Tourist attractions in Ecuador
Tres Cruces (Three Crosses) Hill
Tres Cruces (Three Crosses) Hill
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Km 38 de la vía Cuenca-Molleturo, Parque Nacional CajasNearby attractions
Places to visit within 30 km.
Culebrillas Lagoon
It is a sacred lagoon for the Cañari culture, located in a hole at the foot of the Yanahurco hill or "Cerro Negro", in the Province of Cañar. The river that feeds the lagoon has the shape of a path traced by the mythical Cañari snake. The landscape that surrounds the Culebrillas lagoon is made up of pine trees and a path full of grasslands, chuquiraguas, brooms and wild flowers. In the vicinity of the lagoon is the Inca Trail and the archaeological complex Tambo de Paredones This is a complex that presents archaeological, anthropological, ecological and landscape content. It is a mythical place where, according to religious tradition, the leoquina lives there, a progenitor snake of the Cañari ethnic group. In the surroundings there are several stone housing foundations that testify to the presence of the Cañari-Inca cultures. In addition to the recreation and relaxation offered by the landscape and its lagoons, visitors can practice sport fishing and for those who like hunting, wild ducks and Andean gulls abound. Location Culebrillas is located in the Juncal parish, in the adjoining paramos to the Azuay knot and approximately 40 kilometers from the Cañar Canton, entering through Altarurco, on the Durán-El Tambo road. Legends The Laguna de Culebrillas is a mythical site, because according to religious tradition, the leoquina lives there, a progenitor snake of the Cañari ethnic group. According to tradition, the Culebrillas lagoon was a sacred place of the Great Cañari Confederation, which at certain times of the year and in splendor ceremonies of the tribal heliolatric rite, threw symbolic pieces of gold and silver there. Due to this, several landowners of the place indicate the existence of stone steps in the western sector, that is, where the waters of the lagoon come out, to form the San Antonio River below.
6.17 Km.
Nariz del Diablo (Devil's Nose) Train
The 13 km Alausí-Sibambe section of the Ecuadorian Railroad, tells its history by itself. The emotion overwhelms the visitor when he embarks on this railway adventure from the Alausí canton. It is like taking a trip back in time. The machine represents the backbone of the local economy. Craftsmen and street traders take advantage of the waiting time of national and foreign tourists to sell their products. It is also the opportunity to offer all the gastronomy of Chimborazo. A good picture is not missing. The time has come to board the train for a journey from 2800 meters above sea level to the depths of the Chanchan River valley, Simbambe station, at 1400 meters above sea level. Throughout the journey, the traveler feels vertigo because of the constant presence of the adjacent cliff. The legends that accompany the train, as told to the tourists, are part of its attraction. The story about how the zigzag was built is the most important of all. "The world's toughest train" was the name well earned for the work that 100 years ago cost the lives of 2,500 people, including the chief engineer, the American John Harman. In a few kilometers the railway descends 270 meters through the Devil's Nose, an imposing rock formation in the shape of a nose. The original name of the hill is "Condor Puñuña" or "Place where the condor sleeps". The arrival point, before the return to Alausí, is the Simbambe station. Cafeteria service, stories, traditional dances, folklore and handicrafts are waiting for the tourists. The Center of Interpretation and the Museum of the "most difficult train in the world" Cóndor Puñuna, has native guides of the Puruhuá nationality, who live in the Nizag community. They tell the stories of the train, its lifestyle and customs. Spectacular and unforgettable Andean landscapes, culture in its pure state, are waiting to delight the adventurous travelers. In 1895, President Eloy Alfaro, hired the Americans Archer Harman and Edward Morley, for the construction of the "most difficult railway in the world". The "Compañía de Ferrocarriles de Quito y Guayaquil" began the task in 1899. The railroad arrived in Alausí in 1902, to Riobamba in 1905. Finally to Quito in 1908. The parish of Pistishí, in Alausí, was named Parroquia La Nariz del Diablo on May 21, 1941.
