Central and Southern European Seats of Government

It may be surprising to you that the building where France’s democratically elected legislature meets carries the name of the royal family that was ousted during the French Revolution. The Palais Bourbon was built in 1722 by a daughter of King Louis XIV. 

Like other royal properties, it was confiscated during the Revolution of 1789-1799 and became the property of the people of France. Since 1830, it has housed the National Assembly, a bicameral parliament with an upper and lower house.

This unit of the National Police protects the safety and security of the government. Created by Napoléon I in 1800, it is headed by the Prefect of Police. Today, government headquarters in most European capitals are on constant high alert.

This magnificent building opened in 1894 to house the Imperial Diet, Germany’s parliament. In 1933, the building was badly damaged by fire. 

Its closure gave the rising Nazis an excuse to suspend many rights provided by the German constitution parliament rarely met during the Nazi years. After World War II, the parliaments of East and West Germany met separately in Berlin and Bonn. 

In 1999, the fully renovated Reichstag was chosen as the meeting place of the Bundestag, the reunified German parliament.

As you can see, the building dwarfs its visitors. Its 6 stories cover about 13,290 square metres, and its 4 towers are 40 metres high. ‘Dem deutchen Volke’ (To the German people) is inscribed above the main entrance.

Designed by Bavarian architect Friedrich von Gärtner, this neoclassical building was built between 1836 and 1843. It provided a home to the Greek kings and queens until the monarchy was abolished in 1924.

At various times, the Old Royal Palace served as a hospital, a refugee shelter, and a museum. Today, it houses the Hellenic Parliament, a unicameral (one chamber) legislature of 300 members. 

Athens’ Constitution Square is within walking distance of the Acropolis, the centre of ancient Greek politics and culture. To many present-day Athenians, the square represents the epicentre of modern Greek politics and commerce. In recent years, numerous mass protests have taken place here. 

The baroque Palazzo Madama is an architectural time capsule. It was built on top of the ruins of the ancient baths of Nero, which date to 62 AD. The ‘new’ building was finished in 1505 as a Roman residence for the Medici family, a leading family of Florence.

The current façade dates from the mid-1650s. Since 1871, the building has housed the Senate of the Republic, one of the two houses of the Italian parliament (the other is the Chamber of Deputies). 

Throughout most of the Christian era, a large part of Italy was ruled by the Catholic pope. It was only in 1949, following a period of monarchical and then fascist rule, that Italy became a modern democracy.

The Palácio de São Bento in Lisbon was formerly a Benedictine monastery known as São Bento da Saúde (St. Benedict's Health) and dating back to the 16th century. The building endured a devastating earthquake in 1755. 

In 1834, the government took over the property as a meeting place for the Assembleia Nacional, the Portuguese parliament, and the building was renovated and refurbished. Today it presents an imposing neoclassical façade to the simple buildings across the street.

Stone lions sculpted by Raul Xavier (1894-1964) guard the broad stairway that leads to the palace entrance. Busts, statues and relief work created by Xavier adorn public buildings throughout Portugal.

The relief sculpture on the tympanum—the recessed part of the pediment—shows a figure representing the nation of Portugal surrounded by 18 other figures representing different aspects of society. The sculpture was created by Simões de Almeida.

The Federal Palace in the Swiss capital, Bern, provides a meeting place for both houses of the Swiss Federal Assembly—the upper house, the Council of States, and the lower house, the National Council.

It also houses the Federal Council, the country’s executive branch. Designed by architect Hans Auer, the building was dedicated on 1 April 1902. It includes a central assembly hall, a library and offices for various government departments.

The modern Bundesplatz is paved with 3,600 granite tiles from the nearby Alps. Hidden beneath them are 26 lighted water jets, one for each canton. The site hosts a weekly market and ice-skating in the colder months. 

The palace’s largest tower, Victoria Tower contains the Sovereign’s Entrance, an elaborately decorated archway used by the monarch whenever he or she enters the building. It also contains the Parliamentary Archives, with more than 3 million documents on 12 floors.