10 Downing Street
Power’s Most Famous Door:
The House That Runs Britain
No. 10 Downing Street, perhaps the world’s most famous front door, has served as the official residence and office of British Prime Ministers since 1735. Behind its deceptively modest Georgian façade and that distinctive glossy black door with gleaming brass fixtures, lies a warren of approximately 100 rooms where the business of governing Britain takes place.
The building’s understated exterior belies its true scale – No. 10 is actually a complex of interconnected houses, with a considerable expanse stretching far back from the street. Its famous black door, complete with the slightly crooked ‘0’, has become synonymous with British political power, though few realise it’s regularly repainted with a special scratch-resistant paint to maintain its pristine appearance.
Whilst not open to public tours, the street’s most photographed entrance is visible from Whitehall, protected by armed police officers and imposing gates. Inside, the yellow-walled Cabinet Room has hosted government meetings since 1735, whilst the wood-panelled State Dining Room displays portraits of past Prime Ministers. The building also houses the Prime Minister’s private residence upstairs, including the kitchen where many late-night political decisions have reportedly been made over cups of tea.
Larry, the Downing Street cat and officially the “Chief Mouser to the Cabinet Office”, often provides lighter moments for photographers stationed outside, having served under several Prime Ministers since 2011. The famous door, which can only be opened from the inside, still bears the original scratches from the brass letter-box that Churchill used to receive his dispatches.
