The 12th of April marks the anniversary of the first manned space flight in 1961. It was an important day for the Soviet Union, and for Yuri Gagarin, the first cosmonaut, a farmer's son and father of two. The world quickly got to know the face of the smiling Russian in his space suit standing beside Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev, receiving flowers and honors. The Soviet Union had many official heroes, but Gagarin was perhaps one of the most genuinely popular. A large number of boys had received the name Yuri in his honor, and thousands of them dreamed of following in his footsteps. Gagarin was young, courageous and appealing, the ordinary boy who dazzled the world with his exploit. He became an instant Soviet celebrity, people turned to him for help and flooded him with letters. His life cut short in a tragic plane crash in 1968. These days the Russian space program survives by letting foreign cosmonauts spend time at the Mir space station for a fat fee. Being a cosmonaut these days seems like a lot of risk and hard work for little money and the conquest of space is hardly high on the Russian government's list of priorities at this moment. And nonetheless, Gagarin remains a twentieth century hero. More than any cold war era triumph in the rivalry between two systems, it was a symbol of human triumph.
The White House is the nation's standing emblem for life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. It represents the American presidency, democracy and making the impossible possible.
But not much is known about the Washington D.C. mansion that has housed some of the most glorious leaders this world has ever known.
Her are 15 fun facts about the White House that you might not have known before today.
1. The White House has a total of 132 rooms. This includes: 35 bathrooms, 412 doors, 147 windows, 28 fireplaces, 8 staircases, and 3 elevators.
2. The White House measures at 55,000-square feet, 70-feet high, 170-feet wide, and 85-feet deep. It is situated on 18 acres.
3. The White House has a total of six floors: two basements, two public floors, and two floors specifically for the First Family.
4. The White House was designed by Irish-American architect James Hoban after he won the architectural design competition to find the president's architect in 1792, according to Enchanted Learning. It was built by both paid and slave laborers from Scotland. The first cornerstone was laid in October of 1792 and it took eight years to complete.
5. The White House was being built while George Washington was in office. Washington himself never actually lived there.
6. 570-gallons of paint cover the outside of the White House, which cost taxpayers $283,000 to paint in 1994. The stone walls are still the same ones built under President Thomas Jefferson.
7. The White House has a tennis court, jogging track, swimming pool, movie theater, and bowling lane.
8. Throughout history, the White House has had various other monikers including President's Palace, President's House and the Executive Mansion. Theodore Roosevelt declared White House the official name in 1901.
9. There are five full-time chefs working at the White House. There is room enough to hold 140 guests for dinner and 1,000 guests for hors d'oeuvres.
10. The President and the First Lady are charged for all of their meals, as well as toiletries, dry cleaning, and incidentals.
11. The White House has twin buildings - one in France and one in Ireland. The building in France is a tourist attraction and the building in Ireland is for the Irish Parliament.
12. Only two couples have been married at the White House -- Tricia Nixon, Richard Nixon's daughter, married Edward Cox; and Anthony Rodham, Hillary Clinton's brother, married Nicole Boxer, Senator Barbara Boxer's daughter.
13. There is a swimming pool beneath the press room. President Franklin D. Roosevelt had a swimming pool built for polio therapy. President Nixon covered it and turned it into a press room. In July 2007 the room was redesigned and the tiled sides of the FDR pool remain. These tiles have been signed by the likes of Bono, Sugar Ray Leonard, and First Lady Laura Bush.
14. The White House is said to receive 65,000 letters per week, 2,500-3,500 calls per day, 1,000 faxes per day, and 100,000 emails per day.
15. Applications to tour the White House must be submitted 6 months before your trip, though the tour is free of charge.
The Soviet Union had many official heroes, but Gagarin was perhaps one of the most genuinely popular. A large number of boys had received the name Yuri in his honor, and thousands of them dreamed of following in his footsteps. Gagarin was young, courageous and appealing, the ordinary boy who dazzled the world with his exploit. He became an instant Soviet celebrity, people turned to him for help and flooded him with letters.
His life cut short in a tragic plane crash in 1968.
These days the Russian space program survives by letting foreign cosmonauts spend time at the Mir space station for a fat fee. Being a cosmonaut these days seems like a lot of risk and hard work for little money and the conquest of space is hardly high on the Russian government's list of priorities at this moment.
And nonetheless, Gagarin remains a twentieth century hero. More than any cold war era triumph in the rivalry between two systems, it was a symbol of human triumph.
But not much is known about the Washington D.C. mansion that has housed some of the most glorious leaders this world has ever known.
Her are 15 fun facts about the White House that you might not have known before today.
1. The White House has a total of 132 rooms. This includes: 35 bathrooms, 412 doors, 147 windows, 28 fireplaces, 8 staircases, and 3 elevators.
2. The White House measures at 55,000-square feet, 70-feet high, 170-feet wide, and 85-feet deep. It is situated on 18 acres.
3. The White House has a total of six floors: two basements, two public floors, and two floors specifically for the First Family.
4. The White House was designed by Irish-American architect James Hoban after he won the architectural design competition to find the president's architect in 1792, according to Enchanted Learning. It was built by both paid and slave laborers from Scotland. The first cornerstone was laid in October of 1792 and it took eight years to complete.
5. The White House was being built while George Washington was in office. Washington himself never actually lived there.
6. 570-gallons of paint cover the outside of the White House, which cost taxpayers $283,000 to paint in 1994. The stone walls are still the same ones built under President Thomas Jefferson.
7. The White House has a tennis court, jogging track, swimming pool, movie theater, and bowling lane.
8. Throughout history, the White House has had various other monikers including President's Palace, President's House and the Executive Mansion. Theodore Roosevelt declared White House the official name in 1901.
9. There are five full-time chefs working at the White House. There is room enough to hold 140 guests for dinner and 1,000 guests for hors d'oeuvres.
10. The President and the First Lady are charged for all of their meals, as well as toiletries, dry cleaning, and incidentals.
11. The White House has twin buildings - one in France and one in Ireland. The building in France is a tourist attraction and the building in Ireland is for the Irish Parliament.
12. Only two couples have been married at the White House -- Tricia Nixon, Richard Nixon's daughter, married Edward Cox; and Anthony Rodham, Hillary Clinton's brother, married Nicole Boxer, Senator Barbara Boxer's daughter.
13. There is a swimming pool beneath the press room. President Franklin D. Roosevelt had a swimming pool built for polio therapy. President Nixon covered it and turned it into a press room. In July 2007 the room was redesigned and the tiled sides of the FDR pool remain. These tiles have been signed by the likes of Bono, Sugar Ray Leonard, and First Lady Laura Bush.
14. The White House is said to receive 65,000 letters per week, 2,500-3,500 calls per day, 1,000 faxes per day, and 100,000 emails per day.
15. Applications to tour the White House must be submitted 6 months before your trip, though the tour is free of charge.