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QUITO METROPOLITAN CATHEDRAL
Quito Cathedral or Iglesia Museo Catedral Primada de Quito is considered one of the oldest churches in Latin America and is one of the largest religious symbols of spiritual value to the Catholic community in the city of Quito.
The Cathedral contains accumulated history of everyday, political, religious and artistic development of Quito generations.
This Cathedral was the first temple built in Quito with influences and styles of Indian art and Hispanics design. The church has suffered two earthquakes that rocked the capital of Ecuador in October 1660 and in February 1797.
Among its attractions are beautiful works of art, paintings and sculptures by major artists of the colonial and republican period. One of the highlights is the Miguel de Santiago Canvas, The death of the Virgin, , in the wall of the choir. Moreover, in this place lie the remains of Antonio José de Sucre, Independence hero of Ecuador. Its Colonial design makes it an architectural marvel.
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SANTA CATALINA CHURCH
Santa Catalina de Sena Convent is located in Flores Street in front of Espejo Street in the downtown of Quito.
Like many other buildings in the historic downtown, this one has been restored several times because of earthquakes that have plaguing the city for more than four centuries.
By the late seventeenth century the convent was rebuilt with adobe and the roof was restored in 1794. Finally, in 1613, the building was installed on the site nowadays occupied.
At the beginning of XVII century the monastery had had 30 great lineage religious women, mostly daughters or granddaughters of Spanish conquerors, the widows of presidents or judges of the Royal Audience of Quito. The cloistered nuns do not allow the entry to the total building, therefore, the authentic work of the convent is admired from the outside and the only contact with the nuns is with their products as wine, syrups, creams and herbs which are acquired by rotating a torno, revolving pass-through similar to a 'lazy Susan.'
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SAN BLAS CHURCH
San Blas church is located at the entrance to the downtown of Quito. It is one example of the artistic and religious history of Quito.
It’s considered one of the oldest structures in Quito. The building is rectangular with trapezoidal dome; the roof is of reeds and three muds with several wooden balks.
San Blas was a parish of Indians and now is a place visited by people of different nationalities that admire its architectural beauty and artistic works. On the walls are canvases of great artistic value: Immaculate, Virgin and Child, curiously involved into an extensive unfold dress, and a Table of Souls.
The parish is home of a beautiful cabinet delicately carved with thin floral decoration, in which are some birds and animals and two human figures between stems and flowers. It also has drawn saints, wich are painted with fine lines.
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SAN MARCOS CHURCH
The church of San Marcos, located in a small park that have the same name, is located in the street Jijon and Junín in the historic downtown of Quito.
The church has an admirable piece: the statue of the image of St. Joseph with the infant Jesus, which is one of the religious and artistic heritages of the parishioners of San Marcos.
The church is located in one of the older sections of the downtown, San Marcos, originally planned for the indigenous population. San Marcos is a treasure that keeps churches, convents, and mansions waiting to be visited and admired.
In the central part of the building is the figure of the Eternal Father, “Padre Eterno”, crowning the whole altarpiece. The roof still conserves its original character.
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LA MERCED CHURCH
La Merced Church and Convent is located in the extraordinary downtown of Quito. Its beauty is exceptional because of the stone work in facades and its invaluable treasures kept inside the convent.
The original church structure was rebuilt and modified two centuries after its foundation, which took place in the sixteenth century. Part of the Convent of La Merced was severely damaged by the earthquake in Quito on November 28th, 1778.
Among the attractions is a two- floors library full of old books and scrolls, which help to recognize the rich cultural history of Quito and its convent. Its objects are representative sample of the artistic achievements of the era, such as the seventeenth century sundial located in a small dome; a stone fountain carved with Neptune in the center; the paintings in the church of Miguel de Santiago, Nicholas Goríbar, Bernardo Rodriguez and Manuel Samaniego; the fourteen Stations of Via Crucis painted by Judía Pinta, and several paintings of Victor Mideros. And of course, the bell of the center, called "Our Mother", molten in gold, silver, bronze and zinc.
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LA COMPANIA DE JESUS CHURCH
Companía de Jesús church is an amazing church because of the fact that its art work was sculpted in Andean volcanic stone. It’s considered as the most important structure of colonial Quito owing to its representative baroque style.
This colossal construction work has been object of a complete restoration process since the earthquake destroyed major structures such as the tower in 1868. The historical and archaeological restoration works, essentials for the conservation of the temple, were made between 1987 and 2005. Since 2006 visitors from all over the world have enjoyed its many charms, bathed with seven tons of gold leaf.
The works of art are deeply admired. The altarpiece, gilded in 1745 by Bernardo de Legarda, contains sculptures of the four religious communities that evangelized Quito. Also houses the sculptural collection of the Holy Trinity and Holy Family. No doubt its artistic beauty, produced by the artists of the Quito's colonial school, reflects a memorable historic display.
