Parque La Alameda

From the northeast edge of the old town the long, triangular Parque La Alameda begins its grassy crawl toward the new town. At the southern apex of the park stands the Simón Bolívar monument. Toward the middle of the park are statues of the members of the 1736-44 French Académie des Sciences expedition that surveyed Ecuador and made the equatorial measurements that gave rise to the metric system.

Nearby, the Quito Observatory, which was opened by President García Moreno in 1864, is the oldest observatory on the continent.

At the north end of La Alameda - an area popular with picnickers on weekends - is a pair of ornamental lakes, where rowboats can be hired.

Nearby, between LF Borja and Avenida 6 de Diciembre, is a small monument with a spiral staircase and a view of the Church of El Belén (L Sodir), which was built on the site of the first Catholic mass to be held in Quito.

Northeast of La Alameda, the pleasant, tree-filled Parque El Ejido is the biggest park in downtown Quito.

Between Parque Alameda and Parque El Ejido is the legislative palace (Montalvo near Av 6 de Diciembre), the equivalent of the houses of parliament or congress. A huge frieze depicting the history of Ecuador spans the north side of the building.