Quito, Capital city in Andean valley, Ecuador
Description
Quito stretches through a narrow valley at 2,850 meters (9,350 feet) elevation, surrounded by the eastern slopes of Pichincha volcano in the Andes. The urban area divides into two main zones: the historic center with its narrow streets and colonial buildings, and the modern northern district with office towers and residential complexes.
History
Sebastián de Belalcázar founded the settlement on December 6, 1534, on the ruins of an Inca site that had served as an important trading post. Three centuries of Spanish rule shaped the architecture and urban layout before independence came in 1822.
Culture
Daily life revolves around large public squares where people gather for conversation, street vendors sell their goods, and local festivals take place. Sunday markets draw families who sample traditional foods and purchase handcrafted textiles.
Practical
The metro system that opened in December 2023 connects southern neighborhoods to the north, making it easier to travel through the long, narrow city. Buses and trolleybuses supplement the network and reach hillside neighborhoods that sit higher than the center.
Did you know?
The city shared with Kraków the recognition in 1978 as one of the first sites named to the World Heritage list by UNESCO. Another distinction lies in its proximity to the equator, with the middle line running just 25 kilometers (16 miles) north of the city center.
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Church of Saint Francis
342 m
Basilica of the National Vow
796 m
Church of the Society of Jesus
180 m
Carondelet Palace
31 m
Historic Center of Quito
832 m
Cathedral of Quito
188 m
Plaza de la Independencia
31 m
Iglesia de Santo Domingo
479 m
Monument to Independence
43 m
Panopticon
954 m
Alberto Mena Caamaño Museum
64 m
Iglesia de El Sagrario
75 m
Church of San Agustín
242 m
Basílica de Nuestra Señora de la Merced
241 m
Sucre House
223 m
Quito Astronomical Observatory
1.2 km
City Museum
441 m
Casa del Alabado Pre-Columbian Art Museum
415 m
Centro Cultural Itchimbía
1.3 km
Centro Cultural Metropolitano
88 m
El Carmen Alto church
429 m
Palacio Arzobispal
31 m
Palacio Municipal, Quito
111 m
Palacio de la Curia Metropolitana
31 m
Palacio de La Recoleta
1.2 km
Teatro Bolívar
230 m
Casa de los Alcaldes
31 m
Pre-Columbian Art Museum House of Praise
407 mDiscover hidden gems everywhere you go!
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