Thu. Mar 28th, 2024

Naomi Biden, the president’s granddaughter, is getting married at the White House. Photos show the historic mansion’s interior.<!-- wp:html --><p>The mansion itself covers 55,000 square feet.</p> <p class="copyright">AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais</p> <p><strong>The White House is an iconic center of power that has hosted presidents, their guests, staff, and tourists for two centuries.</strong><strong>President Joe Biden's granddaughter, Naomi Biden, recently <a href="https://www.insider.com/naomi-biden-white-house-wedding-date-details-2022-7#but-biden-herself-has-been-involved-in-wedding-planning-which-her-grandmother-says-has-been-special-to-watch-8">got married</a> at the historic presidential mansion.</strong><strong>As a modern landmark, the White House is surprisingly small. These photos illustrate the layout, floor plans, and makeup of the building.</strong></p> <p><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/?hprecirc-bullet">Visit BusinessInsider.com for more stories.</a></p> <p>President Joe Biden's granddaughter, Naomi Biden, <a href="https://www.insider.com/naomi-biden-white-house-wedding-date-details-2022-7">got married</a> at the White House on November 19 to <a href="https://www.insider.com/naomi-biden-fiance-peter-neal-white-house-wedding-2022-9?inline-endstory-related-recommendations=">Peter Neal</a>. Their wedding, which will take place on the South Lawn, will be the <a href="https://www.insider.com/weddings-white-house-history-photos-2022-4">19th wedding</a> at the historic home.  </p> <p>"Peter and I are endlessly grateful to my Nana and Pop for the opportunity to celebrate our wedding at the White House," Naomi Biden <a href="https://twitter.com/NaomiBiden/status/1511081396151984140">tweeted on April 4</a>. </p> <p>The presidential mansion has been a symbol of the US president's executive authority since John Adams and first lady Abigail moved in 218 years ago. Its iconic porticos, halls, and rooms have witnessed several administrations and countless guests, including tourists, celebrities, and heads of state. Past presidents have called it <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2013/03/the-white-house-list/309225/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">"the best public housing" and a "gilded cage"</a>.</p> <p>After receiving either a high-profile invitation to an official event or <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/about-the-white-house/tours-events/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">clearance from a local representative for a tour</a>, visitors to the mansion might be surprised at its modest scale, especially compared to the massive monuments and museums that sit a few blocks away.</p> <p>See the decades-old architecture and decorations that make up the historic White House.</p> <div> <div class="slide">The White House is considerably larger in reputation than physical space when compared to other major landmarks across the US.A magnolia tree blossoms on the South Lawn. <p class="copyright">Jason Reed/Reuters</p> <p><em>Source: <a href="https://www.whitehousehistory.org/collections/president-trumans-renovation" target="_blank" rel="noopener">White House Historical Association</a>, <a href="https://www.architecturaldigest.com/story/white-house-renovations-timeline" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Architectural Digest</a></em></p> </div> <div class="slide">An 18-acre enclosed area keeps the mansion at a distance from the public on the street in the heart of Washington, DC. <p class="copyright">Screenshot Google Maps</p> <p><em>Source: <a href="https://www.whitehousehistory.org/questions/how-big-is-the-white-house" target="_blank" rel="noopener">White House Historical Association </a></em></p> </div> <div class="slide">From the street, it looks far away, but looms large.1600 Pennsylvania Avenue <p class="copyright">AP</p> </div> <div class="slide">The mansion's iconic features are obvious symbols that the mansion has been a center of power for more than 200 years, but they might be less grand than visitors expect.The White House is reflected in a puddle on March 22, 2019, amid news that special counsel Robert Mueller has concluded his investigation into Russian election interference and possible coordination with associates of President Donald Trump. <p class="copyright">AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin</p> </div> <div class="slide">The mansion itself covers 55,000 square feet, or around 30% of the area enclosed by the fence, and is 168 feet