The Secretariat at Thiruvananthapuram is the administrative headquarters of Kerala, India. The history of the Secretariat is also the history of the capital city. The construction of the Secretariat building began on December 7, 1865 with the laying of the foundation stone by Ayilyam Thirunal who ruled Travancore. The building was designed by William Barter. The building is modeled after the Roman Dutch. The Secretariat refers to the complex of departments. The Secretariat is located on Narmada Road in the heart of Thiruvananthapuram City. The Secretariat is over 140 years old. The Secretariat houses the Housing, Government Ministries and Bureaucratic Offices of the Government of Kerala.