Where World Leaders Live

On the highest of Rome's seven hills can be found the home of Italy's President Sergio Mattarella, the Quirinal Palace. The palace is located on a spot attributed to several Ancient Roman deities including Quirinus, after whom the hill and palace are named. It was originally built in 1583 as a holiday home for Pope Gregory XIII who sought somewhere to escape the humidity and stench of the Tiber River. It has been home to 30 popes and four Italian kings, and since 1947 has been used as the official residence of the last 12 Italian presidents.

10 Downing Street, home to British Prime Minister Theresa May, perhaps vies with the White House in worldwide recognition. It has been home to prime ministers of Britain since 1735. In comparison to the overt palaces of other world leaders, the true size of 10 Downing Street is somewhat opaque: The external simplicity belies an internal labyrinth. This seemingly modest townhouse has long been merged with the surrounding buildings, now boasting a myriad of doors, hallways and over 100 rooms. The home is never open to the public but can be glimpsed through the gates from Whitehall.

Over the English Channel and around the corner from the Arc De Triomphe lies the Élysée Palace, the official residence of the French President François Hollande. The name of both the Élysée Palace and the nearby Avenue des Champs-Élysée derive from the word Elysium—a paradisaical afterlife in Greek myth reserved for heroes favored by the Gods. The reference is not far afield: The palace is a spectacle and can be visited on European Heritage Days.

Cheong Wa Dae, which translates as "Pavilion of blue tiles," is home to the President of the Republic of Korea Park Geun-Hye. It was built in traditional Korean architectural style on the site of a royal villa in Seoul dating back to the 10th century Koryo dynasty. It is a particularly young presidential abode, having only been completed in 1991. The blue tiles of the pavilion are the buildings most distinguishable feature and combined with the Bugaksan Mountain behind give this presidential home a unique, picturesque beauty. The presidential gardens that surround the blue house are home to the national Mugunghwa flower, a 300-year-old pine tree and a succession of trees planted by each president to take power.

Looking out over Brasília's Paranoá Lake is the Palace of the Dawn, the official residence of Brazilian President Michel Temer. Palácio da Alvorada was completed in 1958 and first housed Brazilian president Juscelino Kubitscheck whose quote, “Brasília is a new dawn in the History of Brazil,” became synonymous with the creation of the presidential palace and gave it its name. It has been home to Brazilian presidents ever since. Brazils Palácio da Alvorada is one of the most modernist and functional presidential residences and boasts a chapel, helipad, and movie theater.

Before 1929, prime ministers of Japan would reside in a two-story wooden house in central Tokyo. However, that year saw the construction of the Kantei, a building which lasted for 73 years up until it was demolished in 2002 and replaced with a new Kantei twice the size, with five floors above ground and one below. Located in the Chiyoda ward of central Tokyo, it now serves as both home and headquarters to one of Japan's longest-serving prime ministers, Shinz? Abe. Built of both stone and bamboo, the Kantei's exterior is more modern, and far less glamorous than the homes of other world leaders. The design is intended to evoke “the simple beauty of Japanese aesthetic.”

Istana Negara, Malay for “National Palace,” was finished in 2011 after four years or work. A month later, it became the official home of the elected monarch and head of state of Malaysia, Muhammad V of Kelantan. The complex has 22 domes, and is a combination of Islamic and Malay architecture. As with the original national palace, the new Istana Negara is closed to the public, though it is possible to peer through its entrance gates and marvel at its extraordinary golden domes.

The Zhongnanhai is situated to the west of the Forbidden City in the center of Beijing, and few know what lies behind its high walls. The name means “central and southern seas,” referring to two lakes that are enclosed within. Though the Zhongnanhai is predominantly lakes and gardens, it is today also the official residence of the President of the People's Republic of China. It has been home to various notable individuals since its construction in the Jin Dynasty some 1000 years ago but little is known of what lies within the compound despite it being situated in central Beijing. The Zhongnanhai has housed China's highest leaders since Mao Ze Dong took up residence following the triumph of the Communist Revolution in 1949.

Palacio de la Moncloa, the home of Spain's Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, is located within the University City ward of Madrid, in the Moncloa district. Though the site dates back to the 17th century, the original palace was destroyed in the 1930s during the Siege of Madrid in the Spanish Civil War. Palacio de la Moncloa was, however, resurrected and has been the home of Spanish Prime Ministers ever since 1977 when Adolfo Suárez became the first democratically elected prime minister following the death of Francisco Franco.

On the eastern side of Plaza de Mayo in Argentina's capital, Buenos Aires, is La Casa Rosada, home to the president of Argentina. Its name translates as “the Pink House” due to the color of its exterior. There are various explanations as to how the building got its name and color. A popular belief is that President Sarmiento attempted to make peace between Federalists and Unitarians in the 1870s by painting the building a fusion of red and white, the colors that represented either side. However, in the 19th century, white paint was often mixed with cow blood and this is more likely the reason behind the bright pink color of La Casa Rosada.

The Rashtrapati Bhavan is the official residence of the President of India Pranab Mukherjee. Standing on a 330-acre estate, it is the largest presidential residence in the world. Designed by the British architect, Sir Edwin Lutyens, it was constructed from red and cream sandstone and represents a fusion of Indian and Western architecture. The building itself covers over five acres of land and contains 340 rooms. Outside, 227 columns decorate its exterior and 37 fountains can be counted in gardens, terraces and rooftops. The Mughal gardens, inspired by those of the Taj Mahal, have been described as the soul of the presidential palace. They are one of the building's most remarkable features and are open to the public during the Udyanotsav festival each year.

Since 1951, a charming structure overlooking the Ottawa River has been the official residence of the prime minister of Canada. Ivy-covered 24 Sussex Drive was first commissioned in 1868 as a wedding present for the fiancé of former Member of Parliament Joseph Merrill Currier. Due to the current state of 24 Sussex Drive and the need for extensive renovations, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau does not live in the residence he once called home when his father Pierre Trudeau was Prime Minister. He and his family live in the same verdant vicinity but instead in the nearby Rideau Cottage.