The White House

Official residence and workplace of the President of the United States since John Adams moved in in 1800. The neoclassical mansion designed by James Hoban was burned by the British in 1814 and rebuilt, gutted and reconstructed on a steel frame under Truman in 1948 to 1952, and has been extended with the West Wing (Oval Office) and East Wing. The complex covers 132 rooms on six levels and sits in the 18 acre President's Park. It appears on the back of the 20 dollar bill and in more films than any other building in the city.

Practical: The building is seen from two sides. The north facade is viewed from Lafayette Square across Pennsylvania Avenue, which is closed to traffic and usually full of protesters, tourists and Secret Service. The south facade with the famous portico is viewed from the Ellipse and from the fence on E Street. Interior tours are free but must be requested weeks in advance through a member of Congress or, for foreign visitors, through your embassy, so they are rarely practical for a road trip. Allow 20 to 30 minutes for both views; the walk from the Washington Monument to the south fence is five minutes. The White House Visitor Center on Pennsylvania Avenue has exhibits and restrooms.