San Juan de Ambato is a city in the centre of Ecuador near the Ambato River. It is the capital of Tungurahua Province, at an elevation of 2,600 meters above sea level. The population is 154,095 (INEC, 2001). Tungurahua is a province in Ecuador. ...

The city is a leading commercial and transportation centre on a fertile region near the northern foot of the volcano Chimborazo. It hosts the largest animal market of the country. A volcano is a geological landform (usually a mountain) where magma (rock of the earths interior made molten or liquid by high pressure and temperature) erupts through the surface of the planet. ... Mount Chimborazo is an extinct volcano located in the Andes mountains of central Ecuador, 150 kilometres south-southwest of the capital Quito. ...

An earthquake on August 5, 1949 destroyed most of the city so that only few buildings of the colonial era remain. August 5 is the 217th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (218th in leap years), with 148 days remaining. ... 1949 is a common year starting on Saturday. ...

As a way to recover from the tragic earthquake, Ambato began its tradition of the Fruits and Flowers Festival. It is now a major tourist attraction held during carnival season.

Landmarks include the mausoleum of Juan Montalvo, the estate of Juan León Mera, and the white Ambato Cathedral. Juan Montalvo (April 13, 1832 - January 17, 1889) was an Ecuadorian author and essayist, generally thought to be one of Ecuadors best writers of the period. ...

Ambato is also where, on November 12, 1821, Antonio José de Sucre achieved a major victory over the Spanish Royalist Army during the war for independence. November 12 is the 316th day of the year (317th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 49 days remaining. ... 1821 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... Antonio José de Sucre Antonio José de Sucre ( 1795- 1830) was a South American independence leader, and one of Simón Bolívars closest friends, generals and statesmen. ...