What to see in Ecuador

Riobamba

Riobamba, "high plain" in Quechua, is located in the centre of the country between the Andean páramos of the eastern and western cordillera. It is the capital of the province of Chimborazo and is located on the slopes of the volcano that bears the same name and surrounded by many others such as Tungurahua, El Altar and Carihuarizo.Once again the temples are one of the main aspects of local aesthetics: the Cathedral, built with carved stones, proof of miscegenation, which presents an amalgam of styles that give it a unique and eclectic physique; the neo-Gothic church of La Concepción, whose slender steep pinnacles rise to the sky looking for spirituality; the Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, crowned by a lucid vault of Corinthian order; the Merced, noted for its beautiful interior paintings and the church of San Antonio, located at the top of the Loma de Quito.

The city presents an Iberian urban structure that is characterised by a central square and the rest of the streets around it, recognisable in the beauty of its neoclassical buildings and parks. These are the soul of the city and are considered the best in the country for their design, environment and architectural contributions.

The Parque 21 de Abril rises over the so-called Loma de Quito, named for its resemblance to the famous Panecillo of the Ecuadorian capital. It represents independence and is one of the most beautiful corners of the city, since from here you can see fantastic views of the domes of the temples of the city and the tops of all the mountains. In front of this park is the church of San Antonio in Argentina Street that is run by the Franciscan Fathers, who dominates the city.

The City of Guayaquil Park is the meeting point for the riobambeños on Sundays and has a stage for public shows and an artificial lagoon where you can take pleasant boat rides.The Maldonado Park houses the Cathedral of San Pedro, whose facade is a relic of baroque-mestizo style, the Municipal Palace, the homes of the most important families and a sculpture of the important Riobambian scientist. In the centre of each of its four sides, there are beautiful fountains.The Parque Sucre, in the shape of a nautical rose, has a fountain with the statue of Neptune in the centre and the Maldonado School in the background.

One of the best places to visit is the Mercado de la Merced to eat pork and drink the famous salt juice or to the Red Square Market to buy the colourful mestizo crafts.

Called "the city of the first" for having the first Olympic stadium, the first Catholic church and the first radio in the country, among other pioneering titles, Riobamba is also for Ecuadorians the "heart of the country", as it was the first capital, the oldest city, and the city where Ecuador was born.