Cañar

CULTURE

Cañar: Museums and culture

Discover the spiritual legacy and cultural of Cañar visiting its historical jewels. In Azogues, at the top of El Calvario hill is the imposing Sanctuary of the Virgen de la Nube, also known as the Franciscan Sanctuary, a center of devotion and monumental architecture. Complement your tour of the city with a visit to the Edgar Palomeque Vivar Ethnographic and Archaeological Museum, which preserves valuable Cañari and Inca pieces, and the Museum of the Benjamín Carrión Ecuadorian House of Culture. And in the parish of Ingapirca, be amazed by the church of the Sisid Anejo community, the second oldest in Ecuador, founded in the seventeenth century and part of the religious legacy of the Ecuadorian Austro.

Ingapirca Archaeological Complex and Cojitambo Archaeological Complex: Great Pre-Hispanic Civilizations

Visit the Ingapirca Archaeological Complex, the most important Inca site in Ecuador and a must for history lovers. Located in the Ingapirca parish, Canton Cañar, this architectural complex combines Cañari and Inca structures, highlighting the imposing Temple of the Sun, built with precision and astronomical alignment. It runs along trails that cross terraces, ceremonial plazas and ancient canals. The site has a site museum, local guides and natural viewpoints. Ingapirca connects you with the Andean past in an environment full of culture and high altitude landscapes.

Explore the Cojitambo Archaeological Complex, located in the Cajitambo parish, Canton Azogues. Here you can walk among Cañari and Inca vestiges, such as walls, terraces and roads that were part of the ancient Qhapaq Ñan. The hill where it sits offers a natural viewpoint of 360 degrees, which allows you to see the geography of the canton Azogues, Déleg, Biblián and part of Cuenca of the Province of Azuay. It is also ideal for those who enjoy adventure tourism, with climbing and hiking trails. Cojitambo unites archeology, nature and emotion in one place.

NATURE

Explore two must-see destinations in Cