The Archbishop's Palace is a palace-style building located in the historic center of Quito, specifically on the eastern corner of Chile and Venezuela streets. This palace is one of the four that surround the Plaza de la Independencia on its north side and serves as the headquarters of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Quito, besides being the official residence of the Archbishop of Quito, who holds the title of Primate of Ecuador.

The history of this building dates back to the founding of the city in 1534, when the first priest of Quito, Presbyter Juan de Rodríguez, was assigned land and lots adjacent to the Plaza Mayor for the construction of the Parish Church, which would later become the Metropolitan Cathedral. Originally, Quito belonged to the Bishopric of Panama, but in 1541 it became part of the Bishopric of Lima. In 1545, Pope Paul III established the Bishopric of Quito, which was inaugurated in 1546 with the priest Garcí Díaz Arias as the first bishop. This bishopric encompassed large territories of the Royal Audience of Quito. In 1848, Pope Pius IX elevated the bishopric to the category of Metropolitan Archdiocese, and in 1995, the Archbishop of Quito was recognized as Primate of Ecuador.

Throughout the years, the parish priests of Quito lived in different dwellings near the Cathedral, but it was only in 1546, after the creation of the Bishopric, that the purchase of a lot in the Plaza Mayor was allowed to build the Bishop's Palace. This original building was renovated in 1775 under the direction of the Spanish architect Antonio García, who introduced neoclassical elements, such as the lateral projections and the details of the arms of the Vatican and the Archbishopric of Quito. Subsequently, the palace underwent a restoration in 1978, where the structure was reinforced and electrical and sanitary improvements were made due to damage caused by the age of the building.

The Archbishop's Palace presents an impressive structure, with a covered arched portal that connects the building to the plaza. The interior is surrounded by a large central courtyard with a carved stone fountain, and the surrounding bays include two floors. The facade of the palace exhibits a neoclassical style with Ionic arches and columns adorning a large balcony. The ends of the facade are topped with triangular crowns and the arms of the Vatican and the Archdiocese of Quito, in relief.

The archbishop's office is located in the center of the western bay of the second floor and is accessible through the main stairway. In this same sector is the archbishop's chapel, with restricted access, which houses a valuable collection of art of the Quito school, ranging from the sixteenth to the nineteenth century. This space is exclusively for ecclesiastical and liturgical authorities, since it is the administrative headquarters of the Secular Clergy Government.

The Palace also houses the Archbishop's Library of Quito, a historical archive dating back to 1545, the same year in which the Bishopric of Quito was established. This library contains valuable documents organized in various sections, including topics on ecclesiastical government, holy orders, marriages, parishes, and other administrative aspects of the church. Although it does not have a section dedicated specifically to indigenous peoples, many of its documents contain relevant ethnographic information, making the archive an important historical source for the study of the region.