Riobamba Tourist Places

Tourist places

City surrounded by snowy mountains such as: Chimborazo, Carihuayrazo , Tungurahua , El Altar and Cubillines

What to do in Riobamba

Riobamba was built in the year of 1799, after a devastating earthquake that destroyed the colonial city.   

• It is geographically in the center of the country. It has an extension of 5,637 km2; It is currently made up of 5 urban and 11 rural parishes.   
• The average temperature is 13º C and its altitude is 2,754 meters above sea level.
• Riobamba is in turn one of the main Tourist Places of Ecuador and has wonderful natural, cultural, gastronomic tourist attractions that cause admiration to the visitor.    

Riobamba Tourist Places

List of places you can visit in Riobamba:

Museum of the Convent of the Conception

• The Museum of the Mothers of Riobamba, stands out for its neoclassical architecture. 
• In this place there are temporary and permanent exhibitions where you can appreciate art, sculpture and photography.

Riobamba Train Station

• This wonderful project that begins in the presidency of Gabriel García Moreno and culminates in the presidency of Eloy Alfaro, implemented a land transport of great importance for development at the national level.
• Riobamba station was one of the first to be built, becoming a development hub of the city. Until today you can see beautiful colonial houses located around it.
• Currently, Alfaro Square is located outside, where different types of cultural activities are carried out, as well as artisanal and productive fairs. 

Ice Train I

• A route that has an unparalleled adventure begins from the beautiful city of Riobamba, allowing you to enjoy: splendid landscapes provided by the snow-capped mountains such as Chimborazo, Carihuayrazo, Tungurahua and El Altar; spot the Andean moor; which is complemented by the view of beautiful cultural landscapes. 

Last ice maker of Chimborazo 

• Meet the legendary Baltazar Ushca, the last ice maker in Chimborazo, a job he has done since he was 15 years old.    
• Today he continues trading the extracted blocks of ice in the Merced market.      

Riobamba Community Tourism

Community tourism in Riobamba connects visitors to the traditions and customs of the people and elevates the identity of the place.   

1. La Moya - Calpi Parish Located 22 km away from Riobamba. Magical for its people, beliefs, legends and the relationship of man with the mountains. 
   • Services:
     • “Urkukunapak Ñan Mountain Museum”
     • accommodation
     • Feeding
     • Craft room
   • Contacts: 0998752686
2. Royal Palace - Calpi Parish. The community "Royal Palace" is located at economic cost of its inhabitants and is based on the breeding and integral use of llamas and alpacas. 
   • Services:
     • Restaurant
     • “Cultural Museum of the Llama”
     • Handicrafts
   • Contacts: 03 262 0500 - 0997005944

3. Pucará Tambo - Cacha Parish. Site of interest and culture for the existence of ancestral architecture and community traditions; space dedicated to the realization of sacred ceremonies of the indigenous people.  

   • Services:
     • Lodging
     • Feeding
     • Ethnographic museum
     • Center of ancestral ceremonies and trails
   • Contact: 03 303 0501 - 09985758802

Chimborazo Wildlife Production Reserve

The Chimborazo Fauna Production Reserve is part of the National System of Protected Areas of Ecuador, here are two contiguous snowfalls, the Chimborazo with 6,263 meters above sea level, the highest mountain in the country; and the Carihuayrazo with 5,020 masl. Its attractions are:

1. Snowy Chimborazo: It is the highest mountain in Ecuador and the highest in the world, measured from the center of the Earth; its summit is the point closest to the sun and the furthest from the center of the earth. 
2. Machay Temple: Sacred cave located on the southern flank of the Whymper summit at an altitude of 4,700 meters above sea level; it was the place of worship and tribute of the Puruháes, to their god the Taita Chimborazo.
3. Whymper needles: Rock formation located at a height of 5,300 meters above sea level; in the thin southwest of the Veintimilla Summit. Ideal site for acclimatization of the climbers.
4. La Chorrera: Spectacular rock formation located near the snowy Chimborazo, its walls are 1.4 km long with a height of up to 100 m. It is one of the best places to practice rock climbing and rappelling, it has more than 100 equipped routes. 
5. Polylepis Forest: It is located northeast of the Chimborazo Wildlife Production Reserve, there are  217 trees as well as a natural viewpoint of the reserve. 

Sangay National Park

reated in 1975 as Sangay Ecological Reserve . 

• Later in 1979 categorized as Sangay National Park.
• The famous Yellow Lagoon is located in the crater of the El Altar Volcano, which is part of this ecological reserve.

Riobamba Parks

1. Maldonado Park: The Plaza Mayor, according to the custom of the, time was the first square that the construction managers of the new city drew. 
2. Sucre Park: Since 1919 a variety of works have been carried out.  This space was inaugurated on November 11, 1924. 
3. La Libertad Park: Located in front of the Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. On the site was the old Conciliar Seminary; in 1895 it was assigned to the barracks, being abandoned in 1902.   
4. Guayaquil Park: Children's games allow children to enjoy the park, you can see zoomorphic and anthropomorphic figures, murals that describe the habitat of the coastal, mountain , eastern and Galapagos regions      
5. Ecological Park: The Linear Chibunga Park or Ecological Park is a family gathering place, on the banks of the Chibunga River, it has a natural environment.      
6. Ricpamba Park: The environmental theme park Ricpamba is a recreational center, which occupies the facilities of the former forest nursery of the Decentralized Autonomous Government.
7. April 21 Park : This park recalls the historical event of the Battle of Riobamba with a memorial pyramid, the bust of General Juan Galo Lavalle and the historic mural worked by Eloy Narea. 
8. Municipal Riobamba, is an alternative of family reunion, a park that invites to enjoyment, education and relaxation.

