A quick history of Quito, Ecuador – Luz de América
Quito, the capital of Ecuador, sits at over 9,000 feet above sea level, one of the highest capital cities in the world. But why build a city so high?
The indigenous Quitu people chose this valley for many reasons. The altitude creates a permanent spring like climate year round, not too hot, not too cold. The mountains around it are like a natural fortress. And the elevation kept diseases like malaria and yellow fever away.
When the Inca Empire conquered the region, Quito became one of their most important cities. They called it Quitu, after the Quitu people and built on top of everything that was already there. When the Spanish arrived in the 1500s, they also built their colonial city directly on top of the Inca city. Layer after layer of civilization, all choosing the same spot in the mountains.
And on August 10th, 1809, Quito became the first city in Latin America to declare independence from Spain. That’s why Quito is called Luz de América, the Light of America.
A city built by people who understood their geography. Sitting at 9,350 feet, surrounded by volcanoes, cradled in the Andes.
