Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
Puglia Italy - Matera
Italy • 8 days, 7 nights
Southern Italy: Castles, Caves & Coastal Treasures in Puglia
from
Turkmenistan Gates of Hell Darvaza crater
Turkmenistan • 10 days, 9 nights
Turkmenistan & the Gates of Hell
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
The Bodisco House in Georgetown.
Bodisco House
All four ‘Tumblers on Life´s Path’ in order, left to right.
'Tumlinger på livets vej' ('Tumblers on Life's Path')
The remains are only a tiny part of the once large hospital.
Holdsveikraspítalinn í Laugarnesi
Custard apple, breadfruit, and soursop sculptures dedicated to the Caribbean diaspora in the UK.
Custard Apple, Breadfruit, and Soursop Sculptures
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
This fried chicken is one of Bangkok’s most famous.
Gai Tord Jae Kee
Chefs Aruss Lerlerstkull and Atcharaporn Kiatthanawat lean into regional traditions.
Charmgang
The khao soi at Gedhawa comes with a rich, coconutty broth.
Gedhawa
At Nai Mong Hoi Thod, the oyster omelet is worth waiting for.
Nai Mong Hoi Thod
In this deceptively simple dish, top-quality ingredients are paramount.
Kor Panich
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
Ripples in the land are remnants of the field walls that once held rows of native sugarcane and sweet potatoes.
Unearthing the Mysteries of Hawai'i's Ancient Agriculture
Petrified Forest National Park.
Beware the Legends Behind These National Park Souvenirs
For Aguilar-Carrasco, nature is a powerful reminder of the interconnectedness of all life.
How Can National Parks Be Made Accessible to All? AO Wants to Know.
Podcast: Finding ‘The Great Gatsby’ in Louisville

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All Ecuador Quito Iglesia de la Compañía de Jesús

Iglesia de la Compañía de Jesús

It took 160 years to complete the most ornate church in Ecuador.

Quito, Ecuador

Added By
Tony Dunnell
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
CAPTION
Main nave of Iglesia de la Compañía de Jesús.   Diego Delso/cc by-sa 4.0
Iglesia de la Compañía de Jesús.   Diego Delso/cc by-sa 4.0
Iglesia de la Compañía de Jesús   Dan/cc by-sa 2.0
  Diego Delso/cc by-sa 4.0
Iglesia de la Compañía de Jesús.   Alfredo Chaves/cc by-sa 2.5
Gold leaf on the ceiling of Iglesia de la Compañía de Jesús.   Diego Delso/cc by-sa 4.0
Inside the Iglesia de la Compañía de Jesús.   Diego Delso/cc by-sa 4.0
Painting of Hell inside the church.   Diego Delso/cc by-sa 4.0
  breaingram / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

Jesuit architects began work on the Iglesia de la Compañía de Jesús in 1605. The church was finally completed 160 years later, and is now considered one of the finest examples of Spanish Baroque architecture in South America.

During the 16th century, religious orders were busy building churches in the newly founded city of Quito. The colonial city council had granted plots to the Franciscans, the Augustinians, and the Dominicans, among others. And when the first Jesuit priests arrived in Quito in 1586, they too sought land in the city on which to build a church.

The Jesuits were granted a plot just off Plaza Grande in the heart of the city, and the first stone was laid in 1605 by the Italian Jesuit priest Nicolás Duran Mastrilli. And so began a 160-year construction project that would involve numerous architects, different architectural styles, and the work of some of Quito’s greatest artisans.

Upon its completion in 1765, the Iglesia de la Compañía de Jesús had incorporated four architectural styles. The predominant architectural style is Baroque, and the church has no shortage of the exuberance, fine detail, and grandeur associated with that particular style. Moorish, or Mudejar, architecture, meanwhile, is clear to see in the geometrical figures on the church’s pillars. Parts of the interior reveal the stucco decoration of the Churrigueresque style, while the Chapel of Saint Mariana de Jesús is very much Neoclassical.

Today the church is widely regarded as the finest church in Quito and one of the most ornate religious buildings in Ecuador. The large central nave is decorated almost completely with gold leaf, gilded plaster, and wooden carvings, above which are two green and gold domes in the vaulted ceiling.

