Riobamba Sights

Sights in Riobamba

  1. Museo de Arte Religioso

    Inside the beautifully restored, 16th-century convent of the Conceptas nuns, Riobamba’s Museo de Arte Religioso houses one of the country’s finest collections of 17th- and 18th-century religious art. Once upon a time, many upper-class girls were sent to this convent for confined education within its walls. The museum shows the nuns’ bleak cells and even the scourges they used to ‘punish’ themselves. The museum’s signature piece is a priceless, meter-tall monstrance inlaid with more than 1500 precious stones including emeralds, pearls, diamonds, rubies, amethysts and aquamarines. Made of solid gold with a solid silver base, it weighs over 360kg (making it incredibly diff…

    reviewed

  2. Museo de la Ciudad

    If you're just trying to kill some time, pop into the Museo de la Ciudad. It occupies a beautifully restored building from 1910, once inhabited by a woman who was both Riobamba's best hair stylist and possessed by the devil. Slightly less interesting than its previous inhabitant, the museum's exhibits include a permanent national park display, historical photos of Riobamba and temporary visual-art exhibits on the 2nd floor.

    reviewed

  3. Basilica

    Parque La Libertad (Primera Constituyente at Alvarado) is anchored by its neoclassical basilica, famous for being the only round church in Ecuador. It was designed, built and decorated mainly by locals, making it a great source of civic pride. It's often closed; try Sundays and evenings after 18:00.

    reviewed

  4. Parque La Libertad

    A few blocks southeast of Parque Maldonado (Primera Constituyente at Espejo), Parque La Libertad is anchored by its neoclassical basilica (Veloz near Alvarado), famous for being the only round church in Ecuador.

    reviewed

  5. Parque Maldonado

    The handsome, tree-filled Parque Maldonado is flanked by Riobamba’s cathedral on the northeastern side.

    reviewed

  6. Parque 21 de Abril

    Just north of downtown, the Parque 21 de Abril has an observation platform with views of the surrounding mountains.

    reviewed