Parque La Merced


Also known as Peñaherrera, the city’s main plaza was built at the beginning of the 19th century. The main feature of the Iglesia de la Merced is a gold-leaf-covered altar for the Virgen de la Merced, patron saint of the armed forces. The church holds a special mass in remembrance of the victims and survivors of the devastating 1868 earthquake.


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1. Iglesia de la Merced

0.05 MILES

Features a gold-leaf-covered altar for the Virgen de la Merced, patron saint of the armed forces. The church holds a special mass in remembrance of the…

2. Parque Pedro Moncayo

0.13 MILES

This gorgeous palm-filled plaza is dominated by the baroque-influenced cathedral. The altars are covered in gold leaf, and Troya’s paintings of the 12…

3. Catedral de Ibarra

0.15 MILES

The altars at this baroque-influenced cathedral are covered in gold leaf, and Troya’s paintings of the 12 apostles adorn the pillars.

4. Centro Cultural Ibarra

0.18 MILES

A small, impressive collection of 14th- to 19th-century religious paintings and archaeological galleries featuring prehistoric ceramics and gold artifacts…

6. Obelisk

0.25 MILES

A 30m-high white obelisk honors Miguel de Ibarra's founding of the city in 1606.

7. Iglesia de Santo Domingo

0.3 MILES

At the north end of Bolívar you’ll find the quaint Parque Santo Domingo. The Dominican church behind this small park houses La Virgen del Rosarío, a…

8. Iglesia de la Dolorosa

0.41 MILES

Of neo-Romanesque design with a single nave, this church was rebuilt after the devastating earthquake of 1987.