long from east to west — about three-quarters of the wingspan of a 747 aircraft. <p class="copyright">Google Maps</p> <p><em>Sources: <a href="https://www.whitehousehistory.org/questions/how-big-is-the-white-house" target="_blank" rel="noopener">White House Historical Association</a>, <a href="https://www.boeing.com/commercial/747/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Boeing</a></em></p> </div> <div class="slide">Inside and out, the White House serves as an important platform for the president to meet with the press, public, and international rulers. An estimated 90 people work on building staff to keep it in tip-top shape, and a few hundred administration staffers work in the offices of the West Wing.U.S. President Joe Biden speaks as first lady Jill Biden listens during a Cinco de Mayo reception at the Rose Garden of the White House May 5, 2022 in Washington, DC. <p class="copyright">Alex Wong/Getty Images</p> <p><em>Sources: <a href="https://www.quora.com/How-many-staff-work-in-the-West-Wing-and-do-they-keep-their-jobs-when-the-presidency-changes" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Quora</a>, <a href="https://www.quora.com/How-many-employees-does-the-White-House-have" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Quora</a></em></p> </div> <div class="slide">Though the grounds are maintained with extensive regular landscaping and painting, only a few renovations have added space to the mansion.Workers paint the North Portico of the White House, Thursday, Aug. 16, 2018, in Washington. <p class="copyright">Andrew Harnik/AP</p> </div> <div class="slide">The British burned down the original building during the War of 1812, so the White House as we know it today was constructed after that."The President's House" as it appeared after the fire, by George Munger, 1814-1815. <p class="copyright">George Munger/The White House Historical Association/Wikimedia Commons</p> </div> <div class="slide">The West and East wings were added in 1902 and 1942, respectively, and a four-year renovation completed in 1952 installed a steel frame to fortify the building.The White House, circa 1846. <p class="copyright">Library of Congress</p> <p><em>Source: <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/about-the-white-house/the-white-house/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">White House</a></em></p> </div> <div class="slide">The building has three wings connected by two colonnades. The West Wing, where the Oval Office and the president's staff work, has three floors. The East Wing, where the first lady and her staff work, has two floors. The residence, located in the middle, has two floors of basements, a ground floor where building staff work, the state floor where official events take place, then two floors where the first family lives.White House staff members wave to President Joe Biden from a balcony on the south side of the White House as he departs on June 25, 2021, in Washington, DC. <p class="copyright">Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images</p> <p><em>Source: <a href="http://www.whitehousemuseum.org/Floor2.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The White House Museum</a></em></p> </div> <div class="slide">In the residence, the mansion's state floor contains several rooms that serve as the main reception areas for the first couple to meet with official visitors and hold events. <p class="copyright">Wikimedia, ZooFari</p> </div> <div class="slide">Its style has changed with each incoming president, but it was First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy who famously filled the mansion with historic American art and furniture, transforming the mansion's interior into a gorgeous and meaningful spectacle.First lady Jacqueline Kennedy shows CBS reporter Charles Collingwood through the White House during a nationally televised tour in this February 1962 file photo. <p class="copyright">AP Photo, File</p> <p><em>Sources: <a href="https://www.architecturaldigest.com/story/white-house-renovations-timeline" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Architectural Digest</a></em></p> </div> <div class="slide">The classic touches added by the former first lady are still in the White House's main rooms today in the paintings and colored silk that cover the walls in reception areas like the Green Room.The Green Room is decorated at the White House during a preview of the 2016 holiday decor, Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2016, in Washington. <p class="copyright">Andrew Harnik/AP</p> </div> <div class="slide">The rooms