Government House stands at the inland end of Place d'Armes, a long, two-storey colonial building that has served as the seat of administration since the French period. The original structure was built in 1738 by Mahé de Labourdonnais and has been added to and rebuilt many times since.
The building still houses the prime minister's office and parliamentary chambers; you can't enter without business, but the exterior — pale stone, deep verandas, a statue of Queen Victoria looking distinctly out of place in front — is one of the city's most photographed sights.