The Palácio da Liberdade closes the south end of Praça da Liberdade and is the most grandly conceived building on the square. Built between 1895 and 1898 in a French Belle Époque style — pink stone, mansard roof, ornamented balconies — it served as the official residence of the state governors of Minas Gerais for over a century before being converted into a public cultural venue in 2010.
The interior, with its grand staircase, painted ceilings, and crystal chandeliers, can be visited on guided tours that run several times a day. The gardens behind the palace are also open to the public and are a good quiet stop.