provide a picturesque and intimate setting for the president and first lady to receive their diplomatic guests.President Trump and the First Lady at a state dinner with the President of France and Mrs. Macron. <p class="copyright">D. Myles Cullen/White House Flickr</p> </div> <div class="slide">The main drawing rooms are among the most visible areas of the mansion. They connect to the main hallway, Cross Hall.President Barack Obama walks down the Cross Hall to hold his first news conference, Monday, Feb. 9, 2009, in the East Room of the White House in Washington. <p class="copyright">Ron Edmonds/AP</p> </div> <div class="slide">The hall connects all the main parlors, including the Blue and Red rooms, providing a prime space for festive seasonal decorations.The Lower Cross Hall is decorated with "snowball" arches created from more than 6,000 ornaments and snowmen lining the corridor in the White House during a preview of the 2016 holiday decor, Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2016, in Washington. <p class="copyright">Andrew Harnik/AP</p> </div> <div class="slide">The main corridor only measures a little less than 18 feet by 80 feet, about 20 feet longer than a bowling lane.The Lower Cross Hall is decorated with "snowball" arches created from more than 6,000 ornaments and snowmen lining the corridor in the White House during a preview of the 2016 holiday decor, Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2016, in Washington. <p class="copyright">Andrew Harnik/AP</p> <p><em>Source: <a href="http://www.whitehousemuseum.org/floor1/cross-hall.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">White House Museum</a>, <a href="http://www.usbowling.com/f---q.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">US Bowling</a></em></p> </div> <div class="slide">The East Room, approximately 80 feet by 37 feet, is often used for formal ceremonies and press availability.President Donald J. Trump addresses his remarks at the Wounded Warrior Project’s Soldier Ride D.C. event, Thursday, April 18, 2019, in the East Room of the White House. <p class="copyright">Tia Dufour/White House Flickr</p> <p><em>Source: <a href="http://www.whitehousemuseum.org/floor1/state-dining-room.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">White House Museum</a></em> </p> </div> <div class="slide">The State Dining Room is home to many of the official functions, and was expanded to approximately 49 feet by 36 feet, which can accommodate 140 guests. It's where the most formal meals are held, including state dinners. <p class="copyright">Shealah Craighead/White House via Getty Images</p> <p><em>Source: <a href="http://www.whitehousemuseum.org/floor1/state-dining-room.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">White House Museum</a></em></p> </div> <div class="slide">The first family's residence is a floor away from the mansion's main reception rooms, accessed by a private staircase.A Secret Service agent stands guard on the staircase leading to the White House residence. <p class="copyright">Al Drago/Getty Images</p> </div> <div class="slide">The first family's residence on the second and third floors are some of the most private and historically significant rooms in the mansion.The second floor of the residence contains the president's bedroom. <p class="copyright">ZooFari/Wikimedia</p> <p>Counting <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/about-the-white-house/the-white-house/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">all six levels</a>, the residence has 132 rooms, 35 bathrooms, 412 doors, 147 windows, 28 fireplaces, eight staircases, and three elevators.</p> </div> <div class="slide">The Yellow Oval Room is one of the largest rooms of the residence floor and has provided an intimate space for the first couple to host guests who have the honor of seeing the private level.President Ronald Reagan and wife Nancy entertain King Carl XVI Gustav of Sweden and his wife Queen Silvia November, 22, 1981 in the Yellow Oval Room. <p class="copyright">David Hume Kennerly/Getty Images</p> </div> <div class="slide">There are a couple smaller sitting rooms that may feel more intimate for the first family, including the Treaty Room, seen here for a World Cup soccer game in 2011.President Barack Obama, First Lady Michelle Obama, and their daughters Sasha and Malia watch the World Cup soccer game between the U.S. and Japan, from the Treaty Room office in the residence of the White House, Sunday, July 17, 2011. <p class="copyright">Official White House Photo by Pete Souza</p> </div> <div class="slide">The Lincoln