Quito is the capital city of Ecuador in northwestern South America. It is located in northern Ecuador in the Guayllabamba river basin on the eastern slopes of the Pichincha, an active stratovolcano in the Andes mountains. It was founded in 1534 on the ruins of an ancient Inca city. Quito is located about 25 km (15 miles) south of the equator. A monument and museum marking the general location of the equator is known locally as la mitad del mundo (the middle of the world). Besides this monument, there is also a historical museum with an extensive model of Quito in it, a planetarium, various exhibits, several restaurants, an open arena that is occasionally used for dance, and a small chapel where one can get married with each spouse standing on an opposite hemisphere. Pululahua is a volcano a few miles away from La Mitad del Mundo. It has a caldera or crater which is visible from a spot easily accessible by car. This crater is believed to be one of the only inhabited craters in the world.
The "centro histórico", historical center, as it is called, was appointed , along with the historic center of Kraków (Cracovia) , Poland, as the first UNESCO World Heritage Cultural Site in 1978 and has many appealing plazas (the Independence Plaza being the most important) and manierist and baroque churches, including the Cathedral, the convent and church of St. Francis, which is the largest building of the Colonial era built by the Spaniards in South America, the church of El Sagrario, convent and church of Santo Domingo and the church of the Society of Jesus, or "La Compañía" which was built after the model of the Church of the Gesu in Rome.
There are also several museums, many of them dedicated to Colonial art and history; some of the most renowned are the city Museum ("Museo de la Ciudad"), the Metropolitan Cultural Center and the museum of the Convent of St. Francis. Museo del Banco Central is a comprehensive showcase of Ecuadorian art, history and culture. Markets are scattered throughout the area. At the north-eastern edge of Old Town lies the more recent Basílica del Voto Nacional, consecrated in 1988. For the able-bodied non-acrophobic tourist, the Basílica offers a climb up its high towers leading to breathtaking views from the top.
El Panecillo is a hill located in the middle west of the city with an altitude of about 9,895 feet (3,016 m) above sea level. The monument to Virgin Mary located on top of El Panecillo is visible from most of the city of Quito.
Quito has an aerial tramway, known as the "Telefériqo," from the city center to the hill known as Cruz Loma on the east side of the Pichincha volcano. The ride takes visitors to an altitude of about 12,000 feet (over 4,100 m) where they find a number of restaurants, coffee shops and a variety of stores. There are also trails for hiking and areas where pictures can be taken of Quito. Due to the increased altitude and the wind on the mountain, it is considerably cooler. Besides the aerial tramway to Cruz Loma, the telefrigo as a whole is a visitor center that includes an amusement park (Vulqano Park), fine dining restaurants, Go Karts, Paint Ball, shopping malls, extensive food court, and other attractions.
