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D1 COLONIAL QUITO On this day trip we get to know Quito's old colonial center which was founded by the Spanish conquerors atop the ruins of an Inca city on December 6th, 1534 and which was declared a world heritage site by UNESCO in 1978. From this date on, the old colonial buildings, the churches, the squares are all protected against destruction and degradation. In the afternoon we move to the modern part of Quito and visit the museums at the Casa de Cultura and El Ejido Park, famous for its outside artisan market. 9.00 a.m.: We start our tour in the morning and drive from our hotel up to Panecillo, the hill located in the middle of Quito with its towering monument "La Virgen De Quito". From there we have a complete view of the city and its surrounding mountains. 10.30 a.m.: We move down to the historic part of the city where we begin our sightseeing tour at the Plaza San Francisco, with its church and monastery. The church is the oldest religious building constructed in South America begun by the Spanish conquerors in 1534 and finished 70 years later. We move then by foot through the narrow, cobbled streets and passing the oldest hospital of Ecuador, San Juan de Dios, arrive by way of La Ronda street at the Plaza Santo Domingo with its church and monastery, which was built, from 1581 to 1650. From there we continue our walk to the Plaza Independencia passing the Museum Casa de Sucre, colonial house where Marshal Sucre, the hero of Ecuadorian Independence and the most trusted of Simon Bolivar’s general lived and the old Banco Central Building. The Plaza Independencia with its cathedral and the presidential palace is the heart of the old, colonial center. Two blocks away is the convent and church of San Agustin, which was begun to be built in 1583. On August 10th of 1809 Ecuador’s declaration of Independence was signed there, which lasted only 24 days. After many years of struggle, finally on May 24th 1822 the royalists were defeated by Marshal Sucre at the battle of Pichincha. Here we end our walking tour and drive on to the Casa de Cultura to the new modern part of the city. 1.00 p.m.: Visit of the Archaeology Museum at the Casa del Cultura. This famous museum hosts well-displayed art treasures of pre-Columbian cultures featuring pottery, gold ornaments and other handicrafts. Other sections of the museum display religious art and paintings covering the colonial era till the modern times. 3.00 p.m.: We visit El Ejido Park, just across the street from the museum where painters put their work up for sale and indigenous people from outside of Quito show off their artisan work. After that, end of tour and return to the hotel.
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