Plaza del Teatro

The Plaza del Teatro is defined by the massive, Neoclassical facade of the Teatro Nacional Sucre, which anchors the square with its row of white stone columns. This plaza functioned as the city’s primary social stage for centuries, hosting everything from colonial executions to religious processions. During the eighteen sixties, President Gabriel Garcia Moreno forced the construction of the theater to bring European opera to Quito. He demanded the demolition of a convent to clear the land, permanently altering the neighborhood skyline.