of the Hong Kong Government was abolished and has been used as a place for mere ceremonial uses. However, when Sir Donald Tsang became the Chief executive of Hong Kong, he reverted it and designated the House as the official residence and office. He moved into the House at the end of January 2006.

Jerusalem

*The Palace of the Commissioner in Jerusalem is the former headquarters of the government of the British Mandate of Palestine until 1948, and has since June 1948 been the headquarters of the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization.

Moldova

* Government House, Chișinău

Thailand

Government House of Thailand Government House ( th, ทำเนียบรัฐบาล; ) refers to the offices of the Prime Minister of Thailand and appointed cabinet ministers. It contains conference rooms and is used for state functions and receptions of foreign gu ...

– Not an official residence, but the headquarters of the Office of the Prime Minister of Thailand.

Ukraine

Government House, Lviv House of the Halychyna Governorate or Government House (today - building of the Lviv Regional Council and Lviv Regional State Administration) is an architectural monument of national significance in Lviv (Ukraine). The building is an example of the ...

, Ukraine – formerly the seat of the Kingdom of Galicia and Lodomeria, a province of the

Austro-Hungarian Empire Austria-Hungary, often referred to as the Austro-Hungarian Empire,, the Dual Monarchy, or Austria, was a constitutional monarchy and great power in Central Europe between 1867 and 1918. It was formed with the Austro-Hungarian Compromise of ...

United States

Some gubernatorial residences in the United States of America are also named Government House: * Government House (St. Augustine), listed on the NRHP in Florida * Government House (Maryland) *

Government House (New York City) The Government House was a Georgian-style mansion at the foot of Broadway, south of Bowling Green, on the site previously occupied by Fort George in Manhattan, New York City. Built in 1790 by the state of New York, it was intended to be the ...

, intended to be the official residence for

President George Washington George Washington (February 22, 1732, 1799) was an American military officer, statesman, and Founding Father who served as the first president of the United States from 1789 to 1797. Appointed by the Continental Congress as commander of th ...

, demolished in 1815 * Government House (American Samoa), a National Historic Landmark

Zimbabwe

* Government House, Harare, (now called State House) the official residence of the

President of Zimbabwe The president of Zimbabwe is the head of state of Zimbabwe and head of the executive branch of the government of Zimbabwe. The president chairs the national cabinet and is the chief commanding authority of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces. The in ...

* Government House, Bulawayo, (now called State House) the official residence in Bulawayo

References

{{Reflist *

Government houses in the Commonwealth of Nations

Anguilla

Antigua and Barbuda

Australia

The Bahamas

Barbados

Belize

Bermuda

The British Virgin Islands

Canada

The Cayman Islands

Dominica

The Falkland Islands

Fiji

The Gambia

Gilbert and Ellice Islands

Guyana

Hong Kong

India

The Isle of Man

Jamaica

Jersey

Kenya

Mauritius

Montserrat

New Zealand

Nigeria

Pakistan

Saint Kitts and Nevis

Saint Lucia

Sierra Leone

Singapore

South Africa

Trinidad and Tobago

Government Houses outside the Commonwealth of Nations

Armenia

Azerbaijan

Bahrain

Belarus

Hong Kong

Jerusalem

Moldova

Thailand

Ukraine

United States

Zimbabwe

See also

References