Our History
¡55 years of History! Our Coat of Arms
¡55 years of History!
The University Residence Ilinizas was the first university residence founded in San Francisco de Quito, and in all of Ecuador. It was built in 1957. Doctor Juan Larrea Holguín and priest José Giner Puche, first established the residence in two rented houses at No. 446 Baquerizo Moreno. The work of the Opus Dei in Ecuador began there. In 1959, a generous person donated a piece of land at Toledo 656 and Lerida, where the Residence is currently located. The plot of land was quite large; behind the house there was space for a soccer pitch and a volleyball arena, although it was a distance from the urban center. A famous architect named Luis Borobio designed the house. The upper left photo and the sketch show how the facade looked that time.
In addition to the architecture, Luis Borobio, left the Residence many paintings and the memorable image from the old altar in the Oratory. This triptych has since been moved to another part of the house because it was too small for the chapel.
Perhaps the work of Luis Borobio which is most remembered by residents is the image of a hunter (almost of natural size) which was in the stairs of the old house. There is an identical reproduction on the second floor of the new house.
At that time we began inviting notable people to the house to give conferences: teachers, politicians, athletes, and professionals. They contribute to cultural development and amenable conversation during the get togethers. Hence, the University Residence Ilinizas has kept a Visitors’ Book from the very first years of its foundation. Click here to see the Book. Years passed and new rooms were built, along with a new auditorium and other installations. For various reasons, the land behind the house was sold and developed. Old residents from the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s may remember this facade:
But by the 90’s the house was aging, and according to the residents of that time, the floor shook whenever a car passed in the street. In order to lodge more people and to offer more comfortable spaces, they decided to demolish the old house and build a new one on the same piece of land.
	In March 1994, during an emotional ceremony directed by Fr. Paulino Busca, the first stone of the new residence was laid.
Today, after 55 years of rich history, we have Ilinizas, a great new house, now more solid and with the most experience in Quito.
Note: The Residence is actually administrated by the Cultural Corporation Ilinizas (a non-profit organization) whose principle objective is providing formation to students so that they might cultivate themselves academically, personally, and spiritually. The human and spiritual formation of the students is entrusted to the Prelature of Opus Dei.
Our Coat of Arms
In the late 50´s, one of the founders of our house, Fr. José Giner Puche, designed the tripartite Ilinizas coat of arms, employing his artistic abilities and his knowledge of heraldry. The design could not be without the twin mountains which are the name sakes of our residence; they are depicted with the shadow of the dawn. The tops are illumined by the rising sun, the advent of a better future. Fr. Giner says that he decided to put three crosses in the right third in order to give a Christian flavor to the emblem, to face the secular power which had been introduced in Ecuador in the early 20th century and which still has its consequences. In the remaining third there are two eagles flying over the mountains looking at the Christian goal: the Cross. Both birds reflect what we want our residents to be: people with virtues who soar through life, seeking the highest goods..

 

Quito: Toledo 656 y Lérida- Telf:(593-2) 2 566 203- Fax: (593-2) 2 228 719 - E-mail: ilinizas@gmail.com
Ilinizas Intercollegiate Hall of Residence