The Oldest Church in Ecuador Oct 20, 2016

This is Maria Natividad de Balbanera, the first Catholic church in Ecuador. The church was founded in 1534.

There's a difference between humbling and humility. One might feel humbled inside the cavernous richly-adorned churches commonly found in Europe, with gold, artwork and exquisite craftsmanship on bold display. A famous church in Quito — Church of the Society of Jesus (Iglesia de la Compañía de Jesús) — follows this pattern exactly with an interior completely covered in gold leaf.

But the church shown in this photo, the oldest in Ecuador, is refreshingly different. It's not humbling, so much as humble. Modest. It's a simple box with white-washed plaster walls and wooden pews. The windows are simple frosted glass which allow a diffuse light to soak the interior of the church.

More Ecuador Photos

You can read more about this church on the Visiting Ecuador's Oldest Church page on my other site: Ecuador Travel Photos.