El Quinche facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
El Quinche
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Rural parish
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 El Quinche
Location in Ecuador
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| Country |  Ecuador |
| Province | Pichincha |
| Canton | Quito |
| Elevation | 2,619 m (8,593 ft) |
| Population
(2001)
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| • Total | 12,870 |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (ECT) |
| Climate | Cwb |
El Quinche is a city in Ecuador. It is located in the Pichincha Province, about 22 kilometers (14 miles) northeast of the city of Quito. El Quinche is considered a rural parish within the Quito canton. It sits in the valley where the Guayllabamba River begins.
The city is famous for its important religious site, the National Shrine of Our Lady of the Presentation of El Quinche. This shrine holds a special wooden statue of the Virgin Mary from the 16th century. Every November, more than 800,000 people make a pilgrimage (a special journey) to visit the shrine.
Pope Francis visited El Quinche on July 8, 2015. He spoke to Roman Catholic religious leaders during his visit.
Contents
El Quinche's Ancient History
El Quinche is located on a flat area at the base of the eastern Andes mountains. It seems to have been a sacred place for the local native people long before Europeans arrived.
The Inca Empire Arrives
The Incas took control of this area in the late 1400s. They made it part of their large empire. The Incas often moved local people to faraway provinces and brought in new groups. This process was called mitma.
El Quinche is one of the few places in Ecuador where many Inca pottery pieces have been found. This shows it was an important center for the Incas.
From Ancient Shrine to Modern Church
The Incas built a temple over the original native shrine, which was called a huaca. Later, when the Spanish conquered the area in the 1530s, they built a church over the Inca temple. This church eventually became the famous Shrine of El Quinche we see today.
Forts and Roads
El Quinche was the southernmost settlement of a region called the Pais Caranqui. This group of northern Ecuadorian leaders fought against the Incas as they tried to expand their empire.
After conquering El Quinche, the Incas built several hilltop forts. These forts, called pukaras, are part of the Pambamarca Fortress Complex. They are about 10 kilometers (6 miles) northwest of El Quinche. The Incas used these forts to fight against the Cayambe people and other groups. They also helped protect El Quinche.
An Inca road connected Quito to El Quinche. From there, it continued to Pambamarca and further into the tropical lowlands of Ecuador.
Gallery of images of the sanctuary of the Lady of Quinche
See also
In Spanish: El Quinche (parroquia) para niños
