It is impossible to miss the hill known as El Panecillo Mirador, in Quito, which is topped by its statue of the Virgen de Quito who watches over and protects the city. Although not high in comparison with the volcanoes among which the city nestles, it dominates the skyline when you look south down any of Quito’s colonial streets.
There are two reasons to come here – the statue, and the view. Start with the statue. At 41 meters tall and made of seven thousand pieces of aluminium, it’s pretty awesome in its own right.
Yes, the views – spectacular, on a clear morning you can see Quito spread out beneath you and beyond the city to the surrounding volcanoes.
Don’t forget to look down; just below the feet of the Virgin is another sight, the so-called Olla del Panecillo. This large cistern is traditionally said to be of Inca origin, but recent tests have dated it to after the Spanish conquest.