La Virgen del Panecillo

From this square and all along the 24th of May Boulevard, you’ve got a perfect view of El Panecillo and its iconic statue of the Winged Virgin. The name Panecillo, meaning “little bread roll,” was given by the Spanish because of the hill’s rounded shape, but its original name was likely Shungoloma, which means “heart of the mountain” in Quechua. If you’re up for a stunning panoramic view, you can head to the top , the hill rises to 3,000 meters above sea level, about 200 meters higher than the rest of the city. Just a heads-up: it’s best to go by taxi or on a tourist bus, as walking up can be risky due to occasional muggings. That towering Virgin statue you see is actually the largest aluminum sculpture in the world! The story behind it goes back to the 18th century, when the Franciscans asked Bernardo de Legarda — a master sculptor from the Quito School — to create an image of the Immaculate Conception for one of their side altars. Drawing inspiration from chapter 12 of the Book of Revelation, Legarda imagined a woman clothed with the sun, standing on the moon, crowned with twelve stars, and fleeing from a great dragon — the Devil — with the help of eagle’s wings given by God. From this vision, he created a small, 30-centimeter-tall figure: a crowned Virgin with wings on her back and a dragon trampled underfoot. The Franciscans were so impressed, they moved her to the center of their main altar — and from there, the Winged Virgin quickly became a beloved symbol in Quito. Fast forward to the 20th century: the old Spanish fort on Panecillo Hill was torn down, and the city wanted to replace it with something meaningful and visible from all over. Legarda’s Winged Virgin was the obvious choice. In 1975, a volcanic stone pedestal was built, and the following year, a giant replica of the sculpture was installed — made of 7,400 pieces of aluminum. With her arms outstretched and gaze turned toward the city, she’s been watching over Quito ever since, blessing and protecting it from above.