We visited the National Basilica, which compared to many of the cathedrals of Europe, is almost brand new. It was started in the early 1900's, and only completed in the 1970s. Amazingly, you can climb all the way to the very top of the bell towers, which of course we did, for the best view in the city.
Between the bell towers (below), you can see a statue off in the distance. This statue of the Virgin Mary (the Virgen de Quito), located on a small hill known as el panecillo (small loaf of bread), was built on the site of a legendary Incan temple. Many of Ecuador's modern religious shrine were built by the Spainards (who conquered the Incas in the 1530's) on the site of older religious sites.
Of course, Ecuador gets its name from the Ecuator, which splits both the country, and the Earth, in half. Below is a picture of the geodesic landmark designating the ecuator.
It's a fascinating city, full of modern technology and old world charm at the same time.
No comments:
Post a Comment