Ecuador Travel

Panecillo

Panecillo

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Quito’s Centro Histórico is a well-preserved colonial city built upon the ruins of an ancient Incan settlement and was named the first UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1978. Dominated by Pichincha Volcano and surrounded by Andean mountains—in fact from Quito you can see 14 active and non active volcanoes over 13.000 feet—few countries in South America can boast such a dramatic location for their capital. Centro Histórico is the heart of Quito and is full of churches, museums, plazas, and incredible vistas full of immense beauty and historical significance.

Only 40 kilometers south of the Equator, Quito’s weather is spring-like year round, but divided into two seasons; wet and dry. During the wet season it rains for a few hours most afternoons. Quito’s high altitude of 2,800 m means it can become quite cold in the evenings and during the afternoon storms.

Quito is named after a tribe called the Quitu that inhabited the region in pre-Inca times some 10,000 years ago when Quito’s central location was used as a permanent trading center. In the early 16th century the Incas conquered the northern highlands and their ruler Huayna Capac made Quito the capital of the northern half of the empire. When his son, Atahualpa, was in power and the threat of the Spanish invasion became imminent, his general, Rumiñahui, razed the city to prevent it from falling into enemy hands.

Sebastián de Benalcázar founded the colonial city on December 6, 1534 and began building on top of the ruins at the foot of El Panecillo, using the rubble from the Incan civilization as building material. Even today it is possible to see original Inca stonework in the floors and facades of many historic buildings. Quito first called for its independence from Spain on August 10, 1809 and the date is still celebrated as Quito’s Independence Day.

El Panecillo, which means “the little bread loaf,” stands 200 meters high on the southern side of Centro Histórico and was once the site of an indigenous temple built to function as a calendar and to worship the Sun God. Today El Panecillo, or Yavirac as the indigenous called it, is easily identified by the impressive statue of the Virgen de Quito, a 45-meter-high winged Madonna standing regally at the top. The statue, which is the religious symbol of Quito, is made of 7,000 pieces of aluminum and is a replica of Legarda’s famous painting in San Francisco Church. The views from El Panecillo are spectacular and visitors can see the great expanse of the city from the observation platform. Taxis are the best way to reach the top and are under $5. there is a small entrance fee to the interior of the monument. It is open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.

Another impressive site in Quito is the ornate baroque façade of La Compañía de Jesus carved entirely out of volcanic stone and only outshined by it’s interior, decorated with over fifty kilograms of gold leaf. Constructed between 1605 and 1765, the church is by far the most ornate and embellished of all the sites in Quito. It is located on Calle Garcia Moreno and is open on Monday to Friday from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m with a small entrance fee.

Plaza Grande, or Plaza de la Independencia, is an ideal place to spend an afternoon relaxing, or exploring the stores and museums surrounding the square. Every Monday at 11:00 a.m., locals and tourists gather in front of the Presidential Palace to watch the changing of the guards, a ceremony full of elaborate uniforms, horses, music, and uniformed school children standing at attention against the backdrop of Vulcán Pichincha.

Near the Panecillo is the pedestrian only Calle La Ronda, one of the oldest streets in Quito with pastel colored colonial architecture, cobblestones, and art galleries. In the evenings, live music and vats of hot wine and canelazo pop up in entryways. The street usually has a few security guards in the evenings who are willing to help tourists secure a taxi for their trip home.

The large cobblestone expanse of Plaza San Francisco, used for centuries as a trading center for indigenous groups, is framed by the white Monastery of San Francisco and Vulcán Pichincha, making it both one of the most impressive and oldest sights in all of Quito. Today, the Tianguez Gift Shop is a fair trade organization located next to the Church of San Francisco and is a good place to shop and support local indigenous artisans. It is open from 9:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.

High on a hill in the northeastern part of Centro Histórico is La Basílica de Voto Nacional, a gothic church built over several decades beginning in 1926. Animals native to Ecuador such as iguanas and tortoises peer out from the church’s exterior walls. The towers, with a small admission fee, provide an impressive view of the city and are one of the highlights of Quito. It is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The Teleferico is Quito’s newest tourist attraction. The Teleferico is built over an area of 160 hectares on the skirts of Pichincha and the summit of Cruz Loma. It has different services that include an amusement park.

The Teleferico itself gives every visitor a spectacular view of the city and its surroundings including more than 14 peaks of the Andes (known as the Avenue of the Volcanoes). The Teleferico reaches 4100 meters on the summit of Cruz Loma. The price is 8 Usd per passenger and runs daily, opening at 9h00 and closing at 20h00. A taxi will cost just $1.50 from the Mariscal area to an area within walking distance of the cable car station. Always ask for the “taximetro” in taxis, to get the right price.

From Quito’s airport, Mariscal Sucre, taxis are the best option and should cost under $10 depending on traffic. Tame has daily direct flights to Quito from Coca, Cuenca, Esmeraldas, Galapagos, and Guayaquil. Flights leave Lago Agrio every day but Sunday. From Machala, there are two flights every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, and from San Cristóbal there is one flight daily except for Thursday and Sunday.

The best way to reach Centro Histórico from within Quito is by El Trole or taxi. The Trole can take passengers from the very north of Quito to all the main sites in Centro Histórico and only costs $0.25 per ride. Taxis are also very affordable and abundant.

Many people stay in Quito and study Spanish while using the city as a base to explore Mindo, Otavalo, Papallacta, and Cotopaxi. It’s easy to hire a taxi to drive you for under $100, take the bus for a few dollars, or rent private cars from Budget, Avis or Hertz.