Among all the architectural flourishes are 44 paintings and 56 sculptures by artists of the Quito School. The most famous of these works are the "16 Prophets" by Nicolás Javier de Goríbar, sculptures of the Holy Trinity by Bernardo de Legarda, and paintings depicting Hell and the Final Judgment at each side of the main entrance.

Other notable elements include symbols of the Sun on the main door to the church and the ceiling. The inclusion of the Sun symbol was a nod to the Inca civilization (and the Sun God Inti), possibly included as a way of encouraging the indigenous population to enter the church. This syncretism is also displayed in other parts of the church. If you look carefully, you’ll see Ecuadorian plants and indigenous faces included within the decorations on the walls and pillars.

Related Tags

Churches Architecture History Religion Art Sacred Spaces

Know Before You Go

The Iglesia de la Compañía de Jesús is located along García Moreno and Sucre in the historic center of Quito, one block to the southwest of Plaza Grande. Visiting hours for tourists are from 9:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Monday to Thursday, 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday and 12:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday. The entrance fee for foreign tourists is $5. Entrance is free on the first Sunday of every month.

Atlas Obscura Adventures

Wild Galapagos: An Ecological Wonderland

Darwin's legacy, snorkeling, volcanic landscapes & conservation insights.

Book Now

Community Contributors

Added By

Tony Dunnell

Edited By

breaingram

  • breaingram

Published

March 21, 2019

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • http://fundacioniglesiadelacompania.org.ec/portal/m/informacion
  • http://www.lageoguia.org/iglesia-de-la-compania-de-jesus-quito-ecuador/#19/-0.22070/-78.51391
  • https://iglesiacompaniadejesus.wordpress.com/2013/12/17/iglesias-de-la-compania-de-jesus-quito/
  • http://www.patrimonio.quito.gob.ec/index.php/patrimonio-cultural/patrimonio-material/novedades/247-la-compania-de-jesus-de-quito
Iglesia de la Compañía de Jesús
N10-43 García Moreno
Quito
Ecuador
-0.220771, -78.513898
Visit Website
Get Directions

Nearby Places

La Virgen de Quito

Quito, Ecuador

miles away

Palacio de Carondelet

Quito, Ecuador

miles away

Calle García Moreno

Quito, Ecuador

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Quito

Quito

Ecuador

Places 13

Nearby Places

La Virgen de Quito

Quito, Ecuador

miles away

Palacio de Carondelet

Quito, Ecuador

miles away

Calle García Moreno

Quito, Ecuador

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Quito

Quito

Ecuador

Places 13

Related Places

  • Sun setting on a cloudy day.

    Lindon, Colorado

    Abbott Church

    A tiny nondenominational church harkens back to the days of the first homesteaders in the region.

  • Sculpture of a Hindu goddess.

    Gwalior, India

    Sasbahu Temples

    A pair of nearly 1,000-year-old temples profusely covered in meticulous stone carvings.

  • Sharon Temple.

    East Gwillimbury, Ontario

    Sharon Temple

    An architectural marvel built by a nearly forgotten Canadian Quaker sect, the Children of Peace.

  • Haarlem’s Big Church.

    Haarlem, Netherlands

    Grote Kerk

    This towering church is home to a world-famous organ and a treasure trove of medieval art.

  • Santa Caterina del Sasso

    Leggiuno, Italy

    Santa Caterina del Sasso

    This monastery built into a cliff hides a perfectly preserved hermit in a glass coffin.

  • The interior.

    Palermo, Italy

    The Martorana

    This mosaic-lined medieval church was built by the world's first admiral and still holds mass in ancient Greek.

  • Saint Lawrence Basilica in Asheville.

    Asheville, North Carolina

    Basilica of Saint Lawrence, Asheville

    This rare basilica nestled right in downtown Asheville is an architectural marvel, inside and out.

  • The Pink Mosque.

    Shiraz, Iran

    Nasir al-Mulk Mosque

    A spectacular rainbow of stained glass makes the "Pink Mosque" one of the most beautiful in Iran.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.