| Iglesia de La
Merced This church
was constructed in the 17th century to symbolize and commemorate
Pichincha's volcanic eruptions that had challenged the city and
its occupants safety. The style is Baroque. Adjacent to the Church
is Quito's most ancient clock located inside a Monastery built
in 1817.The main altar of the Monastery has been elaborately carved
in wood by Legarda.
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note that additional info (prices, activities, etc) are found
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Plaza Santo Domingo
A statue of Sucre pointing
to his victory site on the slopes of Pichincha decorates this
plaza at the southern corner of Old Town. Crowds often surround
performance artists in front of the Iglesia Santo Domingo, which
was begun in 1581 and finished in 1650. Four clock faces and an
off- center tower decorate the stone facade. Despite the stained
glass behind the altar, the decorative elements inside somehow
don't seem to work together; the baroque filigree of the Chapel
of the Rosary to one side is especially jarring.
La Compañia
Located on Calle Garcia Moreno,
a block south of Plaza de la Independencia. It has rich décor
and facades including a painting of Virgen Dolorosa framed in
gold and emerald but as with other treasures it is stored in the
Banco Central del Ecuador vaults and taken out only on special
occasions or festivals under strict security supervision. Its
the most beautiful and ornate church in the Americas. Seven tons
of gold supposedly ended up on the ceiling, walls, and altars.
As of late 2000, the church was undergoing major restoration,
primarily of the extensive damage done by the 1987 earthquake.
Even the outside is overwhelming, crammed with
full-size statues, busts, sculpted hearts, and a garden's worth
of leaves carved in stone. The interior has eight side chapels,
one of which houses the guitar and remains of Santa Mariana de
Jesus. Some of the more expensive relics, including a painting
of the Virgin framed with gold and precious stones, are locked
away in a bank vault between festivals. One
of the more eye-catching objects in La Compania is a painting
depicting hell.
Monasterio EI Carmen Alto
This monastery at Rocafuerte
and Garcia Moreno was the home of Santa Mariana de Jesus from
1618-1645. Abandoned children were once passed through a small
window in the patio to be raised by the nuns. The Arco de La Reina
(Queen's Arch) over Rocafuerte marks the original southern entrance
to Quito's center. |
