The State House (formerly known as the Government House) is the

official residence An official is someone who holds an office (function or mandate, regardless of whether it carries an actual working space with it) in an organization or government and participates in the exercise of authority (either their own or that of th ...

of the

president of Fiji The president of Fiji is the List of heads of state of Fiji, head of state of the Fiji, Republic of Fiji. The president is appointed by the Parliament of Fiji, Parliament for a three-year term under the terms of the 2013 Constitution of Fiji, ...

History

The present Georgian mansion 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 first Government House was built in the early 1880s (after the capital moved in Suva) that consisted of two small wood-frame buildings. From 1970 to 1987, Government House was the official residence of the

governor-general Governor-general (plural governors-general), or governor general (plural governors general), is the title of an official, most prominently associated with the British Empire. In the context of the governors-general and former British colonies, ...

, and became the presidential residence in 1987 after two military coups resulted in the proclamation of a

republic A republic, based on the Latin phrase ''res publica'' ('public affair' or 'people's affair'), is a State (polity), state in which Power (social and political), political power rests with the public (people), typically through their Representat ...

Location

The residence is located south of

Fiji Museum The Fiji Museum is a museum in Suva, Fiji, located in the capital city's botanical gardens, Thurston Gardens. Background The museum is a statutory body and is under the administration of the Fiji Museum Act and the Preservation of Objects of A ...

, with the main entrance on Queen Elizabeth Drive, near the

Great Council of Chiefs The Great Council of Chiefs () is a Fijian constitutional body. It previously existed from 1876 to March 2012 and was restored in May 2023. It is different from the House of Chiefs, a larger body that includes all hereditary chiefs, although m ...

complex. The building is closed to the public, but a highlight of tourist visits to

Suva Suva (, ) is the Capital city, capital and the most populous 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 Rew ...

is the changing of the guard ceremony during the first week of each month. The guards are staffed by members of the

Republic of Fiji Military Forces The Republic of Fiji Military Forces (RFMF, formerly the Royal Fiji Military Forces until 1987 when the Dominion of Fiji was overthrown) is the military force of the Pacific Ocean, Pacific island nation of Fiji. With a total manpower of about ...

. The building should not be confused with the

Government Buildings Government Buildings () is a large Edwardian building enclosing a quadrangle on Merrion Street in Dublin, Ireland, in which several key offices of the Government of Ireland are located. Among the offices of State located in the building are: ...

to the north on the same street (Victoria Parade).

Gallery

File:Presidential Pallace Suva MatthiasSuessen-8769.jpg, West elevation, 2015

References

{{reflist Buildings and structures in Suva Government buildings in Fiji Government buildings completed in 1928 Houses completed in 1928 Government Houses of the British Empire and Commonwealth Presidential residences

History

Location

Gallery

See also

References