A photograph of Government Palace
Photograph · User:Pedro Felipe · CC BY-SA 4.0

Historic site · Lima

Government Palace

Palacio de Gobierno

Open today, 09:00 – 17:00
Today
Open today, 09:00 – 17:00
Accessibility
Partly step-free
Price
Not recorded
Standing
Must see · Heritage site
Rank
Rank 12 of 14,583
Plan a day around this Map

Reviewed by Elena Voss · Roavina Travel Editor

Plan your visit.

Opening hours

Monday 09:00 – 17:00
Tuesday 09:00 – 17:00
Wednesday 09:00 – 17:00
Thursday 09:00 – 17:00
Friday 09:00 – 17:00
Saturday 09:00 – 17:00
Sunday 09:00 – 17:00

Checked 2026-08-31 · Source

Admission

Not recorded

Access and facilities

  • Accessible toilets · Limited
  • Pushchair access · Limited
  • Step-free access · Limited
  • Toilets · Available

Source · Checked 2026-08-31

A photograph of Government Palace
Photograph · Felipe Restrpo Acosta · CC BY-SA 4.0

About Government Palace

The Government Palace of Peru, known locally as Palacio de Gobierno del Perú, serves as the official residence and principal workplace of the President of Peru. Situated on the northern side of Lima's historic Plaza Mayor, this building occupies a site of continuous governmental significance since Francisco Pizarro established the first palace there in the sixteenth century. The current structure represents multiple reconstruction phases, with its present neocolonial and baroque-influenced façade constituting an architecturally significant element of Lima's UNESCO-recognized historic center. Plaza Mayor provides step-free exterior viewing; interior accessibility applies only to authorised visitors through security-managed routes. The palace is an active government building with no daily walk-in sightseeing hours. Public exterior viewing is continuous, while official guided access is limited to announced or pre-authorised visits. Exterior viewing and authorised official tours are free; no general admission ticket is sold. The palace occupies Plaza Mayor's north side; Metropolitano Jirón de la Unión is the nearest trunk-bus station.

Checked 2026-08-31 · Source

A photograph of Government Palace
Photograph · Unknown author · Public domain

What's inside

Historical accounts reference salons decorated with Peruvian artworks and furnishings reflecting national heritage. The building contains administrative facilities supporting executive governance operations. Visitor access to interior chambers appears restricted and variable, with routine tourist circulation through working governmental spaces not assumed. The palace occupies Plaza Mayor's north side; Metropolitano Jirón de la Unión is the nearest trunk-bus station.

Checked 2026-08-31 · Source

How long to spend

Duration of visit depends substantially upon access arrangements secured. Observers restricted to exterior Plaza Mayor viewing may allocate fifteen to thirty minutes for façade appreciation and changing-of-the-guard observation. Those obtaining authorized interior entry, if available through exceptional scheduling, might extend to approximately one hour depending upon route comprehensiveness. No standardized visitor circuit is documented. The changing-of-the-guard ceremony itself constitutes a discrete temporal event of limited span. No; they require an announced or authorised arrangement.

Checked 2026-08-31 · Source

Season and crowds

The palace is an active government building with no daily walk-in sightseeing hours. Public exterior viewing is continuous, while official guided access is limited to announced or pre-authorised visits. The palace occupies Plaza Mayor's north side; Metropolitano Jirón de la Unión is the nearest trunk-bus station.

Checked 2026-08-31 · Source

Tickets

Exterior viewing and authorised official tours are free; no general admission ticket is sold. The palace is an active government building with no daily walk-in sightseeing hours. Public exterior viewing is continuous, while official guided access is limited to announced or pre-authorised visits. Plaza Mayor provides step-free exterior viewing; interior accessibility applies only to authorised visitors through security-managed routes.

Checked 2026-08-31 · Source

A photograph of Government Palace
Photograph · El Comercio · Public domain

Getting there

The palace occupies Plaza Mayor's north side; Metropolitano Jirón de la Unión is the nearest trunk-bus station. Use the named entrance or stop because hills, security and historic streets change the approach. From the Plaza Mayor perimeter when security arrangements permit.

Checked 2026-08-31 · Source

What to watch out for

Plaza Mayor provides step-free exterior viewing; interior accessibility applies only to authorised visitors through security-managed routes. Historic surfaces, crowds and security remain relevant. The palace is an active government building with no daily walk-in sightseeing hours. Public exterior viewing is continuous, while official guided access is limited to announced or pre-authorised visits.

Checked 2026-08-31 · Source

Photography

The Plaza Mayor-facing exterior presents significant architectural photography potential, with the palace façade contributing to compositions of Lima's historic center. Optimal exterior capture likely occurs during morning hours when garúa mist has dissipated and directional illumination enhances architectural detail. The changing-of-the-guard ceremony offers documentary subject matter for appropriately positioned observers. Drone operation near governmental premises is inadvisable and likely prohibited. Tripod deployment in public squares may attract security attention; discreet handheld techniques represent the prudent default approach for visitor photography. Exterior viewing and authorised official tours are free; no general admission ticket is sold.

Checked 2026-08-31 · Source

Place details and sources

Address
Jirón Carabaya, Cercado de Lima OpenStreetMap · Checked 2026-09-09
Building
Office building OpenStreetMap · Checked 2026-09-09
Heritage designation
cultural heritage of Peru Wikidata · Checked 2026-09-09
Architectural style
baroque revival Wikidata · Checked 2026-09-09
Opened
1938 Wikidata · Checked 2026-09-09
Architect
Claude Sahut Wikidata · Checked 2026-09-09
Architect
Ricardo de Jaxa Malachowski Wikidata · Checked 2026-09-09
Wikipedia article
Government Palace, Peru Wikipedia · Checked 2026-09-09

Common questions

Can visitors walk in daily?

No, the palace is an active government building with no daily walk-in sightseeing hours.

Is exterior viewing free?

Yes, exterior viewing and authorised official tours are free; no general admission ticket is sold.

Are official tours guaranteed?

No; they require an announced or authorised arrangement.

Can state business cancel access?

Yes.

Is exterior viewing step-free?

Yes, Plaza Mayor provides step-free exterior viewing.

Where is the guard ceremony viewed?

From the Plaza Mayor perimeter when security arrangements permit.

Nearby

Within 2 min on foot
  • Aliaga House 2 hours
    1 min walk

    Aliaga House

    • Must see
    • Activity
  • Casa Aliaga, Lima 1 hr 30 min
    1 min walk

    Casa Aliaga, Lima

    • High · Heritage site
    • Museum
  • Bodega y Quadra Site Museum 1 hr 30 min
    2 min walk

    Bodega y Quadra Site Museum

    • Must see
    • Museum

Last updated:

Source: OpenStreetMap contributors, Wikidata ·