The Government Palace (Spanish: Palacio de Gobierno), also known as the House of Pizarro (Spanish: Casa de Pizarro), is the seat of the executive branch of the Peruvian government, and the official residence of the president of Peru. The palace is a stately government building, occupying the northern side of the Plaza Mayor in Peru's capital city, Lima. Set on the Rímac River, the palace occupies the site of a very large huaca ("revered object") that incorporated a shrine to Taulichusco, the last kuraka (indigenous governor) of Lima.

The first Government Palace was built by Francisco Pizarro, governor of New Castile, in 1535. When the Viceroyalty of Peru was established in 1542, it became the viceroy's residence and seat of government as the Viceregal Palace (), also known as the Casas Reales. This palace no longer exists since fires destroyed much of it in 1884 and 1921 and what remained was later demolished.

The current palace was built from 1926 to 1938, under the direction of President Oscar R. Benavides during his second term of office. The chief architects were Claude Antoine Sahut Laurent and Ricardo de Jaxa Malachowski.

A number of ceremonial guard units of the Peruvian Armed Forces are stationed at the palace, and participate in the daily Changing of the Guard ceremony and other official duties.

History Origins A large huaca ("revered object") stood on the present site of the palace, where Taulichusco, the last kuraka or indigenous ruler of the Rimac Valley, had lived until Francisco Pizarro's conquest of the area. Present-day Lima is built over the location of more than 300 sacred huaca sites, of which this was one of the most important.

New Castile Francisco Pizarro, appointed Governor of New Castile in 1529, founded the city of Lima as his capital in 1535 and built his palace on its Plaza Mayor in 1536. The first house was a two-story adobe structure, built on the Castilian model with two large courtyards for troops and stables. The building served as the head office of Pizarro's administration. On Sunday 26 June 1541, thirteen supporters of Diego de Almagro II, whose father Diego de Almagro had been executed in 1538 by Pizarro's brother Hernando, stormed the building. Several guests escaped as the attackers fought their way in, but four defenders were killed and four wounded before Pizarro was assassinated.

Viceregal period

Following Pizarro's death in 1541, and the creation of the Viceroyalty of Peru in 1542, the building became the Viceregal Palace. It underwent several extensions over the course of this period, and was occupied by 43 viceroys before the last, José de la Serna, was forced out in 1821.

The building was damaged by an earthquake on 20 October 1687, and again in 1746. Antonio de Ulloa described the building as it was at the time of his arrival in Lima as a young lieutenant of the Spanish Navy in 1740:

In the north side of the square is the vice-roy's palace, in which are the several courts of justice, together with the offices of revenue, and the state prison. This was formerly a very remarkable building, both with regard to its largeness and architecture, but the greatest part of it being thrown down by the dreadful earthquake with which the city was visited, Oct. 20th, 1687, it now consists only of some of the lower apartments erected on a , and is used as the residence of the vice-roy and his family.

General José de San Martín declared the independence of Peru from the palace on 28 July 1821.

Republican period

The Government Palace has served as the seat of government of all presidents of the Republic of Peru since the viceroyalty came to an end.

Fire gutted the building in December 1884, during the presidency of General Miguel Iglesias, and it had to be rebuilt.

In 1921, fire again destroyed much of building. The then president, Augusto B. Leguía, ordered its reconstruction and, in modifying the facade, launched the building of the present Government Palace.

Work began in 1926. The first phase was designed by the French architect Claude Antoine Sahut Laurent (1883–1932). Construction came to a halt with his death in 1932. Phase II was built between 1937 and 1938 during the presidency of Oscar R. Benavides, who assigned completion of the building to the Polish architect Ricardo de Jaxa Malachowski. Work began on 24 August 1937 with the demolition of the older structure, including what remained of Pizzaro's original adobe building. The project was completed the following year, when the new Government Palace was officially inaugurated.

The construction works saw the demolition of the Church of Our Lady of the Forsaken, located behind the original building, after which its altar was moved to the new chapel of Government Palace.

During the Internal conflict in Peru, the Túpac Amaru Revolutionary Movement attacked the building by firing an Instalaza rocket launcher at it on August 5, 1987. The attacker was based either off a rooftop on the other side of the river, or a moving car. Two grenades were also used, one of which damaged the concrete wall, while the other entered the aide-de-camp's hall.

In 2009, an obelisk dedicated to the victims of terrorism was inaugurated by Alan García.

On 28 July 2021, during his inauguration, President Pedro Castillo announced that he would not govern from the palace and that the palace would be handed over to the Ministry of Cultures and turned into a museum of Peruvian history.

Architecture

The current Government Palace building dates largely from the 1920s. It is representative of the Neo-Plateresque style characteristic of Lima from the 1920s to the 1940s. The coat of arms of Pizarro is displayed on the main portico of the building, at Palacio Street, which was designed and built by the French architect Claude Antoine Sahut Laurent (1883–1932).

The Polish architect Ricardo de Jaxa Malachowski designed the building's facade in 1938. Inspired by the Neo-Baroque style, it looks onto the main square, the Plaza Mayor (or Plaza de Armas) of Lima.

Interior The palace has several formal rooms looking out onto a courtyard garden. The palace has several inner courtyards, and halls and rooms named for notable figures in Peruvian history.

The Presidential Office (Despacho Presidencial) is named in honor of Colonel Francisco Bolognesi. The Agreements Room is named for Admiral Miguel Grau. The Ministers' Council Room is named after Air Force Captain José A. Quiñones Gonzáles. The Ambassadors' Room (Salón de Embajadores) has recently been renamed in honor of the inspector of the guards Mariano Santos Mateo. Among the reception rooms is the Golden Hall, which has a fine collection of paintings. The building also contains elegant living quarters which serve as the official residence of the president of the republic.

Jorge Basadre Room

Previously called the Eléspuru and Choquehuanca Hall (Hall Eléspuru y Choquehuanca), the Jorge Basadre Room (Salón Jorge Basadre) is in the Spanish Renaissance style and dates from the 1920s. It features marble columns and rounded arches showing Moorish architectural influence. The hall is illuminated by four large windows, and the floor is Italian marble mosaic. Two presidential carriages, used on official occasions until 1974, are displayed in this room.

The room may be entered through from a door to the palace on Palacio Street. Its original name paid tribute to the soldiers who died defending the building here during the attack on 29 May 1909 during the first presidency of Augusto B. Leguía, whose bust is displayed beneath a portrait of Pedro Fernández de Castro, Count of Lemos by an unknown 17th century artist.

Sevillian Patio This internal courtyard, dating from the 1920s, features glazed tiles made in Seville, Spain. Each set displays the coat of arms of Peru, of Lima, and Pizarro. It is accessed through the rooms of the presidential residence.

One legend says that Pizarro himself planted and took care of a fig tree here that is supposedly alive today. According to the Peruvian historian Raúl Porras Barrenechea, the fig tree was "not mentioned by any chronicler of the 16th, 17th, 18th and 19th centuries until it was invented by some valet from the palace, urged by tips".

Golden Hall

Dating from the 1920s, the Golden Hall (Salón Dorado) is the largest and grandest of the Government Palace. It is the main reception hall, and is where ministers take their oath of office and ambassadors present their credentials to the president.

Inspired by the Hall of Mirrors at the Palace of Versailles in France, the room is the work of the French architect Claude Antoine Sahut Laurent. The walls feature tall mirrors and relief work in gold leaf. The vaulted ceiling is decorated with gilded relief work featuring both indigenous and European motifs. The furnishings are in the style of Louis XIV; four bronze and crystal chandeliers hang from the ceiling. The room contains two matching marble tables, and an old clock topped with a small statue of Emmanuel Philibert, Duke of Savoy, who was victorious at the Battle of St. Quentin in 1557. In the central part of the hall is a marble dais and balustrade, framed by two double columns with gilded bronze capitals, each carved from a single block of pink marble.

Túpac Amaru II Room

This room dates from the 1920s. The Túpac Amaru II Room (Salón Túpac Amaru), renamed from the Pizarro Room in the 1970s during the presidency of Juan Velasco Alvarado, is furnished in the Neo-Colonial style. A central rotunda features a wooden cupola with a stained glass lamp at its highest point. The room features four sculptures by Mateu, an artist of French origin, representing the seasons, and plaster reliefs by Daniel Casafranca representing the Incas. The large portrait of Peruvian rebel Túpac Amaru II hanging over the carved wooden fireplace replaced in 1972 the portrait of Pizarro that hung in this room. On display is a throne that was a gift of the Japanese Emperor Akihito to Peru. This was the first official dining hall of the Government Palace, and could seat 172 people.

This is the room from which the president addresses the nation. It is also used for press conferences, meetings and, occasionally, as a dining room.

Peace Room

This room is named to commemorate the signing of a peace treaty between Honduras and El Salvador on 30 October 1980. The president of Peru, José Bustamante y Rivero, acted as mediator.

Designed by Ricardo de Jaxa Malachowski, the Peace Room (Spanish: Salón de la Paz) is also known as the great dining hall of the Government Palace (Spanish: Gran Comedor). It is one of the largest rooms in the palace, with a seating capacity of 250. The room is colonial in style, and features carved wooden beams and two balconies where chamber orchestras can perform. From the ceiling hangs a quartz crystal chandelier made in Bohemia, weighing some . Also of note are the length of the table and the leather backs of the carved chairs, stamped in gold with Pizarro's shield. The chairs are upholstered in different colors for men and women. Paintings by Abraham Brueghel (Flemish, 17th century) and Girolamo Cenatiempo (Italian, 18th century) hang in this room.

Admiral Miguel Grau Room A painting of the naval hero, Admiral Miguel Grau, hangs in this room, which was previously called the Agreements Room.

The room also contains a dark wood fireplace, decorated with a maquette of the turret ship Huáscar, built for Peru in Britain in the 1860s.

Ambassadors' Room The Ambassadors' Room (Salón de Embajadores) bears its name because it is the room where ambassadors deliver credentials to the president. Its wooden and bronze decor is in the Louis XIV style, and its furniture is Regency.

Great Hall and presidential residence