Quito: Heart of the Andes

Quito: Heart of the Andes

Quito is the capital of Ecuador. It was founded in 1534 on the ruins of an ancient Inca city. 

Today, two million people live in Quito. It was the first city to be named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1978

Quito is lively, scenic and cosmopolitan. Its one and a half million inhabitants tend to be helpful and friendly.

Quito is two cities in one in the center their is the Old Town a perfectly preserved Spanish Colonial City with cobblestone streets, large plazas and gilded churches.

Quito is distinguished as the best-preserved, least altered historic center in Latin America. 

The city occupies a small basin in the great central plateau formed by the volcano Pichincha, the Puengasi ridge, and ridges formed by spurs from the eastern side of Pichincha. 

The land upon which Quito is built is uneven and is traversed by two deep ravines

Facing on to the principal square are the cathedral, the government palace, the archbishop's palace and the city hall. 

Approximately 20 minutes south of the equator, Ecuador’s capital is situated in the lush green Guapulo Valley, surrounded by rugged volcanic Andes Peaks reaching close to 20,00 feet.

The public buildings are of the heavy Spanish type.