Doors | Quito’s Historic District

A door, a story, a moment, a change, a start from one place to another, a physical division of space; universal symbol of transition; Open doors, closed doors that represent our lives… How much can we say about an element that is an eternal testimony, immovable and standing in front of us or behind us. Quito, one of the First World Cultural Heritage, and its Doors transport us back in time, they invite us to imagine past times, entering its temples, its houses, its shops and may be believing we see Quito´s historic icons, such as the Manuelas, wise, intelligent and intuitive women heroes of their political, medical and even love “bustles” in the history of Quito. We remember them opening and closing doors.

Doors… heavy stone frames of unmistakable technique that are still part of the colony houses, in the Historic Center, in our old city; union of cultures we could say, syncretism of cultures, too. How richness and time play in these places and their History and all from the glimpse of a single door; There are too many kinds: large, small, high, low, decorated, smooth, but they all, still protect our treasure of life, our eternal historic treasure. We can´t imagine millenary constructions of pre-Spanish cultures without their large and heavy walls sheltered by this Doors.

 Quito the old city today, Quito and its Historic Center of narrow and stone streets, dark at the time, of sacred and eternal peaks surrounding the new ways of life. Remembering historic figures, such as a good man, who decided to educate himself, to form himself rigidly in his world, from the Netherlands (Flanders), to respect and serve others under his religious dogma and does not doubt his presence, Fray Jodoco, the one who came loaded with seeds of wheat. Together with other similar minds, they came here to magnify their new “House”, now a World Heritage City that is still standing five hundred years later, built brick by brick, decades of hard work from where we got monuments such as the San Francisco´s Convent.

What to say about the nun monasteries, the Cloisters, built on ancient spaces, its Convents and Chapels where were used as meeting places for the youths who in procession would climb to the main peak of its society, the Yavirac today El Panecillo, a worship to adore God!

Doors of attraction for their own and others, doors of Admiration. Houses with stately doors ( representing prestige) received distinguished historic icons such us our Marshall Antonio José de Sucre from one of the Battles recognized today as the event that gave Ecuador its Independence,  surprising event which took place crossing the Andes Mountains accompanied by a multinational Army, animals and military at just 26 years old. He knew how to distinguish his training and loyalty to the Cause and how with honor and dignity to arrive, overcome, cross and enter through these Doors.

And how can we fail to mention the recognized man of greatest importance in the last 200 years in the world and with the longest journey as a military man, with journeys by land and sea greater than him, Marco Antonio. A man who when raising his eyes during his triumphal march to his libertarian dream of Quito, on the street today called Venezuela, found his Manuela Saenz, throwing flowers from a balcony of a splendid corner house to her General, madly in love with each other, they went through this doors, the doors of this old city of Quito loaded with History, sealing their lives and sealing our way through the greatest door, the door of Liberty and Dignity. Doors, to be continued…

By Patricia Rivas