It's December 6th, Quito Day. On this day in 1534, the modern city of Quito, Ecuador was founded. The city's origins trace back thousands of years before that, though. Archeologists have found hunter-gatherers' tools of obsidian glass dated to 8000 BCE at the nearby EI Inga site.
The historical record begins in the first millennium when the Quitu Tribe occupied the area. Around 980 CE, the Caras Tribe conquered the Quitu and founded the Kingdom of Quito. This kingdom eventually consolidated with the great Incan Empire until the Spanish Conquistadors arrived and subjugated them. Diego de Almagro founded the first Spanish settlement, Santiago de Quito, on August 15th, 1534. On August 28th, it was renamed San Francisco de Quito, and on December 6th, the settlement was relocated to Quito's present location.
Today, Quito is the capital of Ecuador, as well as its economic and cultural center. In 1978, Quito became the planet's first city to be a declared a United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage Site thanks to its geographical beauty, 18th-century architecture, priceless indigenous and colonial treasures, and its living traditions and culture. Perched 2,850 meters above sea level and stretching 58 kilometers across a volcano-lined plateau, Quito is one of the most beautiful cities in South America. Disfrutar el día, Quiteños! ☮️Peace… Jamiese of Pixoplanet
