The Legend about El Panecillo in Quito, Ecuador
Hill shaped like Spanish bread
This is a legend about El Panecillo, a famous hill in Quito, Ecuador. It apparently got its name because the shape reminded the Spanish conquistadors of the bread baked in Andalusia, Spain.
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| El Panecillo from Old Town Quito, Ecuador |
El Panecillo in Inca times
Before the conquistadors arrived, the hill was known as Yavirac. The Incas celebrated Inti Raymi, the Festival to the Sun there. During the solstice, people from various regions gathered to sing, dance and drink.
According to the legend, the last Inca emperor, Atahualpa, built a sun temple of pure gold there. After they executed Atahualpa, the Spaniards quickly marched to Quito to find the golden sun temple. Not a single nugget was found on Panecillo.
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| Photo of El Panecillo in CPlaza Hotel, Quito, Ecuador |
Where was the gold?
What the Spaniards did not know is that the gold was inside the heart of the hill. There, hundreds of beautiful maidens who never grow old care for the sun temple. It’s said Atahualpa’s mother is also there.
If you go looking for the gold
If you ever manage to find the secret entrance, many dangers await you. Eventually you will come to the home of an old woman. She will get off her throne of solid gold and ask you to select from one of two tables: a table with a huge gold stone plus pearls, rubies and emeralds, or, a table with a corn tortilla, a cob of tender corn and mote.
If you choose the first table, you will likely end up with a piece of brick and common stones. If you choose the second table, the tortilla suddenly becomes a huge piece of solid gold. The tender corn turns into nuggets of silver, and the mote becomes bright beads.
The person who narrated this tale lived in a mansion on one side of Panecillo. He won’t tell you whether he visited the sun temple, but he loved to eat tortillas, tender corn and mote.
Thank you to David Sasaki for sharing this legend with me. You can read more legends in the Spanish language book “Leyendas del Ecuador” by Edgar Allan García.
Have you ever gone in search of treasure?
Click here to read more about Quito.
Emily Bloomquist
I am a US Expat in Ecuador. I grew up on a Minnesota farm, worked in IT in California's Silicon Valley, then moved to a coastal Ecuador fishing village. My goal is to share Ecuador with you, one snippet at a time. Topics include attractions, compassion, ecotourism, Ecuador products, everyday Ecuador, and flora and fauna. Please let me know what you would like to read more about!
6 Comments
Heather Erickson
What a fun story. As a child, I always wanted to go on a treasure hunt. Now, I know I've god the most precious treasure in my own home: The love of Christ and my family. Have a wonderful Christmas!
Emily Bloomquist
Thanks so much Heather! Have a wonderful Christmas, too.
Hilary Melton-Butcher
H Emily – what a great tale … remembrances of Ecuador's cultural history and folklore – love it … cheers Hilary
Emily Bloomquist
Thank you, Hilary! I enjoy learning these stories and will share them from time to time.
Catherine
I love all these stories. I just finished reading “Turn Right at Machu Picchu” and I am just fascinated by everything this empire accomplished! This has me so excited for next summer! Which is a difficult thing to swallow because it’s still currently THIS summer!
Emily Bloomquist
Stories like this are so fun! I’ve heard great things about that book – need to add it to my reading list. Thank you so much for your visit, Catherine! Keep reading over the next year – I will try to provide some useful information for you trip next summer.