Loja's main square sits at the heart of the colonial centre and is the social hub of the city at all hours. The cathedral on the north side is a strikingly handsome piece of Baroque-influenced church architecture, rebuilt in the nineteenth century but with colonial roots. The square itself is shaded by mature trees and has a fountain at its centre.
In the evenings especially, the square fills with people from the university, families out for a walk, and musicians who play impromptu performances under the porticoes. Live music in the streets and plazas is a Loja tradition — the city has produced a disproportionate number of Ecuador's most celebrated musicians — and the square is one of the best places to experience it.