Amazonas: Available Activities

Indian Markets
Museums
The middle of the World

UNESCO, in 1978, declared Quito's colonial center, or "el centro or old town," a world cultural heritage site. For the visitor what this means that the colonial buildings and narrow streets have been preserved and any new development in this section of the city must be first approved in order to maintain the colonial atmosphere of the old center. Walking around this portion of Quito, one gets the sense of what it must have been like to have worked and lived in such a charming city a century ago. The colonial style of the buildings have not been altered nor has any new buildings been placed next to colonial ones.

Quito's "El Centro" Museums

A number of museums are located in or near the "El Centro" or old town portion of Quito. The Museo de Arte y Historia, or the Museum of Art and History, is located at Espejo 1147 and Benalcazar. The museum houses a large collection of early colonial art, primarily 16th and 17th centuries colonial paintings. The building is located off the Plaza de la Independence. The Casa de Sucre is museum that was once the house (casa) of Field Marshal Antonio Jose de Sucre. Sucre is the hero of the Ecuadorian independence and is also the name given to the money of Ecuador. The house is well maintained and the restoration includes period pieces of furniture as well as a small museum. The house is located on Venezuel 573 and Sucre.

Several historical buildings located in the city center have been restored and are used as museums. The buildings themselves are truly living art and examples of the colonial design that has all but disappeared and replaced by modern buildings in other South American cities. The Casa de Benalcazar was loving restored by Spain several years ago and dates back to the 1500s. The building is a wonderful example colonial architecture and worth a visit. The building is located at Olmedo 968 and Benalcazar. Another colonial style building used as a museum, this one dating from the 17th century, houses the Museo de Arte Colonial or Museum of Colonial Art. Located on the corner of Cuenca and Mejia, the museum houses one of Quito's best collection of 16th to 18th century colonial art. Included in the collection are scupltures, furniture, and paintings representing this historical period of time.

At Venezuela 1302 and Esmeraldas, is the Museo Camilo Egas. Camilo Egas is a Ecuadorian painter who lived from 1889 to 1962. A large number of his paintings are housed in a small museum bearing his name. The Banco Central maintains this collection and has restored this collection for public viewing. As with any of the above museums, you need to check opening and closing hours since they can vary. The price of admission normally is either covered by the school or if you go on your own, very inexpensive. It is best to check with your instructor or one of the staff at the school since they can advise you about admission and hours of operation.

Many other sites and sounds await you here in Quito. The above is only a small example of the various places that you can visit as a student at Amazonas language school. The modern portion of Quito, in and around where the school is located, has many other museums and attractions where you can learn more about our charming city and our wonderful country. Museum outings, trips to small villages, a journey to the "center of the world," a visit to our jungle location, are normally planned well enough in advance so that you have the chance to decide and plan accordingly. Often you can even talk your instructor into a one on one trip to one of the the museums as an outing. Your instructor can use this opportunity for you to listen, learn, and practice your Spanish in "real world situations."