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SANTO DOMINGO CHURCH
The Church and Convent of Santo Domingo are located in the historic downtown of Quito,
This building has a museum crammed with extraordinary works like the paintings that allude to the martyrs of the Order of Santo Domingo. In addition to artworks, sculptures like the Virgin of Legarda, made by Bernardo Legarda, are recognizable example of the artist’s work in “Escuela Quiteña” (Quito Art School).
Santo Domingo church and monastery represent one of the most important religious structures in Quito. Its history is characterized by fortune. Its attractions are a monumental legacy that reflects the artistic level of the time. Into the church is a wonderful sculpture of the “Virgen Del Rosario”, which was brought from Sevilla.
In the Dominican museum you can admire the works of Diego Robles, author of the images of the Guápulo and Quinche Virgins. Likewise, the museum is enriched with fabulous art pieces of the great sculptors of Quito, as the sculpture of Santo Domingo de Guzmán by Padre Carlos; San Juan de Dios sculpted by Caspicara, St. Thomas Aquino sculpted by Bernardo Legarda.
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SANTA BARBARA CHURCH
The church of Santa Barbara is located in the historic downtown of Quito. 1987’s earthquakes caused structure failure and its reconstruction was heading for Rescue Fund.
It’s a modern church that currently contains just few antiques: cloths and statues of saints.
he altarpiece is dedicated to “Virgen Del Quinche” Our Lady of El Quinche, and “Corazón de Jesus”, Heart of Jesus, to Calvary, to St. Antonio and the last two ones sculptures to St. Joseph and St. Judas Tadeo.
Among the few works of art is the painting of “Virgen de la Espiga”, and a bust of “San Francisco de Borja”, wood carved next to a tombstone located on the first rung of the entrance to the parish house, which has carved a Latin inscription to the mentioned saint, 1942 date.
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SAN AGUSTIN CHURCH
The Church and Convent of San Agustin is located at Guayaquil Street and Chile, in the historic downtown of Quito. Its admirable carved stone structures reflect the characteristic of the sixteenth century.
Construction of the church and the convent of St. Augustine concluded in 1650 at the hands of Juan Del Corral. In 1895 the convent was transformed into military barracks. It was a period of confrontation between conservatives and liberals.
The stones used to raise the convent of San Agustin were obtained from the majestic Pichincha volcano. The walls serve as gallery, where can be observed the life and miracles of St. Augustine, through a splendid collection of 25 paintings of Miguel de Santiago.
The Church of St. Augustine is one of the most colorful of Quito because of its modern and bright oil paintings. 'The Rule', is an important seventeenth-century work produced by Miguel de Santiago.
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CONVENT OF "EL CARMEN BAJO"
Quito's downtown is characterized by countless architectural treasures and stories full of beautiful works of art. One of this is El Carmen Bajo Convent, where visitors will find one more reason to be admired with Quito.
The convent of El Carmen Bajo is located in Venezuela and Olmedo streets, few meters from the heart of Quito downtown.
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In 1698 a strong earthquake destroyed the building of “El Carmen Bajo”, founded in 1669 in Latacunga (city located an hour and a half south of Quito). The church was subsequently transferred to Quito where its construction was encouraged by the Bishop Paredes who died in 1745, when the construction was completed. The keepers of the temple are the Carmelite nuns, who maintain a life of contemplation and spirituality.
Into the rooms of the convent could be perceived the cultural and religious heritage of the Carmelite Order.
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CONVENT OF "EL CARMEN ALTO"
Convent of “El Carmen Alto”, or San Jose de Quito, is located in the streets Rocafuerte and Garcia Moreno. Convent of El Carmen Alto is a construction work that contains admirable high finish and a touching story.
The Carmen Alto convent belongs to the enclosed religious nuns. The nuns kept an austere life of strict delivery. As penance, flagellation was practiced using various objects. Currently only is allowed to leave the convent in cases of utmost importance.
This work is part of the “Walk of the seven crosses": it’s a tour around the seven churches in the street García Moreno which includes very important architectural works of the historic center of Quito.
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Visitors can enjoy the small but beautiful gardens of the convent of El Carmen Alto. Visitors also have the opportunity to see the house where Mariana de Jesus lived, the cross where she died to safe Quito, the works of Spanish artist Diego de Robles.
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SAN DIEGO CONVENT
The church and convent of San Diego are located at Calicuchima Street and Farfan in the extraordinary downtown of Quito.
These extraordinary buildings are residence of several pieces of Quito’s cultural history and are vital for the city religious memory.
Incoming the convent we see a stone-brick ashlar square with quadrangular shape; and a large stone cross that lies in its center.
Also there is a large eucalyptus forest that formerly was capulies, myrtle and cedar. The convent has great works of eighteenth-century Escuela Quiteña, Quito Art School, including six valuable paintings of Gorivar.
