The white building on the plaza’s northwest side is the seat of the Ecuadorian presidency. Visitors can enter by guided tours (in Spanish and sometimes English), which offer a glimpse of the brilliantly hued mosaic depicting Francisco de Orellana’s descent of the Amazon and a few of the staterooms. The president carries out business in this building, so sightseeing is limited to rooms not currently in use. On Monday, the changing of the guards takes place on the plaza at 11am.
