Ambato, Ecuador

The city of Ambato was founded in its present location on December 6 1698 as the Seat of Ambato, on the request of Ambateños to the Royal Audience of Quito. For the next century, Ambato grew slowly into an important mountain center. The city was to play a pivotal role in the Ecuadorian War of Independence. On October 9, 1820, the citizens of Guayaquil, along with help from a number of Venezuelans and Colombians, declared independence from the Spanish monarchy. The group raised an army (known as the Junta de Guayaquil), and began to move against Spanish forces in Quito. On their way to Quito, Ambato was one of the first cities to be liberated. The city formally declared its separation from Spain on November 12 1820.[4]

After liberating Ambato, the Junta de Guayaquil then turned their attention to Quito. Under the command of Colonel Luis Urdaneta, the army had liberated most of the central highland region, but Quito and the northern highland region were still under the authority of the Royal Audience. Field-Marshal Melchor Aymerich, acting President and commander of the Royalist army took swift action and ordered forces to march on the Urdaneta's army stationed in Ambato. Urdaneta's army met the Royalists, led by Colonel Francisco Gonzaelz at the First Battle of Huachi just outside Ambato on 22 November 1820 and were soundly defeated. Urdeneta retreated and Gonzalez entered Ambato.[5]

A year later, the reformed patriots, under Antonio José de Sucre, left their position in Babahoyo to retake the highlands. In September 1821, the forces left the city, marching to reconquer Guaranda. On 12 September 1821, Sucre met the same fate as Urdeneta in the Second Battle of Huachi. Aymerich's forces defeated Sucre in the same plains that now form the neighborhood of Huachi, just southeast of downtown Ambato. Sucre returned to Guayaquil once more.

In 1822, the tide began to turn for Ambato and the rest of the towns in the central mountains. After two attempts to take the highlands, Sucre and the revolutionaries had built an excellent network of spies and a dedicated spirit of liberation. They had also had some luck; in 1821, the Spanish monarch, Fernando VII had sent his own commander, General Mourgeon to lead the royalist defense in Quito. Mourgeon arrived in November only to fall terminally ill in the spring of 1822. At the same time, Sucre was marching his army south to Macará to meet up with Peruvian forces sent by General José de San Martín. From Loja they moved north retaking Riobamba in April. Ambato was retaken soon after and the royalists were soon defeated at the Battle of Pichincha.[6]

During the early years of the Republic of Ecuador the city served as an important cultural and economic center. Several times, Ambato served as the setting for rewriting of constitutions and continued to produce excellent artists and thinkers like Montalvo and Mera.

On 5 August 1949, the city was struck by a devastating earthquake. It is estimated that more than six thousand people died, and thousands more were left homeless and destitute by the disaster. Much of the city's colonial center was completely ruined, including the cathedral that many considered on par with Cuenca's Iglesia de El Sagrario. The city was rebuilt with significant help from international aid organizations and the Ecuadorian government. The new modernist cathedral was inaugurated on 12 December 1954.[7]

Chimborazo and Carihuairazo seen from the outskirts of Ambato

Ambato lies in the main valley of the Central Cordillera, the highest of the Andean mountain ranges. The city itself is carved into the side of Cerro Casigana, the mountain that dominates the north end of the city. From Ambato, it is possible to see many snow-capped volcanoes including Cotopaxi, Tungurahua, Carihuairazo, and the largest mountain in Ecuador, Chimborazo. Tungurahua lies about 40 kilometers to the southeast. The threat of eruption from the volcano is constant. On May 16, 2006, Tungurahua erupted, covering the city with a thick layer of ash.

The Ambato River cuts through the north end of the city. It is not a very wide or deep river, but can cause significant flooding during periods of heavy rainfall. Throughout the years, the river has cut a deep basin into the land, creating the need for better bridges. In October 2008, the City of Ambato finished the long-awaited Juan Leon Mera bridge, connecting downtown Ambato to the neighborhoods of Ficoa and Atocha. The span of the Ambato River cost the city $5.5 million.[8]

Ambato features an Oceanic climate (Cfb) under Köppen climate classification.

