Peterhoff, Shimla

The Peterhoff is a building in Chaura Maidan, Shimla which housed at least seven Viceroys and Governors General of India during the British Raj. It was built in Tudor style, with wooden frames and shingled eaves. The building is situated in Annadale in the ward of Shimla.

Peterhoff
The Peterhoff in 2010
Location in Himachal Pradesh, India
Former names	Raj Bhavan, Shimla
Alternative names	The Peterhof
General information
Town or city	Shimla
Coordinates	31.089178°N 77.179886°E / 31.089178; 77.179886
Renovated	1991

Its first occupant was James Bruce, 8th Earl of Elgin, who moved into the building in 1863.[1]

After India's independence from the British Empire, the building served as the Punjab High Court. It was at Peterhoff that the trial of Nathuram Godse, who assassinated Mahatma Gandhi, took place in 1948–49.[2] In 1971, when Himachal Pradesh became a full-fledged state, Peterhoff served as the Raj Bhavan (the Governor's residence).[3]

The building was destroyed in a fire on the night of 12 January 1981.[3] Subsequently, the Raj Bhavan was shifted to the Barnes' Court building. The Peterhof was rebuilt to a new design as a luxury hotel in 1991. It has 34 suites.[4] Seventeen rooms of the hotel are owned by Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (HPTDC) and the rest are reserved for the governor, chief minister, state guests and general administration department.[5]