17.68 Km.
Ingapirca Inca Archaeological Complex
Incas and Cañaris tell their story at Ingapirca or "Wall of the Inca". It is the largest and best restored archaeological complex of Ecuador at 3.160 meters above sea level and 16 km from the city of Cañar, province of Cañar, in southern Ecuador. Ingapirca is from Inca origin, but when visitors enter the jurisdiction of Cañar they also enter to the Cañari nation, an ethnographic and geographical space conformed by the provinces of Cañar and Azuay, known as the Ecuadorian Austro. The solar and lunar observatory, which also served as a military fort, was built at the beginning of the 16th century, before the arrival of the Spaniards to the area. The outer world has knowledge of the remains from the 18th century, locating it in the province of Hatun Cañar or "the great place of the Cañaris". The ruins were excavated and restored by an Archaeological Mission of Spain between 1974 and 1975. Those investigations gave rise to several publications by archaeologists José Alcina, Miguel Rivera and Antonio Fresco. In the archaeological complex, there can be appreciated different architectural units, of which the Temple of the Sun or “Castle” stands out, it is an elliptical shape of 37 meters long and 12 wide. The oldest building is Pilaloma. Then there are the shrine and the chambers. It is possible to hire the services of native guides who explain the history and meaning of the Inca structures. The site is put into value by the Archaeological Museum and inside it there is an explanatory mockup of Ingapirca and a large amount of ceramics belonging to the integration period. It also has an ethnographic room where you can find elements such as: utensils, tools and Cañaris’ clothing. The excavations carried out reveal the presence of the Cañari and Inca cultures. The administration of the Complex is in charge of the National Institute of Cultural Heritage of Ecuador. The city of Cañar is also known as the Archaeological Capital of Ecuador, because in addition to Ingapirca, the town is the point of reference for other important archaeological sites such as the Inca baths of Coyoctor, Narrío Hill, Tambo Real de Paredones, the Inca trail (Camino del Inca) or "Qhaphacñán", Labrashcarrumi, Shungumarca, Shizhu, Hatun Cañar Mines, Taski, Culebrillas and Quilloac, all of those easily accessible.
17.76 Km.
Archaeological Complex of Ingapirca
This area had long been settled by the Cañari indigenous people, who called it Hatun Cañar . As the Inca Empire expanded into southern Ecuador, the Inca Túpac Yupanqui encountered the Cañari "Hatun Cañar" tribe. He had difficulties in conquering them. He used different political strategies, marrying the Cañari princess and improving the Cañari city of Guapondelig, calling it Tumebamba or Pumapungo (nowadays Cuenca ). The Inca and Cañari decided to settle their differences and live together peacefully. The astronomical observatory was built under Inca Huayna Capac. The Inca renamed the city as Ingapirca and kept most of their distinctive customs separately, as the Cañari did theirs. Although the Inca were more numerous, they did not demand that the Cañari give up their autonomy. The castle complex is of Cañari-Inca origin. Its purpose is uncertain. The complex was used as a fortress and storehouse from which to resupply Inca troops en route to northern Ecuador. At Ingapirca they also developed a complex underground aqueduct system to provide water to the entire compound. The Temple of the Sun is the most significant building whose partial ruins survive at the archeological site. It is constructed in the Inca way without mortar, as are most of the structures in the complex. The stones were carefully chiseled and fashioned to fit together perfectly. It was positioned in keeping with their beliefs and knowledge of the cosmos. Researchers have learned by observation that the Temple of the Sun was positioned so that on the solstices, at exactly the right time of day, sunlight would fall through the center of the doorway of the small chamber at the top of the temple. Most of this chamber has fallen down. The people had numerous ritual celebrations at the complex. They prepared gallons of a local fermented drink to consume in the rituals of these festivals. As sun and moon worshipers, they tried to be as close to their gods as possible, and built their monuments high in the mountains. The weather changes rapidly, within minutes, ranging from calm and sunny one minute and rainy, windy, and cold another minute. This climate volatility is typical year round. The people felt strongly that this was the place where the gods had led them, regardless of the climate. 5 Fun facts about the Ingapirca Ruins The ruins of Ingapirca are located in southern Ecuador, in the province of Cañar, which are considered the most important pre-Columbian archaeological site in Ecuador. For this reason, we want to tell you 5 curiosities of the Ruins of Ingapirca, with the desire that if you have not already done so, encourage you to visit this fascinating destination of Ecuador. 1. What does Ingapirca mean? Ingapirca is a Kichwa word that means "wall or wall of the Inca." In this important Archaeological Complex, the buildings are made with perfectly carved stones and joined with natural mortar. 