Originally built in the style of the Belle Époque, the mansion served as a seaside retreat during the presidency of Augusto Leguia in the 1920s. Its architectural features and flair capture the celebratory spirit of Peru's centennial, which permeated life in the capital city throughout the era of its construction. Famed French architect Claude Sahut, lauded for his work remodeling portions of the Government Palace, along with many of Lima's main avenues, parks, theaters and other public buildings and spaces, was originally commissioned to design the property as a summer retreat for the Garcia Bedoya family. Construction was completed in 1914 and initially showcased imported Italian marble and exotic woods, along with an ornate façade, stratospherically high ceilings featuring teatinas (a unique style of skylight favored locally), open balconies and expansive terraces. T