The Government Palace of Peru or "Government House" is the residence of the President of the Republic and one of the most important places in our country, both for being the seat of the Executive Power and for its attractive architecture which treasures valuable objects. inside. It is located in the Plaza de Armas of Lima or Plaza Mayor, on the banks of the Rímac River.
The same day of the foundation of the city of Lima the construction of this building began, that is on January 18, 1535, however a fire in 1926 ended its original design giving rise to its second construction in 1938. It should be noted that only a fig tree remained from the initial construction, which the Spanish founder Francisco Pizarro himself planted.
The so-called "Casa de Pizarro" was built under the orders of Pizarro himself, on top of what was the Palace of Taulichusco, the last ruler of pre-Hispanic Lima and later the residence of viceroys and rulers of Peru. Illustrious personalities such as Pizarro, the liberator Simón Bolívar, even the King of Spain Juan Carlos I de Borbón were welcomed in its luxurious halls.
The Government Palace of Peru is located in the Plaza Mayor of the city of Lima and on the banks of the Rímac River, in the Historic Center of the city of Lima.
The current government house stands on the same site that Francisco Pizarro reserved, when he founded, on the morning of January 18, 1536 and on the lands of Curaca Tauri Chusko the elder, the City of the Kings, to be his residence and future seat of the government of Nueva Castilla.
Throughout 470 years six earthquakes, four looting and three fires partially or totally destroyed the building. However, through its many rebuildings, it maintained the layout and plant similar to those that Pizarro designed after the foundation of Lima, which was carried out in the place where the Plaza Mayor extends today. Thus, according to Spanish custom, the lots closest to the square were assigned to the church and the town hall, then the lots were distributed among the residents of the city of Jauja, which was founded as the first capital of these territories, and the other conquerors, having made the distribution according to the plan of the city, called "Checkerboard of Pizarro", delineated, on parchment and then on string, by Nicolás de Ribera "El Viejo", Captain Diego de Agüero and the pilot Francisco Quintero, who divided it into 117 blocks, each with four plots of land that Francisco Pizarro assigned to his men according to their hierarchy.
Francisco Pizarro was awarded the four lots that made up the block located to the north of the plaza, that is, the entire seventh block of the row adjoining the Rímac River, where there was a waka of the idol of the valley and from where he could better defend himself against the riots and also of the same conquerors already embarked on internal fights. Governor Pizarro's house was simple. No display of architecture, no embellishment.
The Marquis Pizarro was a man of sober customs and did not have time to undertake a sumptuous work. The building of the time was made of adobe and following the uses of Castile: two large patios and large spaces for the troops and stables. The royal boxes with the King's fifths were kept under triple lock and the City Hall originally functioned in the house of Governor Pizarro. There was also room for bowling. A "wide and stretched staircase", parallel to what is now Calle Palacio, led to the governor's rooms. The outline of this staircase and the fig tree that, according to legend, was planted by Pizarro, is the little that currently remains from the 16th century. On June 26, 1541 Pizarro's house was attacked by the knights of the cape, who broke into the building managing to assassinate Pizarro, and then looted.
The Government Palace has several very important rooms and we mention them:
The Great Hall is the antechamber to the Government Palace, with columns and reliefs made of plaster and stucco on its flanks, decorated with paintings and bronze leaf, as well as impressive stained glass windows on its ceilings.
Is the most important place in the Palace, whose construction was inspired by the Hall of Mirrors in the Palace of Versailles. It is covered with gold leaf and it is in this place where political ceremonies are carried out, such as the swearing-in of state ministers.
Here there is a 10.5-meter-high vault and exquisite medallions, mythological characters and foliage covered in gold leaf can be seen, as well as huge 5-meter-high French mirrors.
In the center of the room there is a gallery carved in pink marble, with 5-meter-high columns worked in one piece and finished off with gilt bronze capitals. The living room furniture is Louis XIV style and the crystal chandeliers were imported from France.
Formerly known as Francisco Pizarro Room, highlights the neocolonial style. It has a wooden dome of modest depth and where you can see the "Four Seasons of Mateu".
Hall of the Ambassadors, it is here where the President of the Republic receives ambassadors from other countries, as well as the presidents.
Is the place where two old carriages are exhibited, one of them being of the saloon type (a type of four-door car body) and the other of the landau type, which were the vehicles of the dignitaries in the antiquity.
Also called The Great Dining Room, bears this name because it was in this place that the peace agreement between El Salvador and Honduras was signed. The baroque design of this room was in charge of the Polish architect Ricardo de Jaxa Malachowski, highlighting its portentous coffered ceiling with carved beams and also with two luxurious balconies based on the colonial design of Lima.
And something very curious is that in the middle of this room is the largest crystal chandelier in Peru, with more than 150 lights, four meters high and weighing a ton and a half.
In order to be part of an incredible adventure and enjoy the tourist attractions of Lima, we only have to contact Lima Tour who will help you organize a trip, where you can meet unique destinations such as the Government Palace and other places in Lima, you can also customize a trip visiting tailor-made trips, and do not forget to check the blog and discover many more places to make a tour in Lima without equal.
