Peterhoff, Shimla

The Peterhoff was a building in Shimla which has housed at least seven Viceroys and Governors General of India during the British Raj. It has been built in typical Tudor style - all wooden frames and shingled eaves.Its first occupant was James Bruce, 8th Earl of Elgin, who moved into the building in 1863.After India's independence from the British Empire, the building served as the Punjab High Court. It was at Peterhoff where the trial of Nathuram Godse, who assassinated Mahatma Gandhi, took place in 1948-49. In 1971, when Himachal Pradesh became a full-fledged state, Peterhoff served as the Raj Bhavan (the Governor's residence).The building was destroyed in a fire on the night of 12 January 1981. Subsequently, the Raj Bhavan was shifted to the Barnes' Court building. The Peterhoff was rebuilt to a new design as a luxury hotel in 1991. It has 34 suites.