Stunning Colonial Architecture

Quito’s UNESCO-listed Old Town is crammed with well- preserved colonial structures including the Church and Monastery of San Francisco, the Santo Domingo Church and the Iglesia de La Compañia de Jesús, as well as the government buildings on Plaza Grande. To help you get familiar with what’s what, we’ve put together just a few facts about each:

The Church of San Francisco, which sits on top of the foundations of an old Inca palace, is among the oldest and largest example of Baroque architecture in Latin America. Among the treasures held inside is the much-revered Virgin of Quito, an 18th-century wooden sculpture from the now famed Quito School of Art.

Another construction from the early days of Spanish rule, the Santo Domingo Church encompasses an art museum, which displays religious carvings, sculptures and paintings. Often singled out as the most beautiful church in Quito, the Iglesia de la Compañia de Jesús is certainly eye-catching. Its interior is covered in dazzling gold detailing.

The Archbishop’s Palace is the seat of religious authority in Ecuador, and sits next to the equally grand Municipal Palace – the effect of both when seen together is impressive. Both are found on Quito’s Plaza Grande square, not far from the 16th-century Palace of Carondelet, where the President of Ecuador resides.

During a personalized private tour of the city, you’ll visit each of these Baroque masterpieces as well as seeing much more of Quito.