Zohran Mamdani is due to move into the iconic Gracie Mansion after he is sworn in as the mayor of New York in January.

The progressive Democrat, who won November’s New York mayoral election, will leave his one-bedroom Queens apartment, and into the Upper East Side mansion, which has been home to almost every NYC mayor since 1942.

Gracie Mansion is hundreds of years old, and steeped in history, having been used as a country home, museum, and even a concession stand since being built in 1799.

Here are five facts about Gracie Mansion as it prepares to become home to the 111th mayor of New York City.

Gracie Mansion Is Almost as Old as the United States Constitution

Gracie Mansion is in the heart of New York City, situated in Yorkville on the Upper East Side.

It is almost as old as the Constitution itself. The U.S. Constitution was written in 1787, and Gracie House was built in 1799 by New York merchant Archibald Gracie.

At the time, it served as a country house—as it was by then situated five miles outside of the city, which has sprang up exponentially over the centuries to become one of the world’s most-iconic metropolises.

The History of Gracie Mansion

Gracie Mansion is steeped in history. After being built in 1799, it was sold off multiple times amid war and financial difficulties. In 1896, the City of New York took the estate as taxes were not being paid on it, and incorporated its 11 acres into what would become known as Carl Schurz Park.

The home was then used as a concession stand and restrooms for the park, but after being restored in 1924, became the Museum of the City of New York.

It became an official residence for the mayor of New York in 1942, when Fiorello H. La Guardia and his family moved into the building.

Since then, the mansion has grown: the Susan E Wagner Wing, which includes a ballroom and two reception rooms for official events and public gatherings, was added in 1966. It also underwent a major restoration between 1981 and 1984 as the Gracie Mansion Conservancy was launched as a public-private partnership, according to the mansion’s website.

Art, furniture and historic objects bought or on loan from New York City’s many cultural institutions can be found on display in Gracie Mansion. In 2002, then-mayor Michael Bloomberg increased accessibility of the house to the public, and updated the interior and exterior of the mansion.

One Mayor Refused To Live in Gracie Mansion

American businessman Michael Bloomberg served as mayor of New York City for three terms, but refused to live at Gracie Mansion for the entirety of his time in office.

The billionaire had his own mansion in the city, and chose not to sleep at the mayoral house, instead only holding official functions there.

In 2012, Bloomberg said no mayor should live in Gracie Mansion as they don’t need a housing allowance, and said it is “a great house for everybody, not for one family.”

He argued that nonprofits and other agencies held meetings and events at the house during his tenure, but “if a mayor’s family is living there,” half of the home “is just not available.”

“If a mayor lives there, then what they’re doing is costing this city a lot more money and depriving the rest of the city of one of the great facilities any city has,” he said, according to a report at the time from CBS News.

Bloomberg is the only mayor of New York City not to have lived, for at least some of their tenure, at Gracie Mansion since it became the official residence for the position.

There Have Been Famous Visitors to Gracie Mansion

Gracie Mansion has played host to famous guests both before and after it became an official residence for the mayor of New York City.

In 1990, Nelson Mandela was invited to the city for a ticker-tape parade, and stayed as a guest in Gracie Mansion, in honor of his release from prison. He had been imprisoned in South Africa for 27 years for leading the anti-apartheid movement, but went on to become the country’s first Black head of state.

Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, John F. Kennedy, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, and other important political figures were invited guests over the years. Celebrities such as Charlie Chaplin, Muhammad Ali, Diana Ross and Michael J. Fox have also been invited guests.

John Quincy Adams, sixth president of the United States, stayed at the mansion as a guest before it became an official residence.

Gracie Mansion Is Open to the Public

Overlooking Carl Schurz Park, and just steps away from East 90th Street Ferry Dock, Gracie Mansion is close to some of the most-iconic spots in New York City, including Central Park, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the Museum of the City of New York.

Visitors can explore the interior and exterior of the home, with public tours held on specific days and times. Concerts and public events are also hosted within the mansion, along with special exhibits.

Gracie Mansion can be visited by subway, the bus, the ferry and by private transport.