Changing the Guard

Guard Mounting, or Changing the Guard, refers to a formal ceremony in which providing ceremonial guard duties at important institutions are relieved by a new batch of sentries. The ceremonies are often elaborate and precisely choreographed. They originated with peacetime and battlefield military drills introduced to enhance unit cohesion and effectiveness in the 17th century.

The changing the guard ceremony conducted in Canada is performed daily during the summer months at Rideau Hall, Parliament Hill and the National War Memorial in Ottawa by the combined Ceremonial Unit made up of the two Canadian regiments of Foot Guards. There is also a ceremonial Changing the Guard ceremony during the summer at the Citadelle of Quebec by members of the Royal 22^e Régiment.

The changing of the guard ceremony is conducted every odd-numbered day, including Sundays, at La Moneda Palace in Santiago, Chile with the Carabineros de Chile's Presidential Guard Group providing the guard. A pair of mounted units lead the Central Band, Drums and Bugles of the Carabineros and the new guard to the plaza in front of La Moneda where the departing detachment meets them. While patriotic and popular music is played, the color guard emerges and salutes are exchanged between the old and new guards at the main gate and the officers of each unit. The ceremony ends with the band, drums and bugles marching off with the old guard.

Soldiers of the Cuban Revolutionary Army guard the Mausoleum of José Marti in Santiago de Cuba. The guard is changed every half-hour, and is signaled by clock tower bells similar to how Soviet guards at the Lenin mausoleum used the bells of the Spasskaya Tower Clock.

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