Quito Attractions

Also known as the Carondelet Palace, this building was erected between the 18th and early 19th Centuries by the Presidente de la Real Audiencia de Quito (President of the Royal Council), Baron Héctor de Carondelet. On the staircase landing which leads to the first floor,there is a mural painted by the Equadorian artist Oswaldo Guayasamín, which portrays the discovery of the Amazon River on 12th February 1542. The third floor of the palace is used as the President's private quarters where he lives along with his family. The building has many corridors and reception rooms which are used for official occasions. Access to the top floors is restricted and it is only possible to visit the ground floor of the building.

This park is situated near the northeastern edge of the old quarter. The decision to create the park was made on March 8, 1596, by the town council, under the initiative of the mayor Sotomayor. It has an extension of 6,3 hectares. The first monuments were installed in its interior between 1785 and 1790. The construction of the Astronomical Observatory did not start until 1873. Today it is an important place of relaxation and recreation for all Quiteños. It has toilet facilities, a lagoon, and on one side, a kind of lookout known as El Churo.

Located in the north-central part of the city, La Circaciana occupies an entire block. It is a small park that is part of the property attached to an old house built during the 18th Century for the Jijón y Caamaño family. One of its members, The Count Jijón y Caamaño, who is still alive, gave it as a donation to the municipality of Quito, which then converted it into a public park. It has great illuminations and beautiful sculptures of horses, as well as impressive columns. It certainly is a very well designed park. There are great pictorial relics inside the house and the decor includes some original pieces of furniture. Admission is free.

Situated in the Plaza de la Independencia and diagonally across from the Palacio de Gobierno, this building boasts striking columns, long corridors and inner patios. Since the arrival of the Spanish in Quito, the Catholic religion has exerted its influence in no uncertain terms on the life of the city. On the 8th of January 1545, Pope Paul III ordered the establishment of the Diocese of San Francisco de Quito, headed by a bishop. This prelate and his assistants lived in different houses around the cathedral. El Palacio Arzobispal was the residence of the Bishop from 1700. In 1858 and between 1975 and 1978, the palace was rebuilt.

Located inside the Parque La Alameda, this observatory was built between 1873 and 1875. The equatorial telescope, built in Germany and installed in the main tower, was once one of the three most advanced telescopes in the world, along with those in Paris and Rome. The seismograph, installed in the 1920's, is located in the basement and is still working perfectly. The astronomic instruments of the observatory are a great tourist attraction and usually awaken the interest of both locals and tourists.

This agency's main office is located in the city's financial district, with other branches located nearby. It is one of the largest tourist agencies in the country, offering services such as transfers, hotel booking, guided visits and tours to the main tourist attractions within the city and further afield. The agency also offers information about the various local tourist activities and shows, which are quite often sponsored by the company itself.

This small traditional square is part of the historic quarter and is also known as the Plaza Chica (Little Square). The Teatro Nacional Sucre can be found here, one of the country's most important cultural venues. During the 17th and 18th centuries, the city slaughterhouse operated on one side of this square. At the end of the 18th century the square served as a bullring. The money collected from the sale of tickets to the bullfights was used to build the park La Alameda. The square has a small fountain in the middle and is a busy hub, crossed daily by thousands of pedestrians.

This viewpoint is located on one side of the Alameda Park. It is build on a spiral form and was erected early on the 20th Century by Enrique Fuseau, Jr. using remnants from earth excavated during the construction of the Luis Sodiro street and other vegetable waste that came from the Park itself. It allowed then, an excellent place where to observe the city but it has lost this benefit due to the construction of high buildings. Not withstanding, the spiral form constitutes a beautiful city landmark.

This enormous statue is of a famous religious personality who carried out much social work for the benefit of the city. The place occupied today by the monument to Brother Miguel is located at the entrance to the old city and was once the site of a beautiful building that housed the national library. This religious man, whose real name was Francisco Febres Cordero, was a member of the Congregación de los Hermanos de La Salle. In October 1984 he was canonized for his humble nature and selflessness. He died in Pietá del Mar, Spain, on February 9, 1910. This is a good place to visit as part of the colonial tour.

La Plaza de la Independencia is located at the heart of the historic quarter of the city. It was from this around this square that the city was planned in 1535. Facing the square are the Palacio de Gobierno, the Cathedral, the Municipalidad, the Palacio Arzobispal and the Casa del Alcalde. This square is a vital hub of the city. Demonstrations, marches and general protests against the government always converge here. Thousands of Ecuadorians and tourists alike pass through this square every day and it is a must for the latter, as it is an interesting place and historically very important.

This small square is situated in the old quarter of Quito, and has a statue of the city's founder. On December 6, 1534 - a date which is currently observed each year, the conquistador Sebastián de Benalcázar called together all the Spanish and told them that if they wished to settle in Quito, then they would have to register themselves with the notary. A total of 204 Spaniards registered and thus began the construction of modern Quito. Since the Spaniards came without women, they formed unions with indigenous women, beginning a process of mixing that characterizes the city and the country today.

Located at the gateway to the historic quarter, this square marked the northern limit of the city up until the early 20th Century. It has a simple but pretty church that was founded in the 16th Century for the use of the indigenous people, and was rebuilt in the 18th Century. On one of its sides there was an old Catholic graveyard, again just for indigenous people. There are always several interesting personalities in the square, who can tell you the history of its origins, and of the area in general. In the vicinity there are various small stores and local medical centers.

This monument was unveiled by President Eloy Alfaro on August 10, 1906. It is a neo-classical work dedicated to the patriots who fought for Ecuador's Independence. It was designed by the Italian Juan Bautista Minghetti, cast by Adriático Frioli and assembled by Francisco Durini. The sculpture represents Independence and depicts a laurel-crowned woman with the consular fasces in one hand and a torch in the other. The victory over the Spanish colonial troops is wonderfully represented by a triumphant condor holding a broken chain link in his beak, and by the fleeing Iberian lion which is limping away, dragging its cannons and standards as it goes.

The Avenida Juan León Mera starts in Avenida Patria and runs parallel to Avenida Amazonas, ending up in the district of Orellana. Now that the city traffic flow has been reorganised, this street has turned into an important tourist center, for both locals and foreigners. In this street, the visitor may find a wide range of stores, Internet cafes, local and international restaurants, and the most important bars and nightclubs, bookshops, art galleries, craft stores, cafes, as well as a variety of accommodation to suit all budgets and tastes.

It used to be through this street of the historical center that you could reach the north of Quito. Due to the growth of the city, now this avenue belongs to the center and you have to reach the north going many more blocks in this direction. This street is important because it crosses the whole of the colonial part of town and also because all along its route there are all sorts of different stores and businesses, such as ice-cream parlors, street vendors, banks, bookstores, stationery shops and restaurants. The shoe stores stand out in particular, for their variety. Don't miss a chance to visit this street and do your shopping at reasonable prices.