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No tour of or visit to the capital would be complete without stopping off at the president's house. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington, it is in effect the second White House, the first being burned by the British in 1814. The modest, but very impressive building is bordered by the US Treasury, the largest Greek-revival building on earth, and the Old Executive Office Building. The interior is absolutely fabulous. The house boasts a very notable collection of decorative art, including works from the Sheraton, Queen Anne, French and American Empire and Federal periods. Turkish Hereke carpets, Bohemian cut-glass chandeliers, carved Carrara marble mantels and elaborate plasterwork all help give the White House that heir of importance and good taste. The main tour normally begins at the ceremonial East Room which houses Gilbert Stuart's 1797 portrait of George Washington. It then passes into the Vermeil Room which contains 17th to 20th-century French and English gilded silver. Next is the Green Room, a small drawing room, then the hugely impressive State Dining Room where Healy's Lincoln portrait hangs and finally the Blue and Red Rooms which boast fabulous furnishings from the French Empire.; Admission to this must-see building is free, but be prepared to queue, as understandably, it generates a lot of interest. |