The Presidential Palace in Nicosia: The History of the Former Government House

The Presidential Palace of the Republic of Cyprus in Nicosia is a building with an unusual history, encompassing the island’s British colonial past, two devastating fires and almost a century of Cyprus’s political life. The modern palace stands on the site of the residence of the British High Commissioner, and its architecture was deliberately created as a kind of collection of Cypriot motifs: individual elements were borrowed from Kolossi Castle, medieval monasteries and old buildings in different parts of the island.

• Where the Presidential Palace is located
• How Government House came into being
• The 1931 fire and the construction of the new palace
• Who designed Government House
• Cypriot architecture in a single building
• Unusual details of the palace
• The main door made of 288 wooden elements
• How Government House became the Presidential Palace
• The destruction of the palace in 1974
• The Presidential Palace today
• Can the Presidential Palace be visited
• Interesting facts
• Frequently asked questions

Where the Presidential Palace is located

The Presidential Palace is located in Nicosia, south of the city’s historic centre, on the territory of the Republic of Cyprus. The complex is surrounded by a large green area and pine plantations.

Today, it is the official residence and main workplace of the President of the Republic of Cyprus. Official meetings, state ceremonies, receptions for foreign delegations and other events are held here.

However, the history of this place began long before the Republic of Cyprus came into existence.
Location

How Government House came into being

In 1878, administration of Cyprus passed to Great Britain. The island’s first British High Commissioner was Sir Garnet Wolseley.

After arriving in Cyprus, he initially took up residence in a metochi belonging to Kykkos Monastery outside the walls of Nicosia. Soon, a separate residence for the head of the British administration was established on the site where the Presidential Palace now stands.

The first building bore no resemblance to the modern palace. It was a prefabricated wooden house brought from abroad. The early residence was a fairly typical structure for the British colonial administration, with a tiled roof and verandas.

The story of its delivery is interesting. According to historical accounts, the prefabricated structure was originally shipped from Great Britain for use in Ceylon, but it was no longer needed there. The house was redirected to Cyprus, delivered to Larnaca and then transported to Nicosia in dismantled form.

In 1925, the residence received its official name: Government House.

The 1931 fire and the construction of the new palace

The first Government House no longer exists.

In October 1931, an anti-colonial uprising took place in Cyprus, entering history as Oktovriana. During the unrest, Government House was set on fire and destroyed.

After the fire, the British authorities decided not to restore the former wooden house, but to build a new permanent residence on its site.

At the same time, they decided that the new Government House should not be a copy of an English administrative building. Its architecture was intended to reflect Cyprus’s own history and traditions.

Before the design work began, specialists studied old buildings in different parts of the island, recording architectural elements that could then be used in the new residence.

Who designed Government House

The new Government House was designed by the British architect Maurice Webb, who was associated with the London architectural firm Sir Aston Webb & Son.

Construction was carried out by the Cypriot Public Works Department, the department of the British colonial administration responsible for public works.

The work continued for several years during the 1930s. A unique photographic record of the construction has survived: the Centre of Visual Arts and Research (CVAR) archive holds a collection of 147 black-and-white photographs depicting the construction of Government House, its interiors, architectural details and the people involved in the work.

Some photographs show Maurice Webb himself and the chief builder, a man named Christodoulos.

By the mid-1930s, the building was practically complete, and the construction is generally considered to have been finished in 1937.

Cypriot architecture in a single building

The most interesting feature of the Presidential Palace is its architecture.

The creators of Government House deliberately brought together elements from different eras of Cypriot history. The building incorporates motifs of Byzantine, Gothic and Ottoman architecture, combined with the principles of 20th-century British colonial architecture.

Some of the sources of inspiration are known with complete certainty.

The central tower was designed with the famous Kolossi Castle near Limassol in mind. Its basic proportions were taken from the castle.

The tower was originally intended to be topped with a pyramidal tiled roof, but this idea was abandoned. Instead, a dome was added, giving the building another Byzantine motif.

The colonnades were inspired by the architecture of Acheiropoietos Monastery in the Lapithos area.

Models for the carved capitals and column bases were sought in the architecture of Kythera, Lambousa and Nicosia.

Thus, Government House became a kind of architectural collection: elements originating from different parts of Cyprus and different historical eras were brought together in one building.

Unusual details of the palace

The Presidential Palace is interesting to examine even at the level of its smaller decorative elements.

Porous limestone from the Gerolakkos area was used for the exterior walls. It was chosen for its greyish-yellow colour, strength and durability.

Harder limestone from the Limassol area was used for the stairs, fireplaces and some interior elements.

But one of the most unusual details is located on the southern side of the building.

There are eight ornamental gargoyles here, which serve both a practical and a decorative function.

The four lower ones depict people who took part in the construction:

• the chief foreman;
• the chief stonemason;
• the chief carpenter;
• the “unknown worker”.

The four upper gargoyles are shaped like animals characteristic of life in Cyprus at the time:

• a bull;
• a donkey;
• a camel;
• a sheep.

