Last updated on December 20, 2023.

The hill of El Panecillo rises above the south side of Quito’s UNESCO World Heritage listed historic city. It’s crowned by a large winged statue of the Virgin.

El Panecillo in Quito, Ecuador
El Panecillo

 

Getting There

There are steps from the old town up the hill, but it’s best to take a taxi. The walk up takes you through a dangerous area. Once at the top, you’ll find some of the best views of Quito.

El Panecillo in Quito, Ecuador
El Panecillo
View from El Panecillo in Quito, Ecuador
View of Quito

 

The Statue

The Virgin of El Panecillo was built in 1976 by Spanish artist Agustín de la Herrán Matorras and is the tallest aluminum sculpture in the world. It stands 45 meters tall and made of 7,000 pieces of aluminum. It was inspired by the sculpture of the Virgin of Quito made by Ecuadorian sculptor Bernardo de Legarda in 1734. The original sculpture is inside the Church of San Francisco (Iglesia de San Francisco).

La Virgen de Quito at El Panecillo in Quito, Ecuador
Looking up at the statue

The figure of the Virgin stands on top of a globe and is stepping on a snake. It’s claimed that this is the only statue of the Virgin in the world with wings.

 

Inside the Statue

It’s possible to go inside the statue for a cost of US$1 (as of April 2023). There’s a small museum inside along with an even better view of the city.

Museum inside La Virgen de Quito at El Panecillo in Quito, Ecuador
Museum inside the statue

 

Souvenirs

There are a few overpriced souvenir stands at the top of the hill as well.

Souvenir shops at El Panecillo in Quito, Ecuador
Souvenir shops
Author

Owner of Paisadventure. World traveler. Chicago sports lover. Living in Colombia.

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.