First stop is at the Parliament Building, whose stone mural records Ecuador’s history. Then a stroll downtown and visit the colonial temples and monasteries of this urban jewel, designated by UNESCO a World Heritage Site, starting at the Independence Plaza, flanked by the Cathedral, the Presidential Palace, the Municipal Building and the Archbishop’s Palace. Visit the Church of La Compañía de Jesús. Continue to the Church of San Francisco, one the of great religious buildings of the New World; its impressive façade and atrium lead to its gilt interior a Baroque influenced by Moorish style, with the winged Virgin of Quito at its main altar. Then continue to the Equatorial Monument, 25 Kms. (16 miles) North of Quito, which marks the exact Middle of the World, latitude 0º, where you can stand with a foot on each hemisphere. Visit the Ethnographic Museum inside the monument, which shows the different Native American groups living in Ecuador. Beside the monument there is a colonial-style town, complete with main square, church, post office, bullring, cafeterias, restaurants and many gift shops with postcards and souvenirs. You will get a certificate for having crossed the Equator.