Quito prepares its first metro line

The Hoya de Guayllabamba is a vast, wild plain cosseted by the Andes, a landscape that became the site of the city of Quito. Its historic centre is so rich and well preserved that in 1978 it became the first city to be declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Quito boasts other geographical features that place it among Latin America's most attractive capitals. The capital of Ecuador is the highest in South America, located over 2,800 metres above sea level. If you consider its latitude, 0–0'–0", you could say that it is right in the middle of the world — if you head just 13 kilometres to the north, you can put one foot in both hemispheres at the same time. Within this unique topography, Quito hides some fabulous treasures.

One of them is the Qhapaq Ñan. This road system was devised by the Inca Empire in the 15th century and it enabled them to weave an economic, commercial, political and administrative link between the most important coastal and mountain cities that still stands today. All of these roads were connected to Cusco, the capital of the Tahuantinsuyo—or Inca Empire—and facilitated communication, transport and trade.

On a smaller scale, but sharing a similar purpose, Quito is inaugurating its first metro line. The project will make it possible to travel between the north, south and centre of the city in just over half an hour. Some 400,000 people a day will enjoy this service, which will boost the passenger transport system of the city of Quito and improve the mobility, productivity and quality of life for those living in the capital, its surroundings and the country in general.

The project has also led by example in the protection of trees located within the construction sites and has provided a learning opportunity in terms of transplanting local species.

Before the metro excavations began, archaeological and geo-radar studies were conducted to determine the areas that would need extra protection and research. A great example was the work done to refurbish access to the Plaza de San Francisco.

The square is rectangular—115 m long and 75 m wide—giving an area of approximately 8,625 m². It is the largest square in the historical centre of Quito. Once used as a market square, over time it has become a space for military and political gatherings, religious events and recreational activity. One of its unique architectural features is the magnificent concave-convex staircase that connects the square with the atrium of the main temple, the Baroque Mannerist façade of which is a particular highlight.

The construction plans for the San Francisco station included counting, storing and, ultimately, reinstalling the 107,695 cobblestones that pave the square.