AbstractThis article critically evaluates the record of the intangible cultural heritage of Ecuador, conducted within the National Inventoryof Cultural Property in the country. Specifically with regard to the definition of intangible cultural heritage established byunesco and its classification in areas and sub areas, the manuscript indicates the problems that the application of these criteriaresulted in the inventory, which results in a projected image of the fragmented and dispersed national cultural heritage and,therefore, of culture, whose patrimonial monuments under criteria tends to solidify. This is taken as an example the inventoryof the sanctuary of the Virgin of El Quinche.