When the Inca king Atahualpa was killed in Cajamarca and the Spanish Conquistadors advanced towards Quito, the city was evacuated and set on fire. It was on the ashes of the Inca city that SebastiÃ?n de BenalcÃ?zar founded San Francisco de Quito, on top of the few ruins left him. The founding date, December 6, 1534, is celebrated annually with the Fiestas de Quito.
The celebration of the Quito's Spanish foundation lasts a whole week, among parades with floats, dancing in the streets, people 'riding the roof' of the chiva buses, the bullfight season (a tradition introduced by the Spanish), the election of the Queen of Quito and a number of cultural activities. The world championship of "40", a card game played only in Ecuador is an important part of the festivity.
The Saturday before the start of the Fiestas, the Quitenos of all the different barrios, broom in hand, clean and sweep the city; the example is set by the novices of Monastery of San Francisco who come out and sweep the traditional San Francisco Square in Quito Historic downtown.
The central event during this celebration are the bullfights, with the participation of more Spanish "matadors" than local ones. During the week of festivities Quito lives a Spanish fiesta, with flamenco dancers, manzanilla drinking, people wearing the typical Spanish hats to the bullfights and afterwards, enjoying long lunches with the most famous delicacies of the Spanish cuisine to delight local palates.
Throughout the week, open sided buses called chivas, take groups of friends who climb to the roof to party, singing, dancing and drinking, accompanied by music bands. Many chivas run along the streets of the city in this festive mood.
Quito is a blessed spot cradled in the Andes at the foot of Pichincha Volcano. It has the largest and one of the best-preserved historical centers in South America, since the modern part of the city developed to the north, leaving the existing colonial treasures intact. In the last two years, the city's government invested an important sum in renovations, which is showcased in the new brilliance of the historical core's buildings, which offer a myriad of classic architectural styles. Come and celebrate with us!
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