Ambato

The city has been fully or partially destroyed by earthquakes several times in its history, most recently on August 5, 1949, when the city and its cathedral were almost completely devastated. The city was rebuilt in the following two years. In honour of the tenacity of their residents, Ambato celebrates "The Festival of Fruits and Flowers" during Carnival in February. Today, the Festival of Fruits and Flowers is one of the most important festivities in Ecuador.

The city is referred to as "Land of the Three Juans" as it was the birthplace of three notable Ecuadorians: Juan Montalvo, a noted essay writer of the 19th century, Juan León Mera, the author of the country's national anthem, and Juan Benigno Vela, a key figure in the Ecuadorian independence movement.