Latacunga
| Latacunga | ||
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Coordinates: 0 ° 56 ′ S , 78 ° 36 ′ W Latacunga on the map of Ecuador
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| Basic data | ||
| Country | Ecuador | |
| province | Cotopaxi | |
| Canton | Latacunga | |
| City foundation | 1534 | |
| Residents | 98,355 (2010) | |
| - in the metropolitan area | 170,500 | |
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| Detailed data | ||
| surface | 265 km 2 | |
| Population density | 371 inhabitants / km 2 | |
| height | 2760 m | |
| Waters | Río Cutuchi | |
| prefix | (+593) 3 | |
| Time zone | UTC -5 | |
| City Presidency | Patricio Sánchez Yánez | |
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Latacunga (original name: San Vicente Mártir de la Tacunga y sus corregidores ) is a city in the Andean highlands of Ecuador . It is the capital of the province of Cotopaxi and has 96,355 inhabitants (2010). Latacunga is located 89 km south of Quito at an altitude of 2760 m on the Panamericana .
Latacunga is located on a barren, stony plain in the Andes near the confluence of the Río Alaqués in the Río Cutuchi (in the lower Río Patate), the upper current of the Río Pastaza . The climate is moderately cool and windy, partly because the snow-capped volcano Cotopaxi is only 40 km away. The population of Latacunga consists largely of Kichwa Indians, the Panzaleos and mestizos .
The dating of the origin of Latacunga is uncertain. The first founding is attributed to the Inca Huayna Cápac , some Ecuadorian historians such as Juan de Velasco give 1534, the year of the conquista of today's Ecuador by Sebastián de Belalcázar, as the year of foundation, others name 1580 or 1584 as the official founding date. In fact, since the Conquista, encomiendas and weaving mills ( obrajes ) have been set up in the area , and the Franciscans and, since 1579, the Augustinians intensified mission and settlement. In 1599 a corregimiento ( bailiwick ) was established on top of these existing structures, extending to Quito in the north and to today's Riobamba in the south . The city was badly damaged several times by earthquakes between 1698 and 1798. Nevertheless, at the end of the 18th century, with around 20,000 inhabitants, it was one of the largest locations in the Real Audiencia de Quito . The city gained independence on November 11, 1820 after local troops took the barracks of the Spanish troops, which were occupied by 60 soldiers. In 1822 Simón Bolívar visited Latacunga, which initially belonged to Greater Colombia and from 1830 to the Republic of Ecuador . In Ecuador it initially belonged to the province of Quito and in 1851 it became the capital of the new province of León, which has been named after the Cotopaxi volcano since 1938. In 1877, the city was inundated by a mudslide caused by a Cotopaxi eruption , which completely destroyed the city. The present city was built on the remains of the buried city.
The economy of Latacunga is characterized by agriculture and flower growing. In addition, the volcanic pumice stone covering the area is mined and local spring water is bottled as mineral water. The city has an international airport, which normally only serves as an air force base and an alternate airport for Quito Airport , e.g. B. when planes cannot land in Quito due to volcanic eruptions. In Latacunga there is a train station on the partially destroyed and no longer regularly served railway line from Quito to Guayaquil . On December 30, 2008, for the first time in 16 years, a train traveled the renovated section from Latacunga station to Chimbacalle station in Quito. Regular traffic with a tourist train was resumed in 2010.
The most famous attractions are the Cotopaxi volcano , the Mama Negra celebrations. Also known is the local court Chugchucara consisting of pork, corn flour , plantains , empanadas and roasted maize ( tostadas exists).
Web links
- Website of the local newspaper La Gaceta (Spanish)
Individual evidence
- ↑ El tren pitó otra vez en Latacunga , El Comercio , December 31, 2008.
- ↑ El tren Quito-Latacunga vuelve por la avenida de los volcanes ( Memento of the original from November 15, 2010 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link has been inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. , El Comercio , November 9th 2010.