The result is a kind of monument not only to architects and officials, but also to the ordinary people whose hands built the structure.

The main door made of 288 wooden elements

A separate story is connected with the main entrance to Government House.

The model for its door was the door of the Monastery of Saint John the Baptist in the Kyrenia Mountains.

Each panel was assembled from at least 288 small wooden elements, using timber from six different species.

The components were joined together without nails or screws. This complex construction served not only a decorative purpose — it also reduced the likelihood of the large wooden door warping.

The materials came from different places. Cypriot timber was used — pine, cypress, eucalyptus, plane, walnut and mulberry — as well as wood from other parts of the British Empire at the time, including Burma and Canada.

Cypriot motifs continued inside the building: carved beams, woven reed ceiling elements, decorative stair details and textiles created a connection with the island’s traditional interiors.

How Government House became the Presidential Palace

In 1960, the Republic of Cyprus gained independence, and the last British governor left the residence.

The former Government House was given a new purpose and became the Presidential Palace of the Republic of Cyprus.

Thus, the building that had originally symbolised the British colonial administration became the official residence of the head of an independent state.

The destruction of the palace in 1974

But the building experienced another almost complete destruction.

On 15 July 1974, during the coup against President Archbishop Makarios III, the Presidential Palace was attacked.

A major fire broke out in the building. The interiors were almost completely burned out, and what remained of the palace was largely its fire-damaged exterior walls.

It was subsequently decided to restore the palace while preserving its original architectural character. The work was carried out by the Public Works Department, and Greece provided financial assistance for the restoration.

After the reconstruction, the building once again began to be used for its intended purpose. Since 1979, it has again served as the official residence and workplace of the President of the Republic of Cyprus.

The Presidential Palace today

Today, the Presidential Palace remains one of the main state buildings of the Republic of Cyprus.

At the same time, it contains more than just administrative infrastructure. Over the decades, a significant art collection has been assembled here.

In 2025, a major project to systematise and digitise the collection was presented. It includes works by well-known Cypriot artists, as well as objects connected with the history and culture of the island.

As part of the project, an interactive “time machine” was also created, allowing visitors to trace the history of the residence from 1878 to the present day.

Thus, the palace is interesting not only as the active residence of the president, but also as a kind of chronicle of Cyprus’s modern history.

Can the Presidential Palace be visited

The Presidential Palace is an active state facility, so it does not operate like an ordinary tourist museum with free daily admission.

State events, official meetings and ceremonies take place on the grounds. Special events and visits may be organised on certain days, but visitors should not expect to be able to simply arrive and view the interiors without prior information.

If the main aim is to explore the architecture of Nicosia’s British period, the palace can be included in a broader route covering the city’s colonial heritage. Nicosia has preserved a considerable number of administrative, public and residential buildings from the British period.

Interesting facts

• Two different residences successively stood on this site. The first was a 19th-century prefabricated wooden house; the second was the stone Government House, which became the modern Presidential Palace.
• The first residence was brought to Cyprus in dismantled form. It was not built as a monumental palace and originally took the form of a prefabricated colonial structure.
• The modern palace was built after a fire. The old Government House was destroyed during the 1931 uprising.
• The project was designed by Maurice Webb. The British architect created a building that was intended to look not merely colonial, but recognisably Cypriot.
• Kolossi Castle became one of the palace’s architectural prototypes. Its proportions were used in the design of the central tower.
• Some elements were inspired by monuments in the northern part of the island. These include Acheiropoietos Monastery and the Monastery of Saint John the Baptist.
• Separate architectural details were dedicated to the builders. The façade still features gargoyles depicting craftsmen and the “unknown worker”.
• The main door was assembled without nails. Each of its panels consisted of at least 288 small elements.
• The palace survived two major fires. The first destroyed the old Government House in 1931, while the second almost destroyed the Presidential Palace in 1974.
• A detailed photographic record of the construction has survived. The CVAR archive collection contains 147 photographs of the new Government House from the 1930s.

Frequently asked questions

Where is the Presidential Palace of Cyprus located?

The Presidential Palace is located in Nicosia, on the territory of the Republic of Cyprus, south of the city’s historic centre.

Is this the same Government House that existed under the British?

Yes and no. The modern building was constructed as Government House for the British administration in the 1930s and became the Presidential Palace after 1960. However, before it, an earlier wooden residence stood on the same site; it was destroyed by fire in 1931.

When was the modern Presidential Palace built?

The modern Government House was built in the 1930s after the previous residence was destroyed. Design and construction began after the events of 1931, and the building was completed in the middle to the second half of the 1930s.

Who was the palace’s architect?

The new Government House was designed by the British architect Maurice Webb. The construction work was carried out with the participation of the Cypriot Public Works Department.

Why does the palace resemble old Cypriot buildings?

This was part of the architectural concept. Traditional buildings on the island were studied before the design work began. As a result, Byzantine, Gothic,