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The Church and Convent of Santo Domingo are located in the historic downtown of Quito, in the streets Guayaquil and Simon Bolivar.
In front of the church is a small square with a monument to Manuel Carrión Pinzano, famous men from Loja, and the person behind Movimiento Federalista Lojano, Loja Federalist movement, in the year of 1853. Also in his heart is the statue of Antonio Jose de Sucre.
The impressive construction work of Santo Domingo was built by Dominicans since 1580, under the direction of the architect Francisco Becerra and culminated in the early seventeenth century. This building has a museum crammed with extraordinary works like the paintings that allude to the martyrs of the Order of Santo Domingo. In addition to artworks, sculptures like the Virgin of Legarda, made by Bernardo Legarda, are recognizable example of the artist’s work in “Escuela Quiteña” (Quito Art School).
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Santo Domingo church and monastery represent one of the most important religious structures in Quito. Its history is characterized by fortune.
It began in 1880 with the arrival of a group of Italian priests who began a modernization process that included aesthetic changes in the temple. They changed the church color, altered the baroque altarpieces and pictorial themes. On the other hand, its neoclassical reforms responded to a new cultural idea brought from Europe.
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Its attractions are a monumental legacy that reflects the artistic level of the time. Into the church is a wonderful sculpture of the “Virgen Del Rosario”, which was brought from Sevilla.
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In 1586 a skilful monk carved and painted important works to the decoration of the church and to the inventory of the important pieces in the museum. He was Pedro Bedon, who is considered the founding father of “Escuela Quiteña” Quito School of painting. Among his works, which can still be seen, is the oil of St. Nicholas of Tolentino, in high relief, the Beato Reginaldo is receiving his Dominican gold polychrome scapular.
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In the Dominican museum you can admire the works of Diego Robles, author of the images of the Guápulo and Quinche Virgins. Its high-relief of St. Pius V and St. Antonio of Florence represents one of his most important works in the church of Santo Domingo. Likewise, the museum is enriched with fabulous art pieces of the great sculptors of Quito, as the sculpture of Santo Domingo de Guzmán by Padre Carlos; San Juan de Dios sculpted by Caspicara, St. Thomas Aquino sculpted by Bernardo Legarda.
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The museum houses important artistic expressions of Quito popular class devotion. Among them is the “Virgen de la Leche”, Milk Virgin, pronounced features mestiza Virgin; and the Virgin and St. Joseph awaiting the child’s sleep.
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Information of the Church and convent of Santo Domingo:
Telephone: (+593 2) 228 2695
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The Church of Santo Domingo is located in Flores Street, between Bolivar and Rocafuerte, in the downtown of Quito.
The Convent of Santo Domingo is opened Monday to Saturday from 6h00 to 12h00 and from 16h00 to 19h30.
Every Sunday is opened from 6.00am to 13.00 and 17.00 to 19.00.
The entrance to the Convent of Santo Domingo is free.