Church and Convent of San Agustin, Quito

The Church and Convent of San Agustín is a must-see for anyone visiting Quito. It is one of the seven monumental churches of the 16th and 17th centuries and is rich in history and architectural beauty.

The Augustinian order was assigned the site where the church and convent now stand in 1573. They began construction of the convent, but the church was not built until much later, between 1606 and 1617, by Juan del Corral, based on the plans designed by the architect Francisco Becerra in 1581. Becerra also worked on the design of the Church of Santo Domingo.

The church's main portal is a beautiful example of the Neoclassical style printed by Diego de Escarza, which features Spanish and Amerindian decorative elements. The bell tower is also impressive, reaching a height of 37 meters and containing the same bells placed there in the 17th century.

The convent, built in the 16th century, has a separate entrance on the eastern side of the façade and forms a single architectural complex together with the temple and a small atrium with a stone cross on the corner diametrically opposite the latter's entrance. The cloister was completed in the middle of the 17th century and features gardens and a large session hall called the Chapter House, which was only conceived in the 18th century. It was here that the Act of the Governing Board of 1809 was signed and the first cry of freedom was given.

One of the main attractions of the Church of San Agustín is the enormous painting that hangs on its main altar. The painting, titled "The Triumph of Saint Augustine," is the work of Miguel de Santiago and was completed in the 17th century.