Climb the tower to the top of the Basilica del Voto Nacional, the largest neo-Gothic church in all of South America, for a stunning view of Quito below.

The cathedral was designed in 1890 by the French architect Emilio Tarlier, who was inspired by the Notre Dame and Bourges cathedrals. It is an extremely impressive structure - 460 feet long and 115 feet wide, with its two frontal towers reaching a height of 377 feet. I particularly enjoyed the gargoyles protruding from the exterior: Ecuadorian iguanas, tortoises, armadillos, and Andean condors, chosen to represent the local endemic fauna rather than classic mythological or religious figures.