2. What is the main attraction of the Ingapirca Archaeological Complex? In the Ingapirca Archaeological Complex, the main nucleus is the Temple of the Sun or Castle, which has an elliptical shape and was built on a large stone called Pacarina that was a ceremonial Cañari temple. The Temple of the Sun and its walls are samples of the Inca culture since these were sun worshipers, while the city's puma design and the crescent shape of the complex are manifestations of the Cañari civilization, since these were worshipers of the moon. 3. Ingapirca: symbol of the Inca domain Ingapirca was a site of concentration of the Cañari culture, native to Ecuador, and the Inca culture. This site constitutes a symbol of the dominance of the Incas before the Spanish conquest in America. It was "an important ceremonial zone, which united diverse cultures through Tahuantinsuyo and became, like Machu Picchu in Cuzco (Peru), symbols of the power of the Inca civilization." Source: National Institute of Cultural Heritage, 2019. 4. Ingapirca: union of cultures The Inca invasion caused Ingapirca to become an important religious, political, military, ritual and administrative center, in addition to fulfilling "an astronomical calendar function [...] for the programming and control of the calendar of agricultural production at the regional level". Source: Ministry of Tourism, 2019. There, both Canaris and Inca co-existed, hence a mixture of traditions is created, and that is the reason why archaeological remains of the two cultures have been found. In the museum of the Ingapirca Archaeological Complex you can see more than 150 pieces found in the area, such as textiles, ceramics, jewelry, among others. 5. Ingapirca and the Qhapaq Ñan (Inca Trail) The Ingapirca Archaeological Complex is a must for all those who want to know part of the Qhapaq Ñan - Andean Road System, the network or road system of about 30,000 kilometers built over several centuries by the Incas. Make the most of the historical, archaeological and cultural riches of the province of Cañar, you will be amazed! Source: https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ingapirca https://www.besttripecuador.com/5-curiosidades-de-las-ruinas-de-ingapirca/blog Images: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ingapirca01.jpg https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ingapirca_Canari_storage_ruins.jpg https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ingapirca_05.jpg https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ama_la_Vida_-_Flickr_-_2_PRESS_TRIP_032_(14580827810).jpg https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ingapirca_Ecuador396.JPG https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ingapirca#/media/Archivo:Mapa_de_Ingapirca.png
17.76 Km.
Saint John the Baptist Catholic Church
The brief history of the church indicates that in the year 1947, Father Alfonso Célleri, after having demolished the old Wooden Church, began the construction of the new one, which is 50 meters long, the lower part of the nave The main part is made of adobe and the upper part is made of bahareque. The church has been decorated inside with restored paintings, such as: The Assumption of the Holy Mary, The Final Judgment, Jesus of the Great Power. Seeking the constant maintenance of the Church. Large influx of faithful to the events scheduled by the church. People feel identified with the schedule and forms of celebration that the church has. The Main Church is the largest Catholic temple in the city. Neither the oldest nor the greatest, its role in national history makes it a fundamental milestone in our self-understanding as a society. Location It is located in the center of the city on Panamericana Norte and Ramón Borrero streets. Next to the Central Park in the Historic Center of the canton. Activities Religious manifestations, liturgical acts are celebrated, especially at the time of Holy Week, Festivities of the Jesus of Great Power, the month of Mary and Christmas, the potential uses: drawing, painting of the interior or the facade, photography and restoration activities.
18.11 Km.
Guantung Archaeological And Ethnographic Museum
In this museum there are in its interior, in three rooms, samples of our aboriginal cultures such as the Cañari and Inca, represented in elements of ceramics, shell, gold and bone. In an architectural environment, elliptical in shape, imaginarily directed towards the cardinal points; in such a way that from the central part, said cosmically, it will be possible to visualize the location of the geographically cultural community components. Each one presents details, colors, shapes, textures and sizes that mark the difference of the periods of the Cañari Culture, which are three: Narrío, Tacalshapa and Cashaloma.In addition, in the room, visitors can see a last period, the Inca and the fusion with the colonial that, although they are foreign cultures, are part of the history of the region.Even in the place several events of socio-cultural animation have been developed. Location They are located in the city of Cañar in the Guantug recreational park, of special singularity, in its designs, planning and projection. The museum began its activities in 1982 and was inaugurated in August 1992
22.92 Km.