Photos

A view of the capital of Ecuador - San Francisco de Quito or Quito for short - which is the country's second most populous city (after Guayaquil) and one of the highest capitals in South America. It is also the headquarters of the Union of South American Nations. Quito's old city has been declared a world heritage site.

Quito's altitude is approximately 2,800 meters (9,200 ft), making it the second-highest administrative capital city in the world, after La Paz, Bolivia.

Ecuador's capital, Quito (San Francisco de Quito), is built in a valley and on the eastern slope of an active stratovolcano in the Andes Mountains.

The Monument to the Equator, located at San Antonio parish in the canton of Quito, 26 km (16 mi) north of the center of Quito, highlights the exact location of the Equator (from which the country takes its name). The 30-m (98-ft) tall monument was constructed between 1979 and 1982 of iron and concrete, and then faced with cut and polished andesite stone.

Another view of Quito from El Panecillo (Bread Loaf Hill).

The Virgin of the Apocalypse statue overlooking historic Quito from El Panecillo hill.

A statue of the "Virgin of the Apocalypse" on El Panecillo (Bread Loaf Hill), overlooking Quito. The 45 m- (148 ft-) tall aluminum statue depicts the Virgin Mary with wings.

The Palacio de Carondelet (Carondelet Palace) on Independence Square in Quito. The building serves as the seat of government and is the presidential residence. The luxury Hotel Plaza Grande on the right takes its name from the original appellation for the square. Historic Independence Square and its surrounding buildings have all been inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

One of the front towers of the Basilica del Voto Nacional (Basilica of the National Vow), a Roman Catholic church in the historic center of Quito. Begun in the late 19th century, it was consecrated in 1988. Technically the basilica remains unfinished, since, according to local legend, its completion would signal the end of the world.

Inside the Basilica del Voto Nacional (Basilica of the National Vow) in Quito.

One of the oldest churches in South America is the Quito Cathedral. Built in the 1500s in the city center, it features a collection of gargoyles depicting native animals of Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands.

The Plaza de San Francisco, built atop an Incan town's market place, is one of Quito's greatest squares. Bordered on three sides by two-story colonial mansions, the fourth side consists of the huge Monastery of San Francisco, the largest colonial building and oldest church in the city.