Latacunga

Latacunga is a city in the Andean highlands of Ecuador. It is the capital of the province of Cotopaxi and has 57 127 inhabitants ( 2005). Latacunga is located 89 km south of Quito at 2,760 meters above sea level on the Panamericana.

Latacunga is located on a barren, stony plain in the Andes near the confluence of the Alaqués with the Cutuchi the Patate, the upper stream of the Pastaza. The climate is temperate cool and windy, as the snow-capped volcano Cotopaxi is only 40 km away, among others. The population Latacungas consists largely of Kichwa Indians and mestizos of Panzaleos.

The dating of the emergence Latacungas is uncertain. A first founding the Inca Huayna Capac is attributed to some Ecuadorian historians such as Juan de Velasco enter 1534, the year of the Conquest of today's Ecuador by Sebastián de Belalcázar, as a foundation year, others call 1580 or 1584 as the official founding date. In fact, since the Conquest ( Obrajes ) ​​were established in the area encomiendas and weaving and the Franciscans and Augustinians since 1579 intensified the mission and settlement formation. 1599 a Corregimiento ( Bailiwick ) was set up on these existing structures that extended in the north to Quito and to the south up to the present Riobamba. The city was severely damaged several times by earthquakes 1698-1798. Nevertheless, it was the end of the 18th century with approximately 20,000 inhabitants of the largest places of the Real Audiencia de Quito. The city gained its independence on November 11, 1820, after local forces took the set with 60 soldiers barracks of the Spanish troops. 1822 visited Simón Bolívar Latacunga, which first belonged to Gran Colombia, since 1830 the Republic of Ecuador. In Ecuador, it first belonged to the province of Quito, and in 1851 the capital of the new province of León, which bears the name of the Cotopaxi volcano since 1938.

The economy is dominated by agriculture Latacungas and flower growing. In addition, the area covering the volcanic pumice is mined and filled local spring water than bottled water. The city has an international airport, but usually only serves as an air force base and as an alternate airport for the airport Quito, such as when no planes can land due to volcanic eruptions in Quito. In Latacunga, there is a station on the partially destroyed and no longer regularly staffed train route from Quito to Guayaquil. On December 30, 2008, the first in 16 years drove on a train, the restored part way from the station to Latacunga Chimbacalle station in Quito. The regular intercourse with a tourist train was resumed in 2010. In 1877 the city was flooded by an avalanche which completely destroyed the city. The present town is located on top of the old shed. The most famous attraction is the volcano Cotopaxi, the Mama Negra celebration. It is also known, the local court Chugchucara, which consists of pork, corn flour, plantains, empanadas and roasted corn ( tostadas ).