Ibarra · EC

Mirador San Miguel Arcangel

On a low ridge called Loma Alto de Reyes, a few kilometres southeast of Ibarra, a 13-metre concrete statue of the Archangel San Miguel raises its arms over the city it protects. This is the Mirador San Miguel Arcángel, Ibarra's most famous viewpoint and a local icon: from its balcony you take in the white republic-era streets below, the mirror of Laguna de Yahuarcocha, and the great volcanic ramparts of the Imbabura and Cotacachi massif. Built in honour of the archangel who is patron of the city, the monument is more than a photo stop. Inside its cement-and-iron body a narrow staircase leads to a small balcony, and a short climb to the top rewards visitors with a sweeping 360-degree panorama of the valley, the surrounding towns and the Andean peaks. Day or dark, it is the place locals bring visitors to fall in love with Imbabura's capital.