Squares of Riobamba

1. Red Square: A place that is the showcase for all the Quichua peoples of Ecuador.  
2. Alfaro Craft Plaza: The Riobamba Train Station has an Alfaro craft plaza consisting of 16 stands; in which products with a variety of raw material are made. 
3. Plaza Artesanal Concepción: Also known as “ Red Square ”, the main mestizo indigenous fair of the city of Riobamba is held here.

Churches of Riobamba

1. San Antonio de Padua Church: In front of the park April 21, historic place that recalls the libertarian events of 1822.
2. La Concepción Church: The small church that was built at the beginning of the 19th century, was replaced by a new project that began in 1889, with the Abbess of the Monastery, Mother Jesus of the Blessed Sacrament Ormaza and administrator of the assets of the convent Don Rafael Cisneros . The plans were designed by Fr. José Lecanda SJ.    
3. San Alfonso Church : A building that began its work n in 1872, the Temple of San Alfonso was made by a contribution from the locals in the economic part and contributing with materials that were used in the work.     
4. Riobamba Cathedral: In its stones you can interpret passages from the Old and New Testaments, with aboriginal and Spanish expressions. 
5. Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Jesus: Unique in its style in the country. Following the consecration of the Republic to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, the idea of building a National Basilica at the initiative of Fr. Manuel José Proaño was born .      
6. San Francisco Church: Temple whose exterior murals were made by Eloy Narea in 1961, on its main facade two paintings of San Francisco stand out. 
7. La Merced Church  Formed by two columns at the ends of the entrance, which unify a pediment at whose highest point the statue of the Virgin Mary Help of Christians is located. It has a carved wooden altar and ceiling paintings.

Riobamba architecture

1. Casa Calero: The house is an emblem of beauty and heritage value that belonged to Evangelista Calero a representative shoemaker from the province of Bolivar that settled in Riobamba.    
2. Government Building: This building forms a single set with the Municipal Palace; Built in 1892, it has wide and tall walls, neoclassical style.   
3. Riobamba Olympic Stadium: The work was funded by the Banking Society of Chimborazo, built in five weeks under the direction of José Melián.  
4. Casa de Bolívar: The Bolívar house is named because our liberator Simón Bolívar spent the night on July 6, 1822 in this house that was owned by Colonel Juan Bernardo de León.    
5. Independence House: The Patriots of the Political Emancipation of November 11, 1820 met at the house of Don Diego Donoso, where they decided to proclaim independence from the power of the Spanish government, drafted the minutes and signed it.    
6. SRI Building: The house belonged to the family of Raúl Vela Chiriboga, Ecuadorian Cardinal, a priest who has held high roles in the Church.   
7. Raúl Dávalos Bullring: The Monumental Bullring Raúl Dávalos is considered one of the oldest in Ecuador, it has a capacity for 13,000 people, in addition to the bullfighting events there are musical shows, social and cultural events.    
8. Palacio Municipal: It 's a neoclassical building, with large portals on the ground floor and large rooms; solid columns interspersed with large lowered arches and spacious corridors.  
9. Railway Station: It is considered the "most difficult railway in the world". Sighald Muller was the author of the final route and the construction was carried out by the company “The Guayaquil and Quito Railway Company” whose president was Mr. Archer Harman.   
10. Lara Clock: The building has balconies and balusters supported on strong brackets. It was owned by Mr. Rodolfo Lara, a successful merchant.   
11. León Theater: It was one of the best theaters in Ecuador, for a long time it hosted the presentation of masterpieces, artistic, social and cultural activities.  
12. Maldonado School: It is one of the greatest architectural works in the city of Riobamba, Chimborazo Province . It was built in the physical space that formerly occupied the former convent of Santo Domingo, where the First Constituent Assembly met, which resulted in the birth of the Republic of Ecuador in 1830.        
13. Ecuadorian Mail Building: Currently Ecuasdor’s Mail occupies this building and has become one of the most beautiful heritage jewels of the city.

Riobamba Museums

1. Museum House: In the Museum House there are rooms for the exhibition of temporary and permanent exhibitions, theater, classrooms for oral exhibitions, workshops, offices, workshops for colloquiums, wineries and props.  
2. Museum of Mothers Concepts: The Museum of Religious Art of the Convent of the Conception is considered one of the best museums of religious art in Ecuador, for the quality and value of its works.    
3. Paleontological Museum of Punín: The museum is located in the center of the Parish of Punín here you can find Paleontology, Archeology and Religious Art.        
4. Military Museum "Historic House": The Historical Museum is located in what is now owned by the Armored Cavalry Brigade No. 11 Galapagos located in the city of Riobamba.