Latacunga

Latacunga
—  City  —
San Vicente Mártir de la Tacunga y sus corregidores
From top left to right: Latacunga's Cathedral Church, Train Station, El Salto, Monument to Simon Bolivar, Vicente Leon Park and Municipality, view from Quito Street, La Mama Negra traditional festival, San Felipe's church, Panoramic view to Latacunga
Flag Seal
Nickname(s): Mashca City(Ciudad Mashca), Machica's Land (La tierra de la Machica)
Latacunga Latacunga's location in Ecuador
Coordinates: 0°55′54.98″S 78°36′57.88″W
Country	Ecuador
Province	Cotopaxi
Canton	Latacunga
Founded	April 12, 1557
Founder	Cap. Antonio de Clavijo
Named for	"Llacta Cunani" ("os doy hogar", translated as: "i give you home")
Parishes	Urban Parishes La Matriz Eloy ALfaro Ignacio Flores San Buenaventura Juan Montalvo Gil Ramírez Dávalos Hermano Miguel
Government
• Mayor	Arq. Rodrigo Espín Villamarín
Elevation	2,800 m (9,186 ft)
Population (2001) INEC decadal national census
• Total	51,689
Time zone	ECT (UTC-5)
ZIP codes	Zip codes 050157, 050151, 050152, 050101, 050102, 050153, 050154, 050103, 050104, 050155, 050150, 050156, 050163, 050158, 050105, 050159, 050160, 050161, 050162
Area code(s)	0(3)
Demonym	Latacungueño,-a
Website	Official website

Monument to Vicente León on the main square of Latacunga

Latacunga is a plateau town of Ecuador, capital of the Cotopaxi Province, 89 km (55 mi) south of Quito, near the confluence of the Alaques and Cutuchi rivers to form the Patate, the headstream of the Pastaza. At the time of census 2001 Latacunga had 51,689 inhabitants, largely mestizo and indigenous.

Latacunga is an hour and half south from Quito on the Pan-American Highway. It was previously also on the old road from Quito to Guayaquil, and has a railway station between those cities. It is 9,055 ft (2,760 m). above sea level. Its climate is cold and windy, due to the neighboring snowclad heights, and the barren, pumice-covered tableland on which it stands. The active volcano Cotopaxi is only 25 km. away, and the town has suffered repeatedly from eruptions. Founded in 1534, it was four times destroyed by earthquakes between 1698 and 1798. The neighboring ruins of an older native town are said to date from the Incas Empire.

Latacunga's most noted food is chugchucaras, empanadas, plantains, popcorn, and tostado (a type of toasted corn.) Often mixed with ají, a type of condiment that can be mild to very spicy depending on how it's prepared.

The Latacunga economy is dependent on agriculture, and floriculture. It has an international airport, the Cotopaxi International Airport, that is not used for international passenger use, but as an Air Force base and some special commercial flights. The local volcanic activity has led to the accumulation of pumice deposits which are currently mined, as well as the presence of natural sparkling water, which is bottled under the brand name San Felipe.

The airplane scene in the film Maria Full of Grace was filmed out of the Latacunga airport using local extras. The landscape seen from the plane is the area surrounding Latacunga.

Traditional festivals

" La Fiesta de la Mama Negra" is a well known traditional festival in Latacunga. It is a mixture of indigenous, Spanish and African influences. It takes place twice a year. The first one was organized in September by the people from the markets "La Merced y Del Salto" in honor of the "Virgen de la Merced". The Virgin is venerated because she stopped the Cotopaxi Volcano eruption in 1742. That is the reason why Latacunga's inhabitants call her “Abogada y patrona del volcan” meaning (lawyer and boss of the volcano).

The second celebration is a party which all Latacunga’s inhabitants celebrate every year on Independence Day. It is a parade with the participation of well-known people, the army, clergy and others.

Both of these fiestas include a lengthy parade of various cultural characters, all dressed-up in various colors. The 'mama negra' is the last person to pass through, which is the culmination of each parade. It is a person with their face painted in black, riding a horse, and spraying the crowd with milk. Homemade strong alcoholic drinks are freely passed between one another along the parade route, which can be quite chaotic, closing the road at times and making the route unpassable.

Historic downtown

Latacunga’s historic downtown extends about 30 squares. Prominent buildings to visit are:

• Saint Francis’s church, the first church built in the city.
• The municipal palace; it was built with pumice stone in a neoclassical style.
• The Main Square in which stands a statue of Dr. Vicente Leon.

Sports

Sociedad Deportiva Flamengo is the city's football (soccer) club. They play their home games at Estadio La Cocha.

External links

• www.codeso.com Map of the Cotopaxi Province
• Travel Information about Latacunga

 This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed (1911). Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press.