Ecuador Capital "Quito"

The city was built on the ruins of the old city of Quito, one of the capitals of the Inca Empire, which sits at 2,800 mts above sea level.

Ecuador Quito is situated in the Inter Andean valley, it is the pride of Ecuadorians and an object of international admiration.

Quito was declared Cultural Patrimony of Mankind by the UNESCO.

Besides its amazing landscapes, surrounded by hills and several snowcapped mountains, Ecuador capital is known for its treasures of Colonial Churches, paintings, sculptures and carvings.

San Francisco Colonial Church

Spanish conquerors began the construction of churches and convents right after the conquest. The Roman Catholic Church then became the center of religious instruction and promotion of arts. More about Spanish Colonial Churches

As part of the acculturation of the indigenous people, the Spanish established painting and sculpture schools where Spanish artists trained the indigenous population in the arts.

Ecuador capital, Quito has conserved 86 Colonial period churches, as well as a large historical old-town area, with architecture of Spanish school.

The Franciscans, Dominicans, Jesuits, Augustinians and Mercedarians also contributed to make Quito a city with many churches and monasteries, with plazas and retreats embellished by religious statues and paintings of extraordinary beauty.

Quito is the center of Ecuadorian nationality. It is here where the first Outcry for Independence of South America was raised on August 10th 1809.

The fight for liberty culminated in the Battle of Pichincha, in 1822, observed by Quito's inhabitants from bell towers, terraces and balconies. Read about the Independence of Ecuador

Ecuador capital (Quito) has grown to an area of over 11,000 hectares (27,000 acres), with a population estimated at about two million.

The city has grown north and south, and climbed up the foothill of the Pichincha Volcano, an inactive volcano west of Quito.

This city has also spilled over into the neighboring valleys, Los Chillos and Tumbaco, thanks to improved roadways that allow Quito to break out of its geographically imposed narrowness.

Ecuador Capital Climate

Ecuador Capital Main Square

The Cathedral:
Also on the main Square, the Cathedral has an interesting collection of Colonial sculptures and paintings.

Cultural Center:
Right next to the main Square, the buildings originally built by the Jesuits in the XVII Century were remodeled to house a monumental Cultural Center.

El Sagrario Church:
This church was originally the main chapel of the cathedral, built for the cult of the blessed Sacrament. It has been kept for this service until these days.



La Compañía de Jesus Church:
Across the street from el Sagrario you find this church, one of the richest in America. The extraordinary façade can be described as a lacework on stone.

The splendor that meets your eye as you go into the church is unforgettable: the vaulted ceiling and the walls with beautiful Moorish ornamentation, the perfect harmony and the richness of the main altar, the reproduction of the Salomon columns of the façade, the incredible clustered Baroque in the tribunes on both sides of the main altar, in the pulpit and in the lateral chapels.

San Francisco Church:
This church was built after the Spanish Conquest and is said to have given the capital of Ecuador its proper name: San Francisco de Quito. The atrium running along one side of the plaza is opened in the middle to give way to a beautiful staircase.

The main altar holds the original masterpiece by Legarda: "La Virgen de Quito" (Quito's Virgin). This sculpture is the only winged image of Virgin Mary in colonial art.

El Panecillo:
Many historical happenings took place on this natural hill that stands in Ecuador capital (Quito). Panecillo means "little bread" referring to its peculiar size and shape. The Virgin that stands on the hill, which consists of 7,000 pieces of aluminum, is a modern representation of the famous "Virgen de Quito" (Virgin of Quito).

There is a balcony in the upper part of the pedestal of the Virgin, that provides a beautiful view of the colonial and the modern Ecuador capital "Quito".

Quito Middle of the World Monument

At this site don't miss the Solar Culture Museum, which displays the latest investigations about the real middle of the world.

Quitsa-to, the original name of Ecuador Capital, means Middle of the Earth in the ancient tsafiqui language.

Quito is the only site on the planet where the Equator line crosses over highlands. On the rest of the Earth's surface, it crosses through jungle or ocean.

Therefore, the pre-Inca cultures could develop their astronomical knowledge helped by the clear landmarks surrounding the Ecuador's capital: the Pichincha volcano (15,000 ft) to the West, the Antisana (18,700 ft) to the East and the peak of the snow-caped Cayambe (18,725 ft) to the Northeast, almost precisely on the Equator.

Ecuador capital (Quito) emerges over 9,184 ft above sea level; it is the second highest capital city in the world.

Thus this city is the best natural astronomical observatory.

Every year thousands of tourists come to visit a stone obelisk surrounded by a beautiful colonial city 17 kilometers north of Quito.

Marking the point where an expedition of French astronomers measured the equator in 1736, the Mitad del Mundo, or Middle of the World, is said to lie exactly on zero degrees latitude.

By straddling a yellow line running east-west from the foot of the monument, visitors to Ecuador believe they are standing in two hemispheres at once. Unfortunately for the tourists, the Mitad del Mundo is in the wrong place.

The real equator, according to the Ecuadorian Scientist Cristobal Cobo, lies some 300 meters to the north, bisecting a mountain with a bowl-like summit and a long ramp-like ridge.

Known to Ecuadorian Indians as Catequilla, this mountain is topped by a low semicircular wall, marking the exact Middle of the World.

This is incredible since Ecuadorian Indians knew the exact Middle of the World thousands of years ago, and we just discovered it only a couple of years ago.

Ecuador Recommended Reading:

Insight Guide Ecuador (Insight Guides Ecuador)
From the most popular resort cities to the most exotic villages, Insight Guides capture the unique character of each culture with an insider's perspective. A comprehensive Travel Tips section with listings of the best restaurants, hotels, and attractions, as well as practical information on getting around and advice for travel with children. (Highly recommended)

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