History of palace

The Republican Palace is a venerable relic of the former Turkish epoch in Sudan (1821 – 1885). It was constructed according to stages, during which development in the shape and materials occurred. Red bricks and clay were used. Then the stones were brought from Soba - from the relics of Alwa ancient kingdom.

The Palace was designed to resemble – to some extent – the big buildings which existed in Europe, in the 17^th century.

The main building of the Palace consists of a main wing, which extends from east to the west. Two further wings extend north and south, in equal dimensions. The main gate opens northwards; which was altered in 1995.

 When the Palace was constructed, it was the official residence of the Turkish Governor- General; whose offices were outside the Palace building (the Presence Ministry of Finance building). When the offices were transferred inside the Palace, other residences were constructed for the entourage of the Governor, outside the Palace. Meanwhile, the aids of the Governor General remained in offices inside the Palace in the ground floor.

Gordon Pasha lived in the second floor; and his office was in the first floor. During the Condominium period, the ground floor was specified for the administration offices; while the first floor was the H.Q. of the English Church and the third floor for the Governor General's Office.

The contents of the main building of the Palace; and its uses through the historical epochs

The Office of the President of the Republic:

The first to use this Office (the office of the Sudanese Head of State), was Sir Lee Stack Pasha. The Governor General of the Sudan (1916-1924). The major Office was at the Place of the present meetings Halls. This Office was specified for the Governor General, in 1925. Then, after independence, all the presidents of the Supreme Council (interim) occupied this office, including Lt. Gen. Ibrahim Abboud, Sayed/ Ismail Al-Azhari, Marshal/ Jaafar Nimeiry, Marshal/ Abdel Rehman Mohamed Hassan Sowar Al-Dahab, Sayed/ Ahmed El-Mirghany and finally, Marshal/ Omer Hassan Ahmed Al-Bashir.

The Office of the First President of the Republic

Since the Turkish rule period, the ground floor was specified for the assistants and the aids of the Governor General. A circular staircase was constructed in the eastern side of the palace, to make access for the office of these assistants and aids, to the office of Governor General. After independence, the office was specified for a member of the Supreme Council of State. Since that time, it became a Presidential office.

The Main Saloon:

The Main Saloon is used for the reception of the guests of the President of the Republic. The accredited documents of the State Ambassadors are received here. The Saloon was constructed when the Palace was constructed, in 1832; and many alterations were made on it. In the past, it was used as a celebrations hall; which the British Governor General held (1900-1955). It was also used for dancing celebration; and there was an electric Piano (which is now found in the Palace Museum); and which was transferred from the Presidential Saloon, in January 1956. Thus, the Saloon was used, after independence, as said earlier, for the protocols of receiving the foreign Ambassadors accredited documents, the guests of the Supreme Council of State and those of the President of the Republic.

The Meetings Hall:

After the re-construction of the Palace, in 1900, this Hall was specified as H.Qs. for the English Church and a centre for the Masonic Movement. After the construction of the church building, outside the Palace, Sir Wingate Pasha (the then Governor General, {1901-1916}) transferred his office to that Hall. He made a circular staircase, to link his office with the office of the secretariat, at the ground floor. In the time of Sir Lee Stack Pasha (1916-1924), the Governor General's Office, was transferred from this Hall, to the present office of the President of the Republic. The Hall, then, was specified as one for meetings, and prepared for this purpose, since independence.

The Conferences Hall:

This Hall was, in the past, used as a saloon for official meals which the Governor General held. After independence, it remained as it was. Then it was transferred to a press conferences Hall, in 1977. It was then rehabilitated and prepared for this purpose. It is now used as an official meetings Hall and for press conferences too.

The Second Floor:

During the national epoch, this floor was specified to be the residence of the visiting Heads of State, who visited the Country. It is formed of three wings: Eastern, Central and Western Wings. It also contains a saloon, bed rooms and a dinning room. Several Heads of State, were received in this floor; such as, Queen Elizabeth II, Emperor Haille Selassie, President Jamal Abdel Nasir, President Joseph Broze Tito and President Hafiz Al-Asad.

The Electric Lift:

This lift was installed in 1976, within the preparations for holding the Arab Summit Conference, in June 1976. It was constructed for serving the senior guests who visited the Palace, and continued as such till now, specified for senior guests, visitors and the official leaders.

The Palace Garden:

The area of the garden, is approximately 12 feddans. It was planted at the construction of the Palace, in the Turkish rule period. The garden, received great attention, during Kitchener time, who brought experts for it, from Europe. Thus, it became, later, a model for horticultural gardens, in Sudan. Several experiments were made in this garden; and the trees of Khartoum town were cultured in it. The garden was lately developed and mended, lately, to contain many and numerous types of trees, in addition to the green fields.

The Internal Staircase (the site of killing Gordon):

The Palace was constructed of a ground floor and two floors on top of it. Gordon Pasha lived in first floor, in the western part of the main building. There is a staircase connecting the ground floor, to the first floor. On 26 January, 1884, when the Mahdist Forces attacked the Palace, Gordon was standing at the staircase which leads to the Sitting Room. On the steps of the staircase; Gordon was killed and dragged from the staircase, to the door of the Palace. This incident marked the end of the colonial era, and paved the way to the rise of the Mahdist State in the Sudan. When the Palace was reconstructed, in 1900, the internal staircases were transferred. Many visitors of the Palace, care for visiting that site, inside the Palace..