The Bascilica del Voto Nacional is located in Quito, Ecuador and is known as the largest neo-Gothic bascilica in America. The idea of building this bascilica was first proposed by Father Julio Matovelle in 1883 as a symbol of consecration of Ecuador. It was designed by French architect Emilio Tarlier and its construction began in 1892 but is still incomplete according to local legend.
The Bourges Cathedral in France was the main source of inspiration for the construction of the Bascilica del Voto Nacional. The building’s eye-catching feature is its grotesques that are in the form of Ecuadorian animals such as iguana, Galapagos tortoise, birds and armadillos. The interior part of the bascilica contains stained glass windows that have several designs including floral and Biblical scenes with Latin inscriptions. Out of the 14 bronze statues, 11 are apostilis that lay in the sanctuary near the bascilica. Several artworks by Bernardo Rodriguez and Manuel Samaniego can be seen in the bascilica. The Bascilica features three main towers namely Condor Tower, Bell Tower and Clock Tower among which Condor Tower is the highest viewpoint in Bascilica.
Image Source: LatinAmericanStudies