 Left side of La Basílica del Voto Nacional taken from the front plaza. Construction began in 1883 and was consecrated in 1988. |
 Right side of La Basílica del Voto Nacional taken from the front plaza. The gargoyles represent the national fauna. |
 Center of La Basílica del Voto Nacional taken from the front plaza. |
 El Panecillo viewed from the front plaza of the Iglesia de San Francisco. |
 Construction of La Compañia Church began in 1605 by the Jesuit. It was completed in 1765. |
 At the center of Plaza de la Independencia is Monumento de la Independencia. It commemorates independence from Spanish rule in 1822. It was built in 1906. |
 A closer look at one of the Monumento de la Independencia features. |
 A closer look at another of the Monumento de la Independencia features. |
 Iglesia de la Catedral is located in the heart of the historical center of Quito on one of the four sides of Plaza de la Independencia. It was consecrated in 1572. |
 On another side of Plaza de la Independencia is the Palacia de Gobierno. Quito is the captial of Ecuador and this is the residence of the president. |
 Iglesia de San Francisco is the oldest church in Quito. Construction began in 1535 and was completed in 1605. It is actually a temple, a series of chapels, and a convent that occupies two blocks. |
 This is the interior plaza of Iglesia de San Francisco. |
 At the top of El Panecillo stands the Virgin of Quito, a popular cult image venerated throughout the northern Andes. Its composition is derived from the biblical description of the "Woman of the Apocalypse." As described by Saint John, the woman was clothed in the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head. After battling a dragon (Satan, with the apple of original sin in its mouth), she is given wings to escape. |
 La Mitad del Mundo (Middle of the World) is home to Museo Etnográfico Mitad del Mundo with displays about the various indigenous peoples of Ecuador. The red line marks the equator. |
 The Cotopaxi National Park encompasses 82,508 acres (33,390 hectares). Cotopaxi is a stratovolcano (tall, conical volcano composed of many layers of hardened lava, tephra, and volcanic ash) located 50 miles south of Quito. The glacier, one of the few equatorial glaciers in the world, begins at 16,400 feet (5,000 meters). The summit is 19,388 feet (5,911 meters). It is the second highest volcano in Ecuador and is one of the tallest active volcanoes in the world. The last confirmed eruption was in 1904. |
 After parking the vehicle at 15,060 feet (4,590 meters), we ascended to the José J. Ribas Refuge at 16,000 feet (4,876 meters). (The sign says 4,800 meters, but my guide showed me his GPS reading that showed the actual altitude.) |