Legend has it that an immense treasure is hidden in El Panecillo, guarded by ancient spirits and the guardian of Quito, the Winged Virgin. El Panecillo is a natural elevation in the middle of the city that, in the original language, bore the name “Yavirac”; It was a sacred site for the pre-Columbian cultures of Quito that was later renamed by the Spanish as “panecillo”, because it resembled a loaf, round and symmetrical.
El Panecillo not only offers you the most spectacular view of the South of Quito, the Historic Center and the North of the city; It is also the home of the Winged Virgin or “The Virgin of Quito”, the tallest aluminum sculpture in the world and one of the tallest statues in America, surpassing even the famous Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro. This Virgin emulates the famous Virgin of Legarda, icon of the Quito school of colonial art. At the foot of this magnificent sculpture you can enjoy traditional Quito dishes such as the peculiar “wind empanadas.”
El Panecillo is a place that allows you to enjoy the warmth of the people and the Quito atmosphere: a magical place full of history, art and legends that will soon captivate you.