Given its central location, Ambato is an important industrial hub for Ecuador. Vehicle bodywork, especially for large transport vehicles is one of the largest employers in the city. In 2010, it was announced that Venezuela will overhaul the metal frames of almost 65% of their transportations and much of that work is to be done in Ambato.[10] Leather tanning also makes up a significant portion of Ambato's economic output. Many of the leather goods are sold in nearby Quisapincha or exported. Other areas of economic development include textiles, glass fabrication, foodstuffs, and shoes.

On Mondays, vendors and buyers crowd streets and markets in Ambato.

As a transportation hub, Ambato also depends on small tourist sector. Though not as charming or cosmopolitan as larger cities like Quito or Guayaquil, or as attractive as smaller cities like Baños or Otavalo, Ambato's attractions include the modern cathedral and the Mera house. Tourists often use Ambato as a base for visiting nearby towns like Quisapincha or Píllaro. The Monday market also brings tourists and locals alike as the streets fill with food and clothing vendors. Many consider Ambato to be a quintessential 21st-century Ecuadorian city: proud of its history, but eager to emerge as a leader in industry and technology.

The Festival of Fruits and Flowers is held every year in Ambato to commemorate the anniversary of the earthquake that destroyed the city on August 5, 1949, where 6000 people lost their lives. The festival was created on 29 June 1950.[11] Although the earthquake was in August, the festival is celebrated in February to fall closer to Carnival. The rich volcanic soil of the area are home to a large number of farms and a great diversity of agricultural products. Ambatenos refer to the city as the "land of the three Juanes,". Ambateños are commonly referred to as Guaytambos or Patojos - .

As an important transportation hub, Ambato is connected with other cities through Ecuador's widely used bus system. Although there used to be a train service running through Ambato from Quito to Riobamba, this service has long since closed. Ambato has an airport, the Chachoan Airport in the Izamba neighborhood, but it is not used for commercial flights. The city's main bus terminal is located in the Ingahurco neighborhood, which lies on the north side of downtown. This main terminal, or Terminal Terrestre (as it is known in Spanish), serves some of the country's numerous bus operators. There are plans to renovate the aging bus terminal, making it the main terminal in a network of terminals around the city.[19] As it stands, travelers can also catch buses traveling to the south from unlabeled stops along the Pan-American Highway.

Ambateños enjoy a variety of sports, but none so much as soccer. Ambato plays host to three professional teams, playing in Ecuador's highest leagues: Macará, Técnico, and Mushuc Runa. Macará and Técnico currently play in Serie A and Mushuc Runa in Serie B. All three teams play in the centrally located Estadio Bellavista, and Mushuc Runa also maintains one of the world's highest altitude practice stadiums in the Chibuleo community about 20 minutes outside of Ambato, although as it exceeds FIFA altitude rules it is not used for Series fixtures. None of the three teams has been wildly successful in Ecuador or beyond, however they maintain a loyal following of spectators. Matches between Macará and Técnico U. are known as El Clásico Ambateño (English: The Ambato Derby). In 2007 both derby teams briefly played in Serie A for the first time in over ten years, and they have been regular fixtures of Serie A in the years since. In general, Ambato has at least one team in Serie A at any given time, and in 2018 Macará has led the series.

There are many other sports popular among Ambateños including basketball, tennis, swimming, and Ecuavolley. Ecuavolley is a variation of volleyball, played specifically in Ecuador. It features three players per team on a small court with a high net. Players normally use a soccer ball in place of a volleyball. Ecuavolley is popular in Ambato and the surrounding regions, where it is played both on formal courts in city parks as well as on the side streets of barrios. The Plaza de toros Monumental is located in Ambato. The bullring has a capacity of 11,000 and it opened in 1963.

Basketball is also gaining popularity in Ambato. There is a very fierce rivalry in basketball between two of Ambato's largest high schools, Colegio Nacional Bolívar and Colegio Técnico Guayaquil. These games are usually hosted in the Coliseo Cerrado de Deportes, the large coliseum across the street from Estadio Bellavista. The Coliseo Cerrado is also the venue for the beauty pageant portion of the Festival of Fruits and Flowers.

• Ecuador
• Juan Montalvo

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ambato (Ecuador).

• Ambato municipality
• Map of Ambato
• Ambato's visitor site (in Spanish)
• Official page of the annual fruits and flower festival
• El Heraldo, Ambato-based daily newspaper
• Instituto Tecnologico Superior Bolivar, High School (in Spanish)