In the church there are paintings related of saints and different situations. Most notably canvas is San Francisco de Asis by Andrés Sánchez and "Misa Gregoriana” by Miguel de Santiago. In addition to 'Our Lady of Chiquinquirá', Colombian origin, the image of 'the Passion of the Lord', by Francis Alban and the picture of Christ dying, anonymous authorship.
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BASILICA DEL VOTO NACIONAL
Basilica del Voto Nacional is one of the most important examples of neo Gothic arquitecture in Ecuador.
The magnificent work that now is the Basilica del Voto Nacional would not have been possible without the cooperation of Quito citizens that paid taxes, implemented by the State in 1895 for the purchase of salt, in order to increase public funds for the building.
The Basilica de Quito was blessed by Pope John Paul II on January 30, 1985, was officially opened on July 12, 1988. At the entrance to the Basilica a stunning gold-leaf frame and a painting of the Sacred Heart, called the attention of visitors. The painting is the original work, with which was performed the Consecration of Ecuador to the Sacred Heart on March 25th, 1874.
The Basilica, according to the general concept, follows "a large Roman history building, usually built on a rectangular plan, which was transmitted to Christian architecture. This church transformed the design to become it into a Latin cross, and adopted it as a common form for their temples. "
Another of its most impressive artistic attractions is the stone artistic inlaid: from the Andean concept, the classic gargoyles are replaced by turtles, armadillos, reptiles and amphibians of Ecuadorian fauna. These are located on the outside of the building and work as drain.
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SAN FRANCISCO CHURCH
The Church of San Francisco is the most extraordinary building work of Quito. It’s located in the historic downtown, at Cuenca and Sucre Streets.
San Francisco, as building work, has a rich history that includes the popular thinking. There is an interesting legend with the Indian Aunqui Hualca, son of Hualca, Rumiñahui follower.
Cantuña was responsible for the building of the temple court in San Francisco, but the time was short and it seems so hard finishing on time. So, he made a deal with the Devil. Cantuña would give his soul in exchange for the construction of the atrium. The work lasted one night and Cantuña pray to the Virgin for fear of being taken to hell. When the devil came into the court, a rock was lacked and therefore the agreement was canceled and Cantuña escaped. To date, the atrium of San Francisco doesn’t have a stone.
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EL BELEN CHAPEL
The Church is located in the Luis Sodiro Street, between 6 de Diciembre and Luis Felipe Borja, next to the “La Alameda” park in the charming city of Quito.
Where the Spanish conquerors heard the first Mass on the occasion of the founding of Quito, a chapel was built. The chapel was known as Veracruz, now Belen.
The Chapel of El Belén is rectangular with walls of medium Brickwork Ashlar, seven carved wooden beams, trapezoidal dome and a series of carved wood gold inlay in the walls that serve as soffit. Its façade appearance is very simple and the altarpiece is its most precious treasure.
The central niche of the chapel of El Belen is occupied by a beautiful Calvary without Magdalena. There are others that contain the image of the Eternal Father with all ornaments removed; the statue of San Jose and San Antonio, and the Immaculate Conception. On the other hand, a decoration piece formed with convex and concave circles harbors the mystical palm of the Holy Spirit.
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EL SAGRARIO CHAPEL
El Sagrario was part of the most important architectural strongholds in Quito colonial times
The church is located next to the Cathedral, in the heart of the extraordinary downtown, between Garcia Moreno and Espejo Street. The structure dates from the seventeenth century and its great beauty is characterized by a set of sculptures, Renaissance style in decoration and finishes.
This type of structure is the work of Italian architecture. Within this wonderful construction the richness of Quito Baroque Art is expresses. Legarda's work sumptuously decorate columns and Alban Francis’s work brings to life the central dome ending in a compelling dome decorated with frescoes of biblical scenes with archangels. The valuable mural painting of the dome and the screen, are from the mid-eighteenth century. The main altar is covered with gold and as part of the most important altars can be seen 'Our Lady of the Sacred Heart'
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LA INMACULADA CHURCH
The Church and Monastery of the Immaculate Conception is located in Garcia Moreno and Chile Street. It’s considered the oldest Monastery in the Ecuadorian capital.
Today the nuns sell products manufactured by them as aloe vera shampoo. Also they are well known by creating clothes for Baby Jesus in Christmas.
On the other hand, the rich architecture of the temple and its artistic treasures were lost in a fire that severely damaged it. Currently, Alcaldía Del Distrito de Quito has delivered, through FONSAL (Rescue Fund of Quito Cultural Heritage) the work of rehabilitation, in both the monastery and church of the Conception. This entity has been responsible for restoring works of art: sculptures, paintings, murals and architectural elements that brighten up the colossal church.
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