Initially inspired by two Roman Jesuit churches — the Chiesa del Gesù (1580) and the Chiesa di Sant'Ignazio di Loyola (1650), its construction began in 1772 in Quito´s colonial quarter and took over 160 years to be completed. La Compañía de Jesus is a profusely ornate Jesuit church and one of the most splendid examples of the Spanish Baroque architecture in the Americas.

The church is one of the best-known churches in the area because of the large central nave which is spectacularly decorated with wood, gilded plaster, and gold leaf carvings. A highlight of the church is the altar that is decorated with biblical scenes and patterns, and saints and angels, surrounded by a ring of the 12 apostles.