AT A GLANCE
Why go?
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.↗↗
A statue that doubles as a lookout
The heart of the mirador is the statue of San Miguel Arcángel itself—thirteen metres tall, cast in concrete and iron, and widely regarded as one of the defining symbols of Ibarra. It was raised on the Alto de Reyes ridge to honour the archangel as patron of the city, and the observation complex that grew around it takes its name. The figure stands on a tall base, and within its body a staircase runs up to a small balcony partway to the summit; for the more adventurous, a further ladder climbs to the top, where the whole valley opens out at once. It is an experience not meant for anyone afraid of heights, but the reward is a view you cannot get anywhere else in town.