About
Quito, the capital of Ecuador, was founded in the 16th century on the ruins of an Inca city and stands at an altitude of 2,850 m. Despite the 1917 earthquake, the city has the best-preserved, least altered historic centre in Latin America. The monasteries of San Francisco and Santo Domingo, and the Church and Jesuit College of La Compañía, with their elaborate interiors, are pure examples of the 'Baroque school of Quito', which is a fusion of Spanish, Italian, Moorish, Flemish and indigenous art.
Supporting source: Legacy import provenance
Plan your visit
Hours
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Quito's historic center is a lived-in UNESCO city district with broadly open public access to streets and plazas. Individual landmarks inside it have their own hours.
Admission
Free
Booking
No booking needed
When to go
- Time of day: Morning, Afternoon
Features & amenities
What to expect
- Indoor + outdoor
What to bring
- Water
- comfortable shoes
Good to know
- Partially accessible
- Stroller-friendly
- Safety
- Best treated as an urban heritage walk with paid interiors mixed in. Weather, altitude, and church opening patterns shape the day more than one single ticket gate would.
Tags
Planning Quito
The rest of my Quito saves, on the city's planning pages.