Cathedral

Lonely Planet review

On the southwest side of the plaza stands Quito's recently painted cathedral. Although not as rich in decoration as some of the other churches, it's worth popping into for a peak at the religious paintings by several notable artists of the Quito School. You'll also see the ornate tomb of Mariscal Sucre, the leading figure of Quito's independence. To the left of the main altar is a statue of Juan José Flores, Ecuador's first president.

Behind the main altar, on the smaller altar of Nuestra Señora de los Dolores, a plaque shows where President Gabriel García Moreno died on August 6, 1875. He was hacked up with a machete outside the Palacio del Gobierno (just across the plaza) and was carried, dying, to the cathedral.