Casa de Pilatos, Lima

The Casa de Pilatos in central Lima is a fine colonial mansion that today houses Peru's Constitutional Court, the body charged with interpreting the nation's constitution. Built in the seventeenth century, it is named for a resemblance to a house in Seville associated with the biblical Pilate. A stone portal, arcaded courtyard and carved balconies preserve the character of the viceregal city. Its adaptation from a private residence reflects the reuse of Lima's colonial heritage for modern institutions.