La Compania Church, Quito, Ecuador
La Compania Church is a Roman Catholic Church located in the Old Town of Quito, Ecuador. The church was built by Jesuits between 1605 and 1765 and is widely considered one of the finest examples of Baroque or "chigurresque" architecture in Americas.
La Compania Church was abandoned after the Spanish crown expelled the Jesuits from Ecuador in 1767 until 1807 when it was entrusted to the Camilo Friars. The church was returned to the Jesuits 1860 but it was seriously damaged in two earthquakes in 1859 and 1868 which destroyed the tower of the church. Extensive restoration works were carried out after the earthquake in 1987 which caused serious structural damage. Restoration was interrupted by a fire in 1996 which almost destroyed the altar of St Francis Xavier. The restoration works were completed in 2005 and La Compania Church was reopened to public.
