 | |
| Mitad del Mundo | |
| province | Pichincha |
|---|---|
| Residents | unknown |
no value for residents on Wikidata:  | |
| Tourist info web | http://www.mitaddelmundo.com/ |
| no tourist info on Wikidata: | |
Mitad del Mundo, the Middle of the world, is a monument to the whole country Ecuador eponymous equator. It is located in the province of Pichincha and is a must for visitors to the region.
background
The trigger for the location of the monument came from French surveyors below Charles Marie de La Condamine: They carried out their measurements here in 1736 and came to the conclusion that the latitude at the current location of the official equatorial monument is 00 ° 00´ 00 ".
The measurement error for today's more accurate GPS values was around 250 meters at that time: the exact equator is further north behind the monument and almost on the approach road, a small sign is attached here (0 ° 0 ′ 0 ″ N.78 ° 27 ′ 21 ″ W.).
getting there
The monument is located around 20 kilometers north of Quito. It stands free in the surrounding landscape and on the area of the administrative canton of San Antonio de Pichincha.
By plane
Next airport is Quito;
By bus
Out Quito, Stop on Avenida América, e.g. Corner Colón - América and at the University (0 ° 11 ′ 46 ″ S.78 ° 29 '57 "W.) the MITAD DEL MUNDO bus runs regularly.
In the street
The monument is signposted from the northern city limits, branching off the E35 still in the urban area of Quito.
mobility
The complex is quite clear and can be easily explored on foot.
Tourist Attractions
The monumental Equator monument is located in a park with a few other smaller museums, some restaurants and several souvenir shops.
The idea for the memorial came up in 1936: on the occasion of the 200th anniversary of the arrival of the first mission, a first 10 meter high building was erected.
The monument itself is an approx. 30 m high pyramid-like monolith and is crowned by a metal ball as a representation of the earth. It was rebuilt between 1979 and 1982 in reinforced concrete and clad with the local volcanic rock andesite (formerly also called porphyrite).
Inside the monument is a small museum about the anthropology and ethnography of the country and with information about the history and the ethnic groups in the four Regions of Ecuador. There is an elevator or stairs to a viewing platform.
There are also some maps and records of the historical geodetic mission from France on display.
In the open air and in front of the monument there are stone busts with the participants of the historical mission of 1736.
The Insectarium in a small building at the monument shows insects and butterflies from all over the world.
There are also four more Pavilions the countries Spain, France, Germany and the home country Ecuador on cultural and scientific topics.
Entrance to the park: $ 5 (2019); Opening times: Mon. to Sun. from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.;
activities
On the days of the equinox (equinoccio) on March 21st and September 22nd, a "Inti Raími Festival", a sun festival.
shop
In the Souvenir shops In addition to the usual postcards etc., clothing, leather goods and local handicrafts and art are also on offer.
kitchen
- Cochabamba (restaurant, local cuisine), Ciudad Mitad del Mundo, San Antonio de Pichincha. Tel.: 593 (0)2 2394-128.
- Yaraví (restaurant, local cuisine), Ciudad Mitad del Mundo Local 93 A - San Antonio de Pichincha. Tel.: 593 (0)2 2394-099.
nightlife
In the evening it is time to go to sleep, it is recommended Quito / La Mariscal.
accommodation
Accommodation directly on site is not known.
Practical advice
For postcards from Ecuador to Europe, the relatively high price of postage should be noted: $ 2.25 (as of 2012). There is a small post office on site.
trips
The volcanic crater is located just a few kilometers north of Mitad del Mundo Pululahua: the nature reserve is easily accessible by taxi or on foot.
literature
- : Mitad del Mundo - the center of the world: Ecuador and Galapagos to touch. Eulogy, 2009, ISBN 978-3941275133 ; 92 pages.
Web links
- Official website of the Pichincha Province
