Presidential Palace of Suriname: Difference between revisions

|name=GouvernementsgebouwPresidentieel paleis

|caption=GouvernementsgebouwPresidentieel paleis

|map_type=Paramaribo

|construction_start_date=18th century<ref>{{cite book|page=[https://archive.org/details/lonelyplanetsout00dann/page/742 742]|lastlast1=Palmerlee|firstfirst1=Danny|last2=Bao|first2=Sandra|last3=Beech|first3=Charlotte|title=South America on a Shoestring|url=https://archive.org/details/lonelyplanetsout00dann|url-access=registration|publisher=Lonely Planet|location=Footscray, Victoria, Australia|year=2004|ISBNisbn=1741041635}}</ref>

The '''GouvernementsgebouwPresidential Palace of Suriname''' (Dutch: '''Presidentieel paleis van de Republiek Suriname''') is the presidential palace of [[Suriname]], located in the capital of [[Paramaribo]].<ref>{{cite book|last=Streissguth|first=Thomas|title=Suriname in Pictures|url=https://archive.org/details/surinameinpictur0000stre|url-access=registration|location=Minneapolis, MN|publisher=Twenty-First Century|year=2010|page=[https://archive.org/details/surinameinpictur0000stre/page/72 72]|isbn=9781575059648 }}</ref>

It is located across from The Independence Square ([[Onafhankelijkheidsplein]]), which also houses the National Assembly of Suriname, the Congress building, the Court of Justice, and the Ministry of Finance. It is one of the most prolific and best maintained examples of [[Architecture of the Netherlands|Dutch colonial architecture]] in Suriname and is part of the UNESCO world Heritage site of the Paramaribo inner-city. The [[Garden of Palms]] is located behind it.

The current palace was built in 1730, when formerthe then Governor-General of Suriname, [[Charel Emilius Hendrik de Cheusses]] led an expansion project of the already existing governor's palace. Before the major renovation of 1780 commissioned by Governor-General Bernard Texier, the palace underwent multiple changes, but was slowly falling into disrepair. When Texier took office, he decided to take up residence at the [[Gravenstraat 6]]. A grand gallery was added along with a third floor. But it wasn't until 1911 that the palace was expanded to its current size, with the addition of the [[portico]] and terrace. A decade later saw the completion of the one story west wing. The building received many ornamental additions, such as the arched beams of the balcony and the shield of the "Geoctrooieerde Sociëteit van Suriname" placed on the third story. The garden at the back was also redeveloped and extended towards The [[Palmentuin]].

Although officially still the official residence of the head of state of Suriname, the [[President of Suriname]], the palace is currently used as a venue for government and diplomatic events. It is the symbol of the Surinamese independence of 1975, and has since been known more commonly as "Het Presidentieel Paleis". It is also the most common choice for presidential addresses (often from the center balcony).

[[Category:Presidential palacesresidences]]

[[Category:SpanishDutch Colonialcolonial architecture]]