High above sea level in the Ecuadorian Andes, close to the equator, the colonial old city of Quito welcomes us cloaked in clouds and with the advice to drink plenty of coffee. As if another reason to try the local brew was needed, caffeine stimulates the brain, kidneys and breathing, supposedly all helpful at altitude. Walking through the narrow cobbled streets, across majestic squares and along countless church facades at sunrise, I realise quickly that locals follow their own advice and start their day with filter coffee. Vendors with large and shiny vats appear at every other corner, people gather around them for a chat and a cup, taking first sips right there, then carry it with them to set up their own street food stalls nearby.
The streets wake up over coffee. The displays of fresh produce in baskets, bowls and bags - freshly cut herbs, berries, avocados, limes, corn, roses, papaya, uvillas, add their colours to the palette of the ornate colonial facades. Street food is being prepared on carts, in doorways and holes-in-the-wall sized places. Hard boiled quails eggs, ceviches, empanadas and plantains (deep fried and roasted over coal fires, then filled with cheese) add flavours and steam to the setting, while pavements are being swept, church doors open and the scent of palo santo becomes noticeable. I follow a nun across the cobblestones of Plaza de San Francisco and join a group of locals in entering the threshold of the domed Iglesia de la Compañia de Jesus. A moment of calm, reflection and admiration of gold-leave covered vast baroque interiors and ornate blue ceilings before the day in the Ecuadorian capital really begins.
Plaza de San Francisco
At the southwestern corner of the plaza, diagonally across from the beautiful Jesuit church, sits Casa Gangotena. Built as family home around 1600, the original structure was bought and renamed by the Spanish Gangotena family in the 18th century. The Gangotena family played an influential part in Quito’s society. They were known as friendly and welcoming, hosted gatherings at their house, even set up shops and small dwellings for friends within their walls, turning their colonial home into a bustling place. The original structure was lost in a fire, but the family rebuilt in the same spot. An Italian Architect was put in charge to design a new and more ornate Casa Gangotena. Materials were shipped in from Europe and in 1922 the family moved into their new and improved Art Deco mansion, which has been included in the city’s cultural heritage inventory since then. In 2007 the building was bought by the former mayor of Quito and now owner of Metropolitan Touring. He saved the colonial home and transformed the historic building into a hotel.
Casa Gangotena - Built 1924 as family home, the Art Deco mansion now provides a unique hotel experience.
Quito itself was declared the first-ever UNESCO World Heritage Site city in 1978 thanks to having the largest, best-preserved and least altered Historic Centre in the Americas despite the 1917 earthquake.
Founded by the Spanish in the 16th century on the ruins of an Inca city, Quito forms a harmonious ensemble of nature and man made structures. Built in a very complex topographical environment, spreading along the slopes of the Pichincha Volcano, the houses, convents and churches are organized in a checkerboard-pattern. The streets of the urban grid are aligned on the cardinal points of the compass and include a Plaza Mayor and secondary squares.
The ornate facades framing these open spaces are showing off the ‘Baroque school of Quito’, a fusion of Spanish, Italian, Moorish, Flemish and indigenous art. Especially the monasteries of San Francisco and Santo Domingo, as well as the Church of La Compañia are pure examples of the style. Built with earthen brick covered in stucco, they combine the monumental with the simple and austere and are recognized not only for their artistic value from an architectural point of view, but also for their decorative elements - the sculptures, paintings, altarpieces. The residential houses of typically one or two floors with several patios are also built from local materials and in the same architectural style, bringing together indigenous and European traditions.
The long, straight streets of Quito are defined by the warm colours of their facades and guide the view into the distance - more often than not up a hill. Walking around town, appreciating its ornate walls and long views is a beautiful experience and the many stunning, sacred interiors that are open to the public add to it.
Old Town, the largest and best preserved Historic Centre in the Americas
The Iglesia de San Roque might not have the vast and mesmerizing gold splendor of the Iglesia de la Compañia de Jesus or many historically valuable artworks as others of Quito’s over 200 churches, but the light colours of the murals covering every inch of its interior give it a joyful atmosphere, while a spiral staircase is leading past the bells all the way up to the spire and allows for a 360 degree view across the rooftops, following the lines of the streets into the distance of the snow-capped volcanoes around.
After a full day of exploring Quito’s streets, markets and traditions, meeting local healers, craftsmen and chocolatiers, visiting monasteries, museums and restaurants, we return to the colonial luxury of Casa Gangotena for a nightcap at the bar - already looking forward to waking up to the views across Plaza San Francisco in the mystical violet light here before sunrise.
THE LOWDOWN
My trip was curated by Bird with Metropolitan Touring - Ecuador travel experts since 1953 and sponsored by Olympus.