Now, I’m not the typical church goer but when a church looks like this…sign me up. The Church and Monastery of St. Francis, built between 1534 and 1604 in Quito, is a sight to see. It has the distinction of being the largest architectural ensemble among the historical structures of colonial Latin America and still serves as a place of worship today.
What I love is that the “The Church of San Francisco” is an incredibly ornate structure and interior, decorated with Mannerist elements and gold for days. The central portion of the structure also houses 3,500 works of colonial art and a library with ancient manuscripts.
Whether you attend a service on Sunday (Spanish only, so bring your pocket bible) or go simply to relish in the architecture and art – it’s worth the trip.