Ecuadorian capital Quito is an interesting and original city. Colonial architecture is fully preserved here, and the customs of the indigenous population are intricately intertwined with Spanish traditions brought here by the conquistadors. True, you need to look around here with caution – Latin America as a whole is not famous for safety, like the capital of Ecuador, some areas of which are undesirable to visit.
Facts about the city of Quito
- This one of the highest capitals in the world. Its center lies at an altitude of almost 3 kilometers above sea level.
- The climate in Quito is even and mild, without cold or extreme heat. In addition, there is no change of seasons here – it’s just a warm summer all year round.
- The capital was named in honor of the Indian tribe Kitu, who lived in these parts. Most of the population of Quito are descendants of mixed marriages of Kitu and Spaniards.
- It is quite dangerous on the streets at night, not only for foreigners, but also for locals. There are also enough areas that it would be the height of negligence to visit even during the day.
- Along with night, siesta is also considered a dangerous time – the hottest time of the day, from about noon to 2-3 pm. The streets are getting empty and unsafe.
- Quito has a population of 2 million.
- Bus lines are very well thought out here – they travel along separate lanes without interfering with other traffic participants and transport passengers smoothly.
- According to the latest census, about 96% of the inhabitants of Quito are literate.
- This is indeed an ancient city, it is older than most European capitals. The city arose here more than 3 thousand years ago, it was the capital of the Indian state of Kitu.
- Back in the 19th century, the first national observatory in Latin America was built in Quito (facts about Latin America).
- The church of San Francisco located here is the largest building built by the Spaniards on the South American continent.
- Pichincha volcano is located in the vicinity of Quito, and it is active. You can get to its top directly from the city by cable car, and passengers are transported in funicular cabins at an altitude of about 4.1 km.
- Nature here is not as diverse as in Ecuador as a whole. The reason lies in the soil saturated with alkalis – this is a consequence of volcanic eruptions.
- For several years now, the Quito authorities have been actively promoting bicycles as an affordable and environmentally friendly transport. The successes are modest for one simple reason – everyone knows that bicycles are stolen here more often than any other transport. Simply because of the ease of this event.
- Football is played here on every street and in every yard.
- A person of European appearance is always looked at with interest here. In general, most Ecuadorians are very friendly, and they are simply interested in rare visitors from Europe or the USA, but do not forget that tourists are always a priority target for robbers.
- Local residents, even wealthy, never carry valuables or large sums of money with them. If they rob, at least it will not be a pity.
- Quito, together with the Polish city of Krakow, became one of the first cities in the world that were fully recognized as a World Cultural Heritage by UNESCO.