El
Panecillo
(little bread
hill)
Just
before the
Spanish took
the city,
there used
to be a monument
of sun worship
here called
Yavirac, which
was destroyed
by Ruminahui
during the
Inca resistance.
El Panecillo
reaches an
altitude of
3000 metres
and can be
ascended by
foot or by
car.
At the top
of the Panecillo
there is a
beautiful
statue of
the Virgin
of Quito,
sculpted by
Spanish sculptor
Agustin de
la Herran
Matorras.
The monument
is situated
at an altitude
of 3,150 metres
and is the
world's biggest
aluminium
construction.
Visitors can
climb up to
observation
balcony for
enchanting
views of the
city's landscape.
Churches
and Museums
Quito's
churches and
temples are
the city's
architectural
gems, which
were constructed
during the
colonial period.
Among the
most outstanding
are:
Church and
convent of
San Francisco,
Chapel of
Cantuna, Church
of the Compania
de Jesus,
convent of
Santo Domingo,
La Catedral,
Basilica de
la Merced,
church of
San Agustin,
convent of
Tejar, church
of San Diego,
churches of
Carmen antiguo
and el Carmen
Bajo, santuary
of Guapulo,
church of
Sagrario,
El Belen.
Among
the most notable
museums are:
Museo de Arte
Colonial (museum
of colonial
art), Museo
Jacinto Jijon,
Museos de
la Casa de
la Cultura
Ecuatoriana,
Museo Alberto
Mena Caamano,
Museo de Ciencias
Naturales
(museum of
natural sciences).
The National
Library is
situated in
the Casa de
la Cultura
Other important
libraries
are the Banco
Central (Central
Bank's Library)
and Aurelio
Espinosa Polit
Library (Cotocollao).
La
mitad del
mundo(Centre
of the World)
Along
the Panamerican
highway some
26 km from
Quito is the
site of the
Mitad del
Mundo.
The equinnoxial
line is located
here, there
is also a
monument commemorating
the site and
an ethnographic
museum.
The
monument,
constructed
in 1982, has
an observation
balcony and
also houses
the ethnographic
museumm allowing
the visitor
to get to
know a little
about the
indigenous
cultures inhabiting
the national
territory.
ECOTOURISM
In
the province
of Pichincha
there are
numerous possibilities
to carry out
walking tours
and several
types of excursions.
The mountains
surrounding
the basin
of the River
Guayllabamba
are a permanent
tourist attraction
for climbers
and trekkers.
Ecologists
and nature
lovers have
a wide range
of choices:
El
Pululahua
Situated
at 18 km from
Quito, via
Calacali,
is the now-extinct
crater of
Pululahua
which offers
breathtaking
views.
Nono, Tandayapa
and Mindo
Protected
Areas
This
zone is extremely
rich in flora
and fauna.
The area extends
some 19,200
hectares and
has been declared
"Protected
Forest and
Vegetation
of the Mountains
of Mindo and
Cordilleras
of Nambillo".
Pasachoa
Protected
Forest
Pasachoa,
primary forest,
is located
some 45 mins
from Quito
(via los Chillos,
Amaguana).
It is open
seven days
a week and
has various
ecological
paths which
can be toured
with the help
of a guide.
The reserve
extends some
400 hectares
with altitudes
between 2700
and 380 metres.
Last Updated
17th August
2006 (DLW)
