Plaza San Francisco

City Plaza

V!VA User‘s Description

Backed by the magnificent white edifice of the Monastery of San Francisco and behind it the towering peak of Volcan Pichincha, the cobbled Plaza de San Francisco is one of Quito’s oldest and most impressive sights. Located on the site of the palace of the Inca ruler Atahualpa´s son, Auqui Francisco Tupatauchi, the plaza was used for centuries by indigenous groups as a trading center, or Tianguez. The plaza and church that you can visit today was built between 1536 and 1580. Built on a slight incline, it also affords fine views over the rooftops of southern Quito, and it is easy to pass an hour or two taking in the view and watching the ever present throng of strolling Quiteno families, wide-eyed tourists, shoe-cleaning kids and thousands of pigeons passing you by. The Café Tianguez in the northern corner of the square is a good place to park yourself for this purpose, offering a comfortable seat and a good coffee. It’s expensive by Quito standards but you pay for the location.