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The Spanish brought with them, to all their New World colonies, 3 religious orders: Dominicans, Franciscans and Jesuits. Their job was to convert the indigenous population.

This Jesuit church, Iglesia de la Compañia de Jesus, was begun in 1605. It was completed 150 years later - just before the Jesuits were expelled by Charles III of Spain. It seems they were getting a bit too big for their britches.

This church, and many other beautiful structures in the Old Town, are what prompted UNESCO, back in 1978, to choose Quito as the first city on their World Heritage list.