Bedroom, named for the former president who used the room as an office and is rumored to still haunt the space, serves as a guest room.Shown here is the Lincoln Bedroom at the White House which is decorated in yellow. <p class="copyright">Bettmann/Getty Images</p> <p><em>Source: <a href="https://www.whitehousehistory.org/questions/did-president-lincoln-sleep-in-the-lincoln-bedroom" target="_blank" rel="noopener">White House Historical Association</a>, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/white-house-facts-13-wild-you-never-knew-2019-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Business Insider</a></em></p> </div> <div class="slide">The iconic room's last major refurbishment was by former first lady Laura Bush in 2007, but all first families are invited to put their personal touches on the residence's decorations.First Lady Laura Bush stands in the newly refurbished Lincoln bedroom of the White House on Feb. 08, 2007. <p class="copyright">Bill O'Leary/The Washington Post via Getty Images</p> <p><em>Source: <a href="https://www.whitehousehistory.org/the-lincoln-bedroom-refurbishing-a-famous-white-house-room" target="_blank" rel="noopener">White House Historical Association</a></em></p> </div> <div class="slide">The West Wing is where private rooms are officially designated and designed for the administration's work. <p class="copyright">Adam Lenhardt/Wikimedia</p> </div> <div class="slide">The Oval Office is 35 by 29 feet. <p class="copyright">AP</p> <p><em>Source: <a href="https://www.whitehousehistory.org/questions/what-are-the-dimensions-of-the-oval-office" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The White House Historical Association</a></em></p> </div> <div class="slide">Parts of the well-known West Wing resemble a standard office building, complete with photos of the present's inauguration celebrations.Photos of President Donald Trump's inauguration are hung on the walls of corridors in the West Wing of the White House in Washington, Monday, Jan. 23, 2017. <p class="copyright">Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP</p> </div> <div class="slide">The Cabinet Room allows for 22 people, including administration officials and relevant outside agents, to take a seat at the large conference table for meetings on specific issue areas.The recently refurbished Cabinet Room is seen during a media tour September 8, 2004 at the West Wing of the White House in Washington, DC. The Cabinet Room was refurbished this summer for the first time in 22 years with refurbishment includes a new rug, draperies, paint color and lighting. <p class="copyright">Alex Wong/Getty Images</p> </div> <div class="slide">The West Wing's "Situation Room" is a major center for the administration's work, as it's actually a series of conference rooms that spans 5,000 square feet to host meetings with the president and top defense officials.The main conference area of the White House Situation Room has been newly remodeled and was shown to the press May 18, 2007 in Washington, DC. The 5000-square foot Situation Room is actually a series of five conference rooms that are now equipped with flat-screen televisions for secure video conferences, including a new Watch Floor where officers can keep up with a steady stream of classified and unclassified information. <p class="copyright">Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images</p> <p><em>Source: <a href="http://www.whitehousemuseum.org/west-wing/situation-room.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">White House Museum</a></em></p> </div> <div class="slide">Before he was elected president, Biden spent time in the Oval Office as vice president alongside President Barack Obama.US President Barack Obama listens to Vice President Joe Biden as they release the Cancer Moonshot Report in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC on October 17, 2016. <p class="copyright">Yuri Gripas/AFP via Getty Images</p> <p><em>Source: <a href="https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/realitycheck/node/110">Obama White House Archives</a></em></p> </div> <div class="slide">Though it's smaller than people might expect, it's still the 34th largest house in the US, and it's filled with more history than any of them.The White House is seen under dark clouds in Washington, Friday, Feb. 27, 2009. <p class="copyright">Gerald Herbert/AP</p> </div> </div> <div class="read-original">Read the original article on <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/white-house-size-layout-in-photos-2019-5">Business Insider</a></div><!-- /wp:html -->

