Viceregal Lodge (Indian Institute of Advanced Study), Shimla

The Viceregal Lodge is Shimla's grandest colonial building and a top attraction for history lovers. Guided tours take you through the 1888 residence of British viceroys, now the Indian Institute of Advanced Study.

The Viceregal Lodge stands on Observatory Hill in Boileauganj, west of central Shimla. It was designed by the architect Henry Irwin in the Jacobethan style, with influences from English Renaissance buildings and Scottish Highland castles, and built between 1880 and 1888. Lord Dufferin moved in on 23 July 1888. The six-storey building is of light blue-grey stone with pitched roofs, and its interiors are known for their elaborate woodwork.

Himachal Tourism notes that talks on the partition of India were held here between the Viceroy and leaders of the freedom movement. Since 1965 it has housed the Indian Institute of Advanced Study (IIAS), a residential research institute, and it is also called Rashtrapati Niwas. Tourists can buy tickets for a 30-minute guided tour of parts of the main building, in Hindi or English.

Tours are sold first come, first served, run from around 10:30 AM to a last tour at 4:30 PM, and take up to 60 people. A cheaper ticket covers only the lawns and gardens. A golf cart runs between the main gate and the ticket booth. Photography inside the main building is not allowed. The complex is closed on Mondays and national holidays.