Quito - Ecuador / Old Town
Known by Quiteños as el Centro Histórico, the old town falls into a fairly small area that can be comfortably covered on foot in a day. However, trying to take in old Quito's thirty-odd churches and assorted museums will quickly leave you feeling swamped and exhausted, so single out a few highlights. These should definitely include the three main squares - Plaza de la Independencia, Plaza Santo Domingo and Plaza San Francisco - as well as the charming little Plaza del Teatro. Of the churches, the most impressive are probably San Francisco, La Compañía and La Merced, along with El Sagrario and San Agustín.
The most rewarding museum in the old town is the excellent Museo de la Ciudad, while the Museo Nacional de Arte Colonial is also worth a visit, with its important collection of religious art. For a glimpse inside a traditional old town house, head for the Casa de María Augusta Urrutia or the Casa de Sucre. Finally, a short taxi-ride up to the summit of El Panecillo is highly recommended, for the sweeping views over the whole of the city. Note that churches are most likely to be open at 8-11am and 3-6pm.
Something to bear in mind as you try to find your way around the old town is that many streets have two completely different street names : the official one on green plaques, and the historical name painted on ceramic tiles. So, Calle Sucre, for instance, is also signed as Calle de Algodón (Cotton Street). Only the official names appear in the text of this guide .
Known by Quiteños as el Centro Histórico, the old town falls into a fairly small area that can be comfortably covered on foot in a day. However, trying to take in old Quito's thirty-odd churches and assorted museums will quickly leave you feeling swamped and exhausted, so single out a few highlights. These should definitely include the three main squares - Plaza de la Independencia, Plaza Santo Domingo and Plaza San Francisco - as well as the charming little Plaza del Teatro. Of the churches, the most impressive are probably San Francisco, La Compañía and La Merced, along with El Sagrario and San Agustín.
The most rewarding museum in the old town is the excellent Museo de la Ciudad, while the Museo Nacional de Arte Colonial is also worth a visit, with its important collection of religious art. For a glimpse inside a traditional old town house, head for the Casa de María Augusta Urrutia or the Casa de Sucre. Finally, a short taxi-ride up to the summit of El Panecillo is highly recommended, for the sweeping views over the whole of the city. Note that churches are most likely to be open at 8-11am and 3-6pm.
Something to bear in mind as you try to find your way around the old town is that many streets have two completely different street names : the official one on green plaques, and the historical name painted on ceramic tiles. So, Calle Sucre, for instance, is also signed as Calle de Algodón (Cotton Street). Only the official names appear in the text of this guide .
Biography
www.ecuador.us
2 comments:
ts nice to learn more about the old town of Ecuator , because if you know about them you know about their culture and history
Post a Comment