Rashtrapati Bhawan is a famous monument of the British Empire which was said to be the palace of the Viceroy of India and is now the home of the President of India. It is considered to be the best-known monument in India next to Taj Mahal and Qutub Minar. Rashtrapati Bhawan is the official residence of the President of India and is located in New Delhi. The mansion is a 340 room main building where the President resides. There are also various halls, guest rooms and offices within the main building. It is surrounded by a 320-acre Presidential Estate which includes the Mughal Gardens, large open spaces, residences of the staff and the bodyguards and other offices. This was the largest residence of a Head of State in the world until the Presidential Complex of Turkey was opened in October 2014. It is the centre of New Delhi and is situated in the Raisina Hills. The India Gate is visible from the entrance of the Rashtrapati Bhawan. The nearest Metro Station is the Barakhamba Road Metro Station, which falls on the Blue Line. You can hire an autorickshaw or taxi from outside the station. Alternatively, you can reach Rashtrapati Bhavan by taking the DTC bus or taxi that runs regularly from every point in the city. The building was designed by Edwin Lutyens and the construction began in 1911. The work was supposed to be completed in 4 years, but the war intervened and it took 19 years to complete it. It consists of four floors with 340 rooms. There is a Durbar Hall inside the Rashtrapati Bhawan and a dome of the hall measures 22.8 meters in diameter. The hall is marked with various coloured marbles. The Viceroy's throne is present in the hall. The hall is a major venue for all the ceremonies of the palace. The main building has the Drawing room, ballroom, library, dining room and private apartments. To the west of the Rashtrapati Bhawan, there are Mughal Gardens which is open to the public.