The mansion itself covers 55,000 square feet.

The White House is an iconic center of power that has hosted presidents, their guests, staff, and tourists for two centuries.President Joe Biden’s granddaughter, Naomi Biden, recently got married at the historic presidential mansion.As a modern landmark, the White House is surprisingly small. These photos illustrate the layout, floor plans, and makeup of the building.

Visit BusinessInsider.com for more stories.

President Joe Biden’s granddaughter, Naomi Biden, got married at the White House on November 19 to Peter Neal. Their wedding, which will take place on the South Lawn, will be the 19th wedding at the historic home.  

“Peter and I are endlessly grateful to my Nana and Pop for the opportunity to celebrate our wedding at the White House,” Naomi Biden tweeted on April 4

The presidential mansion has been a symbol of the US president’s executive authority since John Adams and first lady Abigail moved in 218 years ago. Its iconic porticos, halls, and rooms have witnessed several administrations and countless guests, including tourists, celebrities, and heads of state. Past presidents have called it “the best public housing” and a “gilded cage”.

After receiving either a high-profile invitation to an official event or clearance from a local representative for a tour, visitors to the mansion might be surprised at its modest scale, especially compared to the massive monuments and museums that sit a few blocks away.

See the decades-old architecture and decorations that make up the historic White House.

The White House is considerably larger in reputation than physical space when compared to other major landmarks across the US.A magnolia tree blossoms on the South Lawn.

Source: White House Historical Association, Architectural Digest

An 18-acre enclosed area keeps the mansion at a distance from the public on the street in the heart of Washington, DC.

Source: White House Historical Association 

From the street, it looks far away, but looms large.1600 Pennsylvania Avenue
The mansion’s iconic features are obvious symbols that the mansion has been a center of power for more than 200 years, but they might be less grand than visitors expect.The White House is reflected in a puddle on March 22, 2019, amid news that special counsel Robert Mueller has concluded his investigation into Russian election interference and possible coordination with associates of President Donald Trump.
The mansion itself covers 55,000 square feet, or around 30% of the area enclosed by the fence, and is 168 feet long from east to west — about three-quarters of the wingspan of a 747 aircraft.

Sources: White House Historical Association, Boeing

Inside and out, the White House serves as an important platform for the president to meet with the press, public, and international rulers. An estimated 90 people work on building staff to keep it in tip-top shape, and a few hundred administration staffers work in the offices of the West Wing.U.S. President Joe Biden speaks as first lady Jill Biden listens during a Cinco de Mayo reception at the Rose Garden of the White House May 5, 2022 in Washington, DC.

Sources: Quora, Quora

Though the grounds are maintained with extensive regular landscaping and painting, only a few renovations have added space to the mansion.Workers paint the North Portico of the White House, Thursday, Aug. 16, 2018, in Washington.
The British burned down the original building during the War of 1812, so the White House as we know it today was constructed after that.”The President’s House” as it appeared after the fire, by George Munger, 1814-1815.
The West and East wings were added in 1902 and 1942, respectively, and a four-year renovation completed in 1952 installed a steel frame to fortify the building.The White House, circa 1846.

Source: White House

The building has three wings connected by two colonnades. The West Wing, where the Oval Office and the president’s staff work, has three floors. The East Wing, where the first lady and her staff work, has two floors. The residence, located in the middle, has two floors of basements, a ground floor where building staff work, the state floor where official events take place, then two floors where the first family lives.White House staff members wave to President Joe Biden from a balcony on the south side of the White House as he departs on June 25, 2021, in Washington, DC.

Source: The White House Museum

In the residence, the mansion’s state floor contains several rooms that serve as the main reception areas for the first couple to meet with official visitors and hold events.
Its style has changed with each incoming president, but it was First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy who famously filled the mansion with historic American art and furniture, transforming the mansion’s interior into a gorgeous and meaningful spectacle.First lady Jacqueline Kennedy shows CBS reporter Charles Collingwood through the White House during a nationally televised tour in this February 1962 file photo.

Sources: Architectural Digest

The classic touches added by the former first lady are still in the White House’s main rooms today in the paintings and colored silk that cover the walls in reception areas like the Green Room.The Green Room is decorated at the White House during a preview of the 2016 holiday decor, Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2016, in Washington.
The rooms provide a picturesque and intimate setting for the president and first lady to receive their diplomatic guests.President Trump and the First Lady at a state dinner with the President of France and Mrs. Macron.
The main drawing rooms are among the most visible areas of the mansion. They connect to the main hallway, Cross Hall.President Barack Obama walks down the Cross Hall to hold his first news conference, Monday, Feb. 9, 2009, in the East Room of the White House in Washington.
The hall connects all the main parlors, including the Blue and Red rooms, providing a prime space for festive seasonal decorations.The Lower Cross Hall is decorated with “snowball” arches created from more than 6,000 ornaments and snowmen lining the corridor in the White House during a preview of the 2016 holiday decor, Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2016, in Washington.
The main corridor only measures a little less than 18 feet by 80 feet, about 20 feet longer than a bowling lane.The Lower Cross Hall is decorated with “snowball” arches created from more than 6,000 ornaments and snowmen lining the corridor in the White House during a preview of the 2016 holiday decor, Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2016, in Washington.

Source: White House Museum, US Bowling

The East Room, approximately 80 feet by 37 feet, is often used for formal ceremonies and press availability.President Donald J. Trump addresses his remarks at the Wounded Warrior Project’s Soldier Ride D.C. event, Thursday, April 18, 2019, in the East Room of the White House.

Source: White House Museum 

The State Dining Room is home to many of the official functions, and was expanded to approximately 49 feet by 36 feet, which can accommodate 140 guests. It’s where the most formal meals are held, including state dinners.

Source: White House Museum

The first family’s residence is a floor away from the mansion’s main reception rooms, accessed by a private staircase.A Secret Service agent stands guard on the staircase leading to the White House residence.
The first family’s residence on the second and third floors are some of the most private and historically significant rooms in the mansion.The second floor of the residence contains the president’s bedroom.

Counting all six levels, the residence has 132 rooms, 35 bathrooms, 412 doors, 147 windows, 28 fireplaces, eight staircases, and three elevators.

The Yellow Oval Room is one of the largest rooms of the residence floor and has provided an intimate space for the first couple to host guests who have the honor of seeing the private level.President Ronald Reagan and wife Nancy entertain King Carl XVI Gustav of Sweden and his wife Queen Silvia November, 22, 1981 in the Yellow Oval Room.
There are a couple smaller sitting rooms that may feel more intimate for the first family, including the Treaty Room, seen here for a World Cup soccer game in 2011.President Barack Obama, First Lady Michelle Obama, and their daughters Sasha and Malia watch the World Cup soccer game between the U.S. and Japan, from the Treaty Room office in the residence of the White House, Sunday, July 17, 2011.
The Lincoln Bedroom, named for the former president who used the room as an office and is rumored to still haunt the space, serves as a guest room.Shown here is the Lincoln Bedroom at the White House which is decorated in yellow.

Source: White House Historical AssociationBusiness Insider

The iconic room’s last major refurbishment was by former first lady Laura Bush in 2007, but all first families are invited to put their personal touches on the residence’s decorations.First Lady Laura Bush stands in the newly refurbished Lincoln bedroom of the White House on Feb. 08, 2007.

Source: White House Historical Association

The West Wing is where private rooms are officially designated and designed for the administration’s work.
The Oval Office is 35 by 29 feet.

Source: The White House Historical Association

Parts of the well-known West Wing resemble a standard office building, complete with photos of the present’s inauguration celebrations.Photos of President Donald Trump’s inauguration are hung on the walls of corridors in the West Wing of the White House in Washington, Monday, Jan. 23, 2017.
The Cabinet Room allows for 22 people, including administration officials and relevant outside agents, to take a seat at the large conference table for meetings on specific issue areas.The recently refurbished Cabinet Room is seen during a media tour September 8, 2004 at the West Wing of the White House in Washington, DC. The Cabinet Room was refurbished this summer for the first time in 22 years with refurbishment includes a new rug, draperies, paint color and lighting.
The West Wing’s “Situation Room” is a major center for the administration’s work, as it’s actually a series of conference rooms that spans 5,000 square feet to host meetings with the president and top defense officials.The main conference area of the White House Situation Room has been newly remodeled and was shown to the press May 18, 2007 in Washington, DC. The 5000-square foot Situation Room is actually a series of five conference rooms that are now equipped with flat-screen televisions for secure video conferences, including a new Watch Floor where officers can keep up with a steady stream of classified and unclassified information.

Source: White House Museum

Before he was elected president, Biden spent time in the Oval Office as vice president alongside President Barack Obama.US President Barack Obama listens to Vice President Joe Biden as they release the Cancer Moonshot Report in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC on October 17, 2016.

Source: Obama White House Archives

Though it’s smaller than people might expect, it’s still the 34th largest house in the US, and it’s filled with more history than any of them.The White House is seen under dark clouds in Washington, Friday, Feb. 27, 2009.
Read the original article on Business Insider

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