Statue of Virgin Mary Quito, Ecuador

The highest statue of Ecuador is the Virgin of Quito, which can be seen in the city of Quito. The monument was open to public in 1976. The height of the statue is 41 meters, including the pedestal. The author of the sculpture is the well-known architect from Spain, Agustin de la Erran Matorra. It is believed that the model for his wonderful creations was the sculpture of the Virgin Mary. Since 1734, the later has being adorning the altar of the main cathedral of Quito, in the Basilica of Saint Francis.

The graceful sculpture depicts the Virgin Mary staying on the Earth. You can notice the snake under her feet. In such a way, the author wanted to express the power of the patron saint of the city, which is able to protect the citizens of Quito from any adversity. This amazing monument is mounted on the hill of Panecillo. Despite its impressive scale, the sculpture is quite lightweight and durable. That's because one of the most accessible and cheapest material of that time was chosen to design the lining. It took about 7 000 aluminum plates to face the monument. Another distinctive feature of the statue are its wings. Madonna with wings is very rare for the general iconography. Next - Statue of Christ Blessing