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Walking along the streets of Lacatunga, the capital of the Cotopaxi Province is like challenging time. And it is that this city simulates a living architectural museum because its historic center is very well preserved, with its colonial-style buildings, whose origin dates back to the sixteenth century, and which on May 25, 1982 was declared Cultural Heritage of the Ecuadorian State.
Visiting it is an irremediable journey to the past and the memories, even when the buildings of yesteryear function today as offices and businesses.
Its full name is San Vicente Mártir de Latacunga, located in the center-north of the Inter-Andine Region of Ecuador, in the basin of the Patate River, crossed by the Cutuchi and Pumacunchi tributaries. It has also been called «La Sultana del Cotopaxi», due to the proximity to the homonymous volcano, which is always on the lookout.
The climate of Latacunga averages 12 degrees centigrade annually, and its height above sea level is 2,771 meters, at 00 55 'south latitude and 78 37' east longitude.
In 1534, it was called the Asiento de San Vicente Mártir de Latacunga. On October 27, 1584, the definitive and formal inauguration was made by Captain Antonio de Clavijo, who baptized it as San Vicente Mártir de Latacunga y sus Corregidores. Later, on November 11, 1811, its category was raised to Village, when the distribution of lands and Indians from Quito began, by means of encomiendas, mit'as and hard labor.