Free tours of the Presidential Palace (
Palacio de Carondelet) run every 30 minutes, last nearly an hour and you book at an un-marked booth at the south end. I walked past at 10:30am and most of the tours were already booked out, but as a single I snagged an 11:30am tour.
The history of the building dates back to the 1600 as a local seat of governance for the Spaniards, who had their centres in Columbia and Peru. It has been remodelled a number of times, and repaired after earthquakes. Today it is in two main halves. To the South, the administrative offices of the President (not open to the public) ; to the north, State rooms; there are accommodations on the upper level. its only during the term of the current President, Raphael Correa (elected 2006) that the Palace has been open to the public.
I was the only Anglo in the tour group, but the guide kindly gave me a summary in English of all the stopping points - I was not expecting this. You need photo ID (also to make a booking), which is taken for the duration of the tour, then go though usual security. But before this, my first experience was of the guards at the entrance. Although he looks like a candidate from the Ministry of Silly Walks, I caught the guy at the left about to pivot
The first feature is this modern mural. I didn't get the full meaning but apparently it shows the journey of early Spaniards across Ecuador to the Amazon, where they met fierce female-led warriors and gave the name of the area from Greek mythology. There are very nice garden courtyards at the centre of the north and south wings.
A simple gallery separates the north and south wings on the second level, and I took this picture of the mural in the background and the magnificent display of roses, which occur throughout the Palace.
The room on the left is the Cabinet Room, with each seat labelled with the office of the occupant. At the right is the Banqueting room; along the sides are cases with gifts to the current President from around the world. There are some pretty rich stuff there!! I thought that sort of thing stopped in the 19th Century
. President Correa has decreed that all these gifts are the property of the republic.
On the left is the president's Room, named for the portraits of the Presidents along the top of the walls. But no dictators! Only elected presidents, or appointed by Congress in the early days
. Significant ceremonial events occur in this room. On the right, the Presidential sash of Correa.
Apparently the Palace has been looted more times than is respectable. Most of the furniture and fittings are relatively modern.