Unforgettable adventure inside the Basilica of the National Vow, in Quito, like having a coffee on the 13th floor

Also called the Consecration of Jesus or Basilica of San Juan, the Basilica of the National Vow is a neo-Gothic religious building in the Historic Center. Foto Turisec

Anchored in the Santa Prisca neighborhood of Quito, the Basilica of the National Vow arouses the interest of tourists for its enormous neo-Gothic stone structure and adorned by gargoyles and endemic and exotic animals of Ecuador, representative of the fauna, such as alligators , Galapagos tortoises, blue-footed boobies, armadillos, howler monkeys, pumas, among others.

The Basilica of the National Vow in Quito is considered one of the largest in America. The construction is compared with the Cathedral of Saint Patrick, in New York, and with the Notre Dame Cathedral, in Paris.

Undoubtedly, you have to know each space of this architectural beauty, to imagine the talent, professionalism and skill of the person who designed the work and of the people who built the temple.

Inside the Basílica Nacional del Vow in Quito there are religious images of the holy family.

Curiosity, adrenaline and fear are mixed when starting the tour. Foreign, national and local visitors know that the ascent will not be easy, but the challenge is to reach the end. You can go by elevator or by the stands. The second option is the most exciting

After climbing 204 steps of cement and covered with tiles, you reach the 13th floor. Then, there is the most complex part. By some small metal steps, in the shape of a churo, you have to continue until you reach the 16th floor, located 115 meters high.

Here, the air and the energy seem to end, but a breeze refreshes the face.

The Pailon del Diablo, in Baños, preserves its history; there is a giant waterfall and a crack directly into the sky

Thanks to its neo-Gothic style, it has become a tourist attraction from where you can see all of Quito.

From this site, you can see the charm, grandeur and majesty of the 'Little Face of God', one of the names by which Quito is known.

Through various angles, the traditional Historic Center is observed, where the houses preserve their tile roofs, the domes of the churches and convents, as well as a part of the south of the city.

On the other side is modern Quito, with its huge buildings and designs that break the mold.

To the east is the Itchimbía park and to the west the Guagua Pichincha volcano. On every flank, a concrete city can be seen, where there is no space left to build another house. Tower 1 is known as the condor, because its height is equal to the height reached by the bird during its flight.

Also, as a clock tower and bell tower, since the huge hands of the clocks never stop and the four campaigns, of different sizes, wobble in the wind and mark the hours.

Coffee shops and stores

Canelazo and other artisan liquors can be drunk on one of the floors of the Basílica of the National Vow.

Visiting the Basilica of the National Vow in Quito is complemented by a pleasant rest in the cafeterias, which operate in tower 1. In these places, tourists enjoy delicious chocolate, canelazo, artisan liquor and other delicacies.

On the 13th floor there is 'La Guarida BonneUue', the perfect place for a good conversation while enjoying traditional drinks and artisanal liquors.

The specialties are cocoa wine, which is made from the pulp and shells of cocoa; coca tea, which helps prevent altitude sickness, calms anxiety and nerves; the canelazo, known as water gloriosa or water of sugar, is prepared with naranjilla and cloves.

Likewise, the exquisite colada morada, typical of the Finados era. In addition, you can taste the typical sweets of guava, milk, nougat, etc.

Instead, on the 12th floor is the cafeteria 'Aroma Cacao', a cozy place to taste a hot chocolate, whose product is grown in the northwest of Pichincha, on the property of Nancy Bohórquez. To accompany the drink are the cocoa fritters and biscuits. Visitors can even buy roasted cocoa, mates, chocolates, wheat coffee, handicrafts, among others.

For those who wish to bring a souvenir, the Souvenirs Ecuador store offers a wide variety of handicrafts to wear and decorate the home.

The options are diverse, from a key ring to a poncho made with sheep's wool. Isabel Betancourt, owner, kindly welcomes tourists and shows them handicrafts from different parts of the country.

Other floors keep old items that remind us of yesterday or the roots of the people of Quito.

On the 5th floor there is a gallery-workshop that brings together various groups (painters, stained glass artists, artisans who make figures in marzipan, porcelain, ceramics, etc. Here, the stained glass windows of the Basilica of the National Vow in Quito are repaired. With skill, Patience, experience, professionalism and passion, Antonio Guillén, arranges the pieces that make up a stained glass window.

Likewise, there is a way to connect by a metal bridge to the north tower, where you can climb one of the towers. For this feat you have to have nerves of steel and not suffer from vertigo. Time passes and the tour ends, but the visit to the Basilica of the National Vote in Quito will never be forgotten. An experience that remains recorded.

Handicrafts, ponchos, hats and other clothing are offered at the National Voting Basilica in Quito.

In the Patrimonial Cemetery of Guayaquil cultural tourism is done in the open air; there overflows the art

Some data

Basilica of the National Vow in Quito is 140 meters long by 35 meters wide The two front towers are 115 meters high each.
It is made up of 24 internal chapels.
The subsoil keeps the crypts where the remains of several ex-presidents of the Republic rest.
The church was consecrated in 1988, to commemorate the consecration of the Ecuadorian State to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.