Ambato

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Ambato
Coordinates: 1 ° 15 ′  S , 78 ° 37 ′  W
Map: Ecuador
marker
Ambato​
Ambato on the map of Ecuador
Basic data
Country Ecuador
province Tungurahua
Canton Ambato
City foundation December 6, 1698
Residents 178,538  (2010)
- in the metropolitan area 329.856
City insignia
Bandera Provincia Tungurahua.svg
Detailed data
surface 46.5 km 2
Population density 3.840 inhabitants / km 2
height 2570  m
Waters Río Ambato
prefix (+593) 3
Time zone UTC -5
City Presidency Luis Amoroso
Website www.ambato.gob.ec
View of the city center of Ambato
View of the city center of Ambato
Ambato
Ambato
Ambato Cathedral
Ambato Cathedral

Ambato is a city in Ecuador . It is the capital of the province of Tungurahua , located in an Andean plateau at about 2570  m altitude between the Eastern and Western Cordillera . The city is located about 140 km south of Quito and 30 km northeast of Chimborazo , the highest mountain in the country. The Panamericana runs through the city .

The city of Ambato had 178,538 inhabitants at the 2010 census, the canton of Ambato had 329,856 inhabitants.

history

There have been settlements on the banks of the Río Ambato for over 1000 years . After various Indian tribes had already settled in the region previously known as Cashapamba , the Inca armies conquered the plateau in the 15th century . In 1530, near Ambato, the Inca king Atahualpa triumphed over the half-brother Huáscar, who also claimed the throne . With the re-establishment of the city by the Spanish conquistadors in 1535, Ambato gained a certain importance as a trading center. Hardly anything is left of the colonial architecture that once shaped the city, as the city was practically razed to the ground by an earthquake on August 5, 1949 and has since been completely rebuilt.

economy

The city is characterized by the many orchards in the area, which find good growth conditions due to the temperate, tropical, high-rainfall high mountain climate. The city is also known for a diverse production of handicrafts, especially leather goods. The most important branch of industry is body construction , especially coaches. However, with the abolition of vehicle import duties in Ecuador in the mid-1990s , this industry suffered considerable losses, as it had nothing to oppose to international competition.

Sports

The main sports clubs in the city are the professional football clubs Macará , Técnico Universitario and Mushuc Runa Sporting Club . The three clubs play their home games at the Estadio Bellavista , which can accommodate around 18,000 spectators.

Attractions

Due to the earthquake of 1949 there are few architectural sights in Ambato. The main attractions of the city are:

  • the cathedral of Ambato
  • Library and Museum Casa de Montalvo ,
  • the Casa de la Cultura at Parque Juan Montalvo with an exhibition on Ambato's history as well
  • the natural history museum Museo de Ciencas Naturales of the Colegio Nacional Bolívar .

We should also mention three must-see garden haciendas from the 19th century on the northwest bank of the Río Ambato, where writers and intellectuals Juan Montalvo , Juan León Mera , and Juan Benigno Vela lived, which is why you also from the city of three Juan speaks .

The Fiesta de las Frutas y las Flores (fruit and flower fair) , which takes place every year at the end of February during the carnival season, is known throughout the country . The market, held every Monday, is one of the largest in the country. Mainly fruits and vegetables are sold there. The Indians come from a wide variety of villages in the area and are mostly dressed in local costume, with each village having a slightly different costume.

Twin cities

Ambato has a partnership with Wenzhou , China.

sons and daughters of the town

Web links

Commons : Ambato  - album with pictures, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ www.wenzhou.gov.cn: City friendships . Retrieved July 11, 2019.