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Quito · History

From Rumiñahui's fire to the cry of 1809

This route covers three centuries in little more than a kilometre. It starts in the square where the Spanish town was born on the ashes of the Inca city and ends before the statue of the general who sealed independence. Along the way you'll see the buildings where the First Cry of 1809 was planned, sworn and paid for in blood. Walk slowly: at 2,850 metres, every slope counts double.

  • 5 stops
  • 1.3 km
  • 1 h 30 min
  • Free
Start with GPS Read about this stop 1
Old photograph of Plaza de San Francisco crowded with market stalls

The route

Stop by stop

  1. 1 Plaza and Church of San FranciscoOn the ashes of the city Rumiñahui ordered burned, the Spanish town of San Francisco de Quito was born in 1534.
  2. 2 Metropolitan Cultural Centre and former Royal BarracksThis building taught the ideas that sparked independence, and right beside it their champions were killed.
  3. 3 Carondelet Palace and the First CryOn the morning of 10 August 1809, Quito removed the president of the Audiencia and formed its own government.
  4. 4 Church and Monastery of San AgustínIts chapter house ratified the junta of 1809, and its crypt holds the patriots killed a year later.
  5. 5 Plaza and Church of Santo DomingoFrom his pedestal, Sucre points towards the volcano where Quito's independence was sealed in 1822.

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Start with GPS

Guide mode

Walk it with GPS.

Open guide mode on your phone: you’ll see your position and the distance to each stop, and we’ll let you know when you arrive. Then read or listen.

Start with GPS

  1. Turn on your location

  2. Walk to the spot

  3. Check the photo and listen

What you’ll discover

From Rumiñahui's fire to the cry of 1809

The burned city

Rumiñahui, the Inca retreat and the founding of San Francisco de Quito in 1534.

The First Cry

The junta of 10 August 1809, the hall where it was ratified and the barracks where its leaders were killed.

Independence

Sucre, Pichincha and the battle of 1822 that closed the story.

Keep exploring

More routes in Quito

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Itineraries

How many days do you have in Quito?

We’ve planned it day by day for you: which routes to walk and in what order, what else to see and where to eat.

1

Quito in 1 day

All three routes in one full day: the highlights, the history and the legends at dusk.

See the itinerary 2

Quito in 2 days

A gentler pace: the three routes over two days, plus extra sights and where to eat.

See the itinerary 3

Quito in 3 days

The city in depth: one route a day, extra museums and neighbourhoods, and a day for good food.

See the itinerary