Understand
[edit]The first known professional state governments were in ancient civilizations such as ancient Egypt, ancient Mesopotamia, and the civilizations which preceded imperial China. Traditionally, governments are categorized as monarchies (in which the Head of State is appointed for life, often by heredity) or republics, in which the Head of State is elected for a limited term.
Modern democratic governments are (at least in the ideal case) divided between the executive government (cabinet or administration), the legislative body (known as parliament or congress) and the judiciary (courts).
Many government buildings are designed to be prominent in the neighborhood, with elaborate architecture. Some capital cities were planned on greenfield sites with an administrative district for that purpose; see planned cities.
Destinations
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As there are countless government buildings in the world, this is a collection of places which have international importance for government and politics, or some other distinction which makes them interesting for an international audience. For a comprehensive list of destinations within a specific category, see legislative buildings, monarchies (including Benelux monarchies, Nordic monarchies and the monarchy of the United Kingdom), official residences, local governments and interesting borders.
- 1 Ancient Agora (Athens, Greece). The site of the Ancient Agora in a green space with a beautiful view of the Acropolis.
- 2 The Roman Forum (Foro Romano) (Rome/Colosseo, Italy). Once the seat of government for the Roman Empire.
- 3 Þingvellir National Park (Iceland). Original site of the Alþingi, one of the claimants to being the world's oldest surviving legislative assembly.
- 4 Peace Palace, Carnegieplein 2, The Hague, Netherlands. The Peace Palace was built in 1913, to house the Permanent Court of Arbitration, which was hoped to provide a means to legally settle international disputes. World War I broke out just a year later. Today the Peace Palace also houses the International Court of Justice, the principal judicial body of the UN, which settles disputes between countries only.
- 5 UN Headquarters New York, 1st Ave at 46th St, New York City, USA. The seat of the United Nations Secretary General and General Assembly.
- 6 Parlamentarium, Willy Brandt building, Rue Wiertz / Wiertzstraat 60, B-1047, Brussels, Belgium. A dedicated visitor centre for the European Parliament in Brussels.
Stay safe
[edit]Many government buildings have a harsh security protocol, which does not take lightly on trespassing.
Government buildings can also attract political protests, which can at times turn violent.
See also corruption and bribery.
See also
[edit]- Diplomatic missions
- European Union
- Grand old hotels, of which many have hosted visiting heads of state and government
- Historical travel
- History of organized labor
- Military tourism
- Philosophy tourism
- Presidents of the United States
- Spies and secrets
- United Nations