Rashtrapati Bhavan - Most expensive home in India
November 17th, 2007
(2 votes, average: 5 out of 5)We had recently written an article about the house being constructed by Mukesh Ambani in South Mumbai. Quite a few people have been landing up at the article after having searched in Google using the keywords containing “most expensive house”. This started me out on an interesting search… Is it really the most expensive home ever built?The answer wasn’t hard to find. It isn’t. Not by a long shot. Not even by Indian standards. In fact all of us are already familiar with a more expensive house built in India – our very own ‘Rashtrapati Bhavan’.
Here are some interesting facts about it:
- 17 long years were required to complete (1912-1929) its construction. Then on its 18th year, India became independent. Interesting, because the house was built as a symbol of British Imperial strength. J
- The cost of construction was an astounding 14 million rupees. Not sure how much that would be in today’s prices, but that is astronomical by the standards of pre-independent India.
- At today’s real estate prices, the land itself will be worth more than 16,000 crores ($4 Billion). The house is built on an area of 335 acres or so, right in the heart of New Delhi. After all, New Delhi itself was designed by Lutyens with Viceroy’s house as its centre.
- The building has 340 rooms within its 4 storeyed structure.
- At one time 2000 people were required to look after it. Not sure whether that is still the case though. Might have been a colonial time extravaganza.
- Although Lutyens and Baker – the two main architects, quarreled bitterly over the details of New Delhi and Viceroy’s house (they actually ceased speaking to each other), the eventual results is considered to be an elegant mix of Western and Indian styles. Indian architectural patterns such as Buddhist railings, chhajjas, chhatris and jaalis are found in the building. Chhajjas are stone slabs designed for preventing the sunrays from falling on the windows and protecting the walls from the rains. Chhatris adorn the rooftops of the building through their elevated positions. Jaalis are stone slabs designed with delicate floral / geometric patterns.
- At 630 feet long, it is longer than the Versailles Palace.
- By the way, the place also has nine tennis courts, a polo ground, a 14-hole golf course and a cricket field.
To the west of Rashtrapathi Bhavan is the elegant Mughal Gardens, which occupies an area of 13 acres. It has Mughal style canals, fountains and terraces at different levels with flowering shrubs and Western style lawns, hedges and flower beds.
To the east lies a vast court with the huge Jaipur column of red sandstone. It is topped with a bronze lotus and the six pointed glass star of India, in the centre. 
You can also view the Satellite image and the roadmap of the area.
To all Indian Presidents’ credit, none of them have ever occupied the actual Viceroy quarters, deeming it to be too extravagant in nature. Instead all have occupied certain portions of the guest enclave of the building.
By the way, I can think of at least one other home building which might be even more expensive than the Rashtrapati Bhavan (not in India, though). Will cover that after some more research.
Hello Williams,
a few weeks ago I saw on TV a show about Lakshmi Mittal, the chairman and CEO of Arcelor Mittal, who apparently has bought a very expensive house in London located at Kensington Palace Gardens. It was mentioned on that TV show that it was the most expensive house in the world and had entered the Guinness Book of Records. I don’t know though whether that is true or not or how much it cost.
Cheers,
Kathy
Hi Kathy
Thanks.
Lakshmi Mittal’s new London home is not that expensive when viewed relative to the Rashtrapati Bhavan and Mukesh Ambani’s Antilia. He purchased it for less than 100 million pounds one year back. Mukesh Ambani’s house will be valued at $1 billion by the prevailing market rates in Mumbai and Rashtrapati Bhavan’s land alone is worth $4 Billion easily…
I think what is true is that Mittal has ‘bought’ the most expensive home in the world. All other titans tended to build up theirs from scratch.
It would be nice if we could get details on the interiors i think.
Also I think a distinction needs to be made between private residences and government residences. The Government can if necessary take over Mukesh’s house by declaring emergency!!!
[…] Rashtrapati Bhavan - Most expensive home […]
I feel that we can not take Rashtrapati Bhavan to be compared with residences of individuals; though the details such as cost at the time it was built, present value etc can be shared.
Publishing information about Rashtrapati Bhavan will help people to know about the historical structure we have in our capital city and it may interest designers and Architects as well.
I WANT CLIPS OF THE HOUSES NOT OF THE PARLIAMENT
@ anonymous
this is not the parliament !
World’s Top Three Expensive Houses
by Onflame ©, Aug 25, 2007
We see houses everyday. But very rarely do we get to see a house that might have an area of 60,000 square feet, or have a garage big enough to park eight limousines. But the world’s three most expensive houses have these features and more…
Updown Court Windlesham
Location: Surrey, England
Current Price: US $ 138 million
Living area: 60,000 square feet
Released in the market in 2005, the Updown Court Windlesham is the most expensive house in the world. This amazing 103-room home has 58 acres of garden and woodlands, all set up in the very ideal English countryside, making it a fantasy for anyone able to afford it. Brimming with grand hallways and ballrooms, this house has one panic room, an indoor squash court, a bowling alley, helipads, a 50-seat cinema, a garage giving space for eight limousines and then there’s a heated marble driveway to add to the splendid glamour. Out of the 103 rooms, 22 are bedrooms, each with its own marbled bathroom.
© Bloomberg News /Landov$165 million
Beverly Hills, California, USA.
Once owned by newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst, this expansive villa sits on six and a half acres in Beverly Hills.