World's most AWESOME presidential palaces

   
Even as monarchies continue to make their way out to give place to democracies, the abodes of presidents are the most sought after installations all across the globe.

These aesthetic masterpieces become the symbols of national pride, attract huge influx of tourists, and also serve as the seat of power in some cases.


A survey recently published in Huffingtonpost.com selected the most stunning presidential palaces in the world. "Whether acting as the seat of the government, the head of state's home or, in some cases, as both, presidential palaces represent a stunning melange of architectural styles, from Baroque to neoclassical to merely modern," the report noted.

Brazil's seat of power located in capital Brasilia, the Pal cio do Planalto is built on a total area of 390,000 sq ft with four buildings inside the complex.

The architect of the Palacio do Planalto was Oscar Niemeyer, who designed most of the important buildings in Bras lia.

The idea was to project an image of simplicity and modernity using fine lines and waves to compose the columns and exterior structures.


The Presidential Office Building houses the Office of the President of the Republic of China (Taiwan).

The building, located in the Zhongzheng District in the national capital of Taipei, was designed by architect Uheiji Nagano during the period of Japanese rule of Taiwan (1895 1945).

Damaged in Allied bombing during World War II, the building was restored after the war by Chen Yi, the Governor-General of the Taiwan province. It became the Presidential Office in 1950 after the Republic of China lost control of mainland China and relocated the nation's capital to Taipei City at the end of the Chinese Civil War.

The two-part main building, six stories high, mainly houses government offices and maintenance services. The office wings feature balconies and long corridor that allow view of the sunlit North and South Gardens.

The 60-meter tower at the center of the building was the tallest structure in the Taipei Basin during Japanese rule. When the Nationalist regime took power, a platform was built at the top floor to enable martial flag-raising ceremonies.