Orellana’s restless spirit, can you feel it? Here at the Francisco de Orellana Statue, we commemorate a man who chased the horizon. The Francisco de Orellana Statue in Quito isn’t just a monument. It’s a portal to a time of audacious exploration and incredible feats. It stands as a testament to the man who first navigated the entire length of the Amazon River.
Francisco de Orellana, born in Trujillo, Spain around 1511, was a conquistador. He was also an explorer driven by a thirst for the unknown. His journey down the Amazon began as part of Gonzalo Pizarro’s 1541 expedition. They were searching for the mythical “Land of Cinnamon,” believed to lie east of Quito. Orellana was sent ahead to find supplies. He sailed down the Coca River and reached the Napo River, a point of no return. The currents were too strong to turn back.
His men, facing an impossible upstream journey, elected Orellana their leader. He accepted, embracing the opportunity to chart new territories in the name of the Spanish king. With 50 men and the Dominican friar Gaspar de Carvajal, who chronicled the expedition, Orellana sailed into the uncharted waters of the Amazon. They faced numerous challenges. Hostile tribes, dwindling supplies, and the sheer immensity of the river tested their resilience. But Orellana pressed on. A battle with a tribe whose women fought alongside the men, as was their custom, gave the river its name. Orellana, recalling the warrior women of Greek mythology, named it the Amazon.
On August 26, 1542, after months of perilous travel, Orellana and his crew reached the Atlantic Ocean. They had sailed the entire length of the Amazon, achieving a feat of exploration almost unbelievable even today. His journey, however, didn’t end there. Orellana returned to Spain to secure his claim over the newly discovered lands, which he named New Andalusia. He secured a royal commission to colonize the region and returned to the Amazon in 1545. This second expedition met with tragedy. Orellana died on the river, a victim of illness and misfortune. The Francisco de Orellana Statue here in Quito reminds us of his extraordinary courage and determination. It honors the man who unveiled the secrets of the Amazon, the mighty river that bears the mark of his name.