Guapulo Cathedral
Guapulo, Quito, Pichincha, Ecuador
Description:
The Guapolo Church, located in Quito, the capital of Ecuador, has long been a popular pilgrimage site for Catholics. It is located on a small plateau among the hills. One of its main shrines is the statue of Our Lady of Guadalupe, which was carved by Diego de Robles and Luis de Rivera.
The original building of the church was very modest, its first stone was laid under Bishop Luis de Solis in 1596, in honor of the Virgin Mary of Guadalupe. 50 years later, in 1649, construction began on the current building, a large and majestic 190 feet tall and topped with a dome.
The facade of the church is made in neoclassical style, with two bell towers. Its pulpit was carved in 1716, and is considered one of the most beautiful in South America. When the church was completed, Miguel de Santiago and the young artist Nicolas Javier de Goribar went to Guapalo to decorate it in their own unique style.