Also Known As · Viceroy's House (historic) · President's House
New Delhi, Delhi · monument
Lutyens' great copper-domed palace on Raisina Hill — 340 rooms, the Durbar and Ashoka Halls, and the flowering Amrit Udyan, closing the Central Vista axis.
Rashtrapati Bhavan is the official residence of the President of India and one of the largest head-of-state homes in the world — a monumental Lutyens palace crowning Raisina Hill at the western end of the Kartavya Path vista, its great copper dome closing the grand axis that runs down to India Gate. Built between 1912 and 1929 as the Viceroy's House after the capital moved from Calcutta to Delhi, and renamed Rashtrapati Bhavan when Dr Rajendra Prasad became India's first President in 1950, it holds some 340 rooms across roughly 320 acres of estate.
Pure-vegetarian South Indian dosas and thalis
A pocket-friendly pure-vegetarian Gujarati thali
An unlimited pure-vegetarian Rajasthani-Gujarati thali
Rashtrapati Bhavan is the official residence of the President of India and one of the largest head-of-state homes in the world — a monumental Lutyens palace crowning Raisina Hill at the western end of the Kartavya Path vista, its great copper dome closing the grand axis that runs down to India Gate.
this is a working presidential estate, so access is by prior registration only — plan ahead through the official channel, carry the photo ID you register with, and expect strict security (the building circuits carry a small fee; the Change of Guard and Amrit Udyan are free). Amrit Udyan opens only seasonally (usually February–March) and is closed on Mondays; timings change annually, so always reconfirm officially. Nearest metro: Central Secretariat. Allow two to three hours.
Visiting Hours
Entry Fee: Amrit Udyan and the Change of Guard are free; building circuits carry a small per-person fee. Prior online registration is mandatory for all visits — carry the photo ID you register with.
Verified: July 2026
Address
Raisina Hill, President's Estate, western end of Kartavya Path, New Delhi, Delhi, 110004
Atop Raisina Hill, closing the Kartavya Path vista
🚇 Nearest Metro: Central Secretariat (Yellow & Violet Lines) — about 1.2 km; Udyog Bhawan; Patel Chowk
🚶 Walking from Metro: From Central Secretariat metro it is about a 12-minute walk (1.2 km) to the estate; a seasonal shuttle runs to the garden gate.
Distance from
Parking
nearby · ₹20–₹50 (paid)
Limited parking around the President's Estate; the metro plus the seasonal shuttle is easiest.
🚕 Ride Hailing Tip: Uber and Ola drop near the estate gates; during the Amrit Udyan season use the free shuttle from Central Secretariat metro.
How to Reach: Rashtrapati Bhavan is on Raisina Hill at the western end of Kartavya Path. Nearest metro: Central Secretariat (Yellow & Violet Lines), about 1.2 km, plus Udyog Bhawan and Patel Chowk; during the Amrit Udyan season a free shuttle runs from Central Secretariat metro to the garden gate.
History
Rashtrapati Bhavan was built as the Viceroy's House after the 1911 decision to move the capital from Calcutta to Delhi.
🏛️ Architect: Lutyens' 'Delhi Order' — a Beaux-Arts classical composition crowned by a dominant copper Buddhist-stupa-inspired dome, with chhajja eaves, chhatris, jaali screens and temple-bell pillar capitals, built in cream and red Dholpur sandstone across a 320-acre estate.
Significance
Rashtrapati Bhavan is the official residence of the President of India and one of the largest head-of-state residences in the world — the architectural centrepiece of the Central Vista and a masterpiece of Lutyens' Delhi, with the celebrated Amrit Udyan gardens.
Family Highlights
💰 Equipment Fees: Exterior photography free; interior/estate rules vary and may restrict cameras.
📍 The Golden Spot: The copper dome and Delhi-Order façade along the Kartavya Path axis toward India Gate.
🌅 Best Light Time: Early morning and golden hour along the vista.
🌅 Secret View: The temple-bell pillar capitals and the stupa-inspired dome reveal Lutyens' 'Delhi Order' fusion of Indian and classical forms — look for them on the Forecourt.
🎯 Crowd Hack: Book an early slot; the Amrit Udyan season draws huge crowds, so weekday mornings are best.
💎 Secret Fact: Built 1912–1929 as the Viceroy's House with some 700 million bricks, it became Rashtrapati Bhavan when Dr Rajendra Prasad took office as India's first President in 1950.
⚡ Express Tour
90 minutes — the Forecourt, the Change of Guard and Circuit 1.
🔭 Deep Dive Tour
Half day — both building circuits and, in season, Amrit Udyan.
👕 Dress Code: Smart, modest dress; comfortable shoes for the large estate.
📷 Photography Rules: Photography of the exterior along Kartavya Path is free; interior and estate photography follow the current official rules, which can restrict cameras — check before visiting.
🏧 Nearest ATM: ATMs around Connaught Place and Janpath (within 3 km).
All visits require prior online registration through the official channel — the building circuits, the Saturday Change of Guard and the seasonal Amrit Udyan each have their own slots. Carry the exact photo ID you register with and expect strict security.
The Amrit Udyan gardens and the Change of Guard are free (registration still required); the guided building circuits carry a small per-person fee.
Amrit Udyan opens only seasonally, usually February–March, from about 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM, and is closed on Mondays; dates change each year, so reconfirm on the official portal.
Central Secretariat on the Yellow and Violet Lines is about 1.2 km away; Udyog Bhawan and Patel Chowk are also nearby, and a free shuttle runs during the Amrit Udyan season.
It was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens with Sir Herbert Baker and built between 1912 and 1929 as the Viceroy's House, in Lutyens' fusion style known as the 'Delhi Order'.
The Janpath and Connaught Place area nearby has fine pure-veg options — Saravana Bhavan and the Gujarat Bhawan thali among them.
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