Ecuador

Quito

Quito

Welcome to Ecuador! Quito is the country's capital, a city of red-tiled roofs and centuries-old churches tucked high in the Andes Mountains, almost exactly on the equator.

Why is it famous?

Its historic center is one of the largest and best-preserved old towns in all of the Americas, packed with colonial-era buildings.

In 1978, Quito's old town became one of the very first places UNESCO ever named a World Heritage Site.

How was it built?

Spanish settlers founded Quito in 1534 on top of an older Andean city, building grand churches and plazas over the centuries that followed.

Skilled stonemasons and artists spent generations decorating churches like La Compañía and the Basílica del Voto Nacional with carvings inside and out.

Amazing facts

Quito sits about 9,350 feet (2,850 meters) above sea level, making it one of the highest capital cities on Earth.

The old town has around 130 grand historic buildings, including churches, monasteries, and plazas, packed into a fairly small area.

Quick facts

  • Quito sits about 9,350 feet (2,850 meters) above sea level, making it one of the highest capital cities on Earth.
  • The old town has around 130 grand historic buildings, including churches, monasteries, and plazas, packed into a fairly small area.
  • The equator line runs right through Quito's metropolitan area, so visitors can stand with one foot in each half of the world.
  • Quito was one of only two cities, along with Kraków, Poland, picked for UNESCO's very first World Heritage List.