CATEDRAL METROPOLITANA DE QUITO

Built between 1550 and 1562, it was refurbished on several occasions. A mixture of Andalusian, Gothic, Neoclassical (main entrance) and Baroque styles, the cathedral, a traditional Latin cross, contains numerous works of the Quenña school: paintings by Miguel de Santiago(the Muerte de San José and the Dormición de la Virgen), by Manuel Samaniego (the Coronación de la Virgen), sculptures by Manuel Chilli, known as Caspicara. The painted altar is particularly noteworthy. In the chapel adjoining the sacristy lie the remains of Marshal Sucre, the hero of the Independence. It was here that the Bishop of Quito died after drinking the poison poured into the cup of consecration wine during the Good Friday ceremony in 1877. Its gothic arches, baroque ceiling and altar, neoclassical choirs and huge façade make the cathedral a unique building. There are three types of domes in this beautiful cathedral: the smallest is above the altar and is carved in the shape of a convex quadrilateral; the second, which is the largest, has the figure of a perfect oval; and the third in a perfect circle. During the 2000s, the ground floor of the Casa de Casillas, which served as a reception area for the church staff and sacristans, was completely remodeled to create the museum, through which the general public can learn about the process of evangelization of the Christian people through images and sacred art objects.