Showing 1-21 of 21 results
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Arco de la Reina
The 18th-century Arco de la Reina , a massive arch built in the 18th century to give shelter to churchgoers, spans García Moreno. On one side, the Museo de la Ciudad occupies the beautifully restored San Juan de Dios hospital. On the other side of the arch stands the Monasterio de Carmen Alto (cnr García Moreno & Rocafuerte), a fully functioning convent.
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Basílica del Voto Nacional
High on a hill in the northeastern part of the old town stands the Gothic Basílica del Voto Nacional, built over several decades beginning in 1926. Rather than gargoyles, however, turtles and iguanas protrude from the church's side. The highlight is the basilica's towers, which you can climb to the top of if you have the nerve; the ascent requires crossing a rickety wooden plank inside the main roof and climbing steep stairs and ladders to the top.
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Capilla de Cantuña
To the left of the Monastery of San Francisco stands the Capilla de Cantuña, which houses an excellent art collection from the Quito School. It's also shrouded in one of Quito's most famous legends, that of the indigenous builder Cantuña, who supposedly sold his soul to the devil so the devil would help him complete the church on time. But just before midnight of the day of his deadline, Cantuña removed a single stone from the structure, meaning the church was never completed. Thusly he tricked the devil and saved his soul.
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Cathedral
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.
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Church of El Sagrario
Beside the cathedral on García Moreno stands the 17th-century Church of El Sagrario, originally intended as the main chapel of the cathedral, but now a separate church.
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Church of Santo Domingo
Near the southwest end of Calle Guayaquil, Plaza Santo Domingo is a regular haunt for street performers, and crowds of neighborhood quiteños fill the plaza to watch pouting clowns and half-cocked magicians do their stuff. The plaza is especially attractive in the evening when the domes of the 17th-century Church of Santo Domingo, on the southeast side of the plaza, are floodlit.
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La Cima de la Libertad
Further up the flanks of Volcán Pichincha, one of the finest views of the city can be had from La Cima de la Libertad. This monument was built at the site of the Batalla de Pichincha (Battle of Pichincha), led by Mariscal Antonio José de Sucre on May 24, 1822. It was the decisive battle in the struggle for independence from Spain.
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La Compañía de Jesús
Around the corner from Church of El Sagrario on Calle Sucre is Ecuador's most ornate church, La Compañía de Jesús, which is capped by green-and-gold domes visible from Plaza San Francisco one block away. Seven tons of gold were supposedly used to gild the walls, ceilings and altars of La Compañía, and quiteños proudly call it the most beautiful church in the country.
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La Merced
Two blocks northwest of the Plaza Grande you'll find, La Merced. Construction of this church began in 1700 and was finished in 1742. At 47m, its tower is the highest in colonial Quito, and it contains the largest bell of Quito's churches. Legend has it that the tower, the only unblessed part of the church, is possessed by the devil.
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Monasterio de Carmen Alto
The 18th-century Arco de la Reina (García Moreno at Rocafuerte), a massive arch built in the 18th century to give shelter to churchgoers, spans García Moreno. On one side of the arch stands the Monasterio de Carmen Alto. Inside this fully functioning convent, cloistered nuns stay busy producing some of the finest, most traditional sweets in the city.
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Monastery of San Agustín
Two blocks from the Plaza Grande, the Monastery of San Agustín is another fine example of 17th-century architecture. Many of the heroes of the battles for Ecuador's independence are buried here, and it is the site of the signing of Ecuador's declaration of independence on August 10, 1809. In the church's convent, the Museo de San Agustín houses many canvases of the Quito School.
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Monastery of San Diego
Northwest of El Panecillo, the beautiful 17th-century Monastery of San Diego sits in a quiet courtyard behind thick walls above the old town. The only way inside is by tour. Although the tour is recited with the enthusiasm of a mass in Latin, it's worth suffering through to see the wealth of colonial art inside. There are outstanding works from both from the Quito and Cusco schools, including one of Quito's finest pulpits, carved by the notable indigenous woodcarver Juan Bautista Menacho.
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Monastery of San Francisco
Walking from the old town's narrow colonial streets into the open Plaza San Francisco reveals one of the finest sights in all of Ecuador - a sweeping cobblestone plaza backed by the long whitewashed walls and twin bell towers of Ecuador's oldest church, the Monastery of San Francisco. With its giant plaza and its mountainous backdrop of Volcán Pichincha this is surely one of Quito's highlights.
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Old Town
If you're short on time head straight to the old town. It's here that Quito distinguishes itself from all other cities in the world. Be certain to see the Plaza and Monastery of San Francisco, the Plaza de la Independencia (Plaza Grande), La Compañía de Jesús and the Museo de Arte Colonial.
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Plaza del Teatro
Northeast of the Plaza Grande, at the junction of Calles Guayaquil and Manabí, is the tiny Plaza del Teatro, where you'll find - along with microphone-toting preachers, protestors and hollering newspaper peddlers - the exquisitely restored Teatro Sucre. Built in 1878, it is Quito's most sophisticated theater.
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Plaza Grande
While wandering around colonial Quito, you'll probably pass through the Plaza Grande (formally known as Plaza de la Independencia) several times. The austere white building on the northwest side of the plaza (between Chile and Espejo) with the national flag flying atop is the Palacio del Gobierno (Presidential Palace; García Moreno). The president does indeed carry out business in this building, so sightseeing is limited to the entrance. Inside, a mural depicts Francisco de Orellana's descent of the Amazon. The guard at the gate may allow you in to take a look.
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Plaza of San Francisco
This sweeping cobblestone plaza is one of Ecuador's finest sights. Backed by the whitewashed walls of the Monastery of San Francisco and the mountainous Volcán Pichincha, it is not to be missed. If you have time, pop in to the Museo Franciscano, which contains some of the monastery's finest artwork, and the Capilla de Cantuña, which holds an excellent art collection from the Quito School.
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Plaza San Francisco
Walking from the old town's narrow colonial streets into the open Plaza San Francisco reveals one of the finest sights in all of Ecuador - a sweeping cobblestone plaza backed by the long whitewashed walls and twin bell towers of Ecuador's oldest church, the Monastery of San Francisco. With its giant plaza and its mountainous backdrop of Volcán Pichincha this is surely one of Quito's highlights.
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Plaza Santo Domingo
Near the southwest end of Calle Guayaquil, Plaza Santo Domingo is a regular haunt for street performers, and crowds of neighborhood quiteños fill the plaza to watch pouting clowns and half-cocked magicians do their stuff. The plaza is especially attractive in the evening when the domes of the 17th-century Church of Santo Domingo, on the southeast side of the plaza, are floodlit.
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Sanctuary of El Guápulo
If you follow Avenida 12 de Octubre up the hill from the Mariscal, you'll reach the Hotel Quito at the top. Behind the hotel, stairs lead steeply down the other side of the hill to the historic neighborhood of Guápulo. At the bottom of the hill stands the neighborhood's centerpiece, the sanctuary of El Guápulo , a beautiful church built between 1644 and 1693. The church has an excellent collection of Quito School art and sculpture, and a stunning 18th-century pulpit carved by master wood-carver Juan Bautista Menacho.
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Statue of Francisco de Orellana
The best views of Guápulo are from the lookout behind the Hotel Quito, next to the statue of Francisco de Orellana. The statue depicts Francisco de Orellana looking down into the valley that was the beginning of his epic journey from Quito to the Atlantic - the first descent of the Amazon by a European.
Showing 1-21 of 21 results
