El Panecillo
A 200-metre volcanic hill rises sharply from the southern edge of Quito's old city, and at its peak stands a 45-metre aluminium figure — wings spread, one foot on a serpent, crown of stars — visible from almost anywhere in the bowl of the capital. This is the Virgen del Panecillo, assembled from 7,000 interlocking aluminium pieces and, by the numbers, the tallest aluminium statue in the world.
The hill itself has been a place of consequence for far longer than the statue. The indigenous Quitu people called it Yavirac and built a sun temple on its summit. The Spanish tore that down, raised a fortress, and by 1822 the hill was a defensive position in the battle that ended colonial rule in Ecuador.
💛 What travellers fall for
People who come back tend to arrive around ten in the morning, before the cloud band settles in over the Andes. On a clear day, Cotopaxi's cone appears on the southern horizon. The narrow staircase inside the statue winds up to a platform around the Virgin's feet — the view from there over the Centro Histórico is the specific reason to pay the two dollars.
The story behind El Panecillo
Long before the Spanish arrived, the Quitu people maintained a sun temple on this hill, which they called Yavirac. The conquistadores dismantled it, and by the early nineteenth century a colonial fortress occupied the summit. On May 24, 1822, the hill served as a strategic position in the Battle of Pichincha — the engagement that secured Ecuador's independence.
The winged Virgin came much later. In 1975 the Oblates religious order commissioned Spanish artist Agustín de la Herrán Matorras to design the monument, drawing on a 1734 carved wooden figure by Quiteño sculptor Bernardo de Legarda. Ecuadorian engineer Aníbal López assembled the 7,000 aluminium pieces on site. Archbishop Pablo Muñoz Vega inaugurated it on March 28, 1975.
Good to know
Take a taxi from Old Town — about $3 each way and five minutes. Don't walk up; the staircases have a persistent theft problem. The interior is open Thursday through Sunday until 9pm, when the hill is lit and crowds are thin. Half an hour covers it unless you linger in the small museum at the base.
Aim for the dry months of June through August for the clearest skies and the best chance of seeing Cotopaxi on the horizon. The rest of the year, mornings are often clear while rain moves in by afternoon — arriving by ten gives you a reliable window before the clouds do.
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What travellers say about El Panecillo
A 41-meter aluminum statue (1975) of a winged Virgen de Quito inspired by a 1734 original in the Basilica of San Francisco stands on El Panecillo overlooking Quito, Ecuador. The stairway up the hill is said to be frequented by muggers.
Great viewpoint over the city with an interesting Virgin Mary statue, Tallest aluminium statue in the world. Definitely worth the trek but if alone or travelling at night I would recommend taking a taxi. Also options to get lunch from vendors nearby the statue.
The best place to see the most beautiful city of the Andes. El panecillo is a Unique gem that the locals enjoy as part of their daily life.
Such a beautiful place! If you are in Quito and are not planning to go there, you are loosing one of the best experiences ever!
Virgo panecilla we took a taxi cab and asked him to wait. It's worth the trip up for the view, which for us was cloudy, but still nice. The statue itself is worthwhile to see up close. We finished the walking around up top in 10min. We could have spent longer, but the cab was waiting and I didn't want him to leave. You don't need a tour or a guide. You can easily do the whole trip for less than $10.
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