Casa Rosada is Argentina’s seat of government and the president’s workplace, anchoring the eastern edge of Plaza de Mayo in Buenos Aires’ historic Monserrat district. Visitors come for its famous pink facade, its balcony and the free guided tours that open its state rooms to the public.
Italian architect Francesco Tamburini joined two older buildings into a single palace in 1898, and the arched central gateway he left behind still frames the plaza. Popular accounts trace the pink color to President Sarmiento, who is said to have blended the red and white of rival political factions. Tours lead through the Patio de las Palmeras, the gilded Salón Blanco and the Salón de los Bustos, and out to the balcony where Juan and Eva Perón addressed vast crowds (source: [Buenos Aires Tourism](https://turismo.buenosaires.gob.ar/en/otros-establecimientos/casa-rosada)). Behind the palace, the Casa Rosada Museum sits on the foundations of the colonial fort and customs house. It displays David Alfaro Siqueiros’ mural Ejercicio Plástico (source: [Buenos Aires Tourism](https://turismo.buenosaires.gob.ar/en/atractivo/casa-rosada)).
Visitor Highlights & Practical Info
Tours are free, but places are limited. Reserve a slot in advance through the official site, [casarosada.gob.ar](https://www.casarosada.gob.ar/), and bring your passport or ID. Schedules change and can be suspended for official events, so confirm your date before you go. Morning tours tend to be calmer. On Thursday afternoons, the Mothers of Plaza de Mayo march in the square. Subte Line A stops at Plaza de Mayo, and the Metropolitan Cathedral and Cabildo are a short walk away.
