To the northeast of Plaza de Armas is the block-long Palacio de Gobierno, a grandiose baroque-style building from 1937 that serves as the residence of Peru’s president. Out front stands a handsomely uniformed presidential guard (think French Foreign Legion, c 1900) that conducts a changing of the guard every day at noon – a ceremonious affair that involves slow-motion goose-stepping and the sublime sounds of a brass band playing ‘El Cóndor Pasa’ as a military march.
Though the palace is no longer regularly open to visitors, it hosts occasional free public exhibits, which require a 48-hour advance reservation. Check the website for a schedule and reserve through the Office of Public Relations . Visitors must bring a valid ID. The web page offers a virtual tour (click on ‘Visita Virtual’) showing the building’s lavish interiors.
