The Palazzo del Quirinale is the official residence of the President of Italy and one of Rome's great power buildings. It began in 1573 as a papal summer palace, later served the kings of Italy, and still anchors the broad piazza on the Quirinal Hill.
The palace interior and gardens can be visited on guided routes when open to the public. Even without a tour, the square is worth the climb for its architecture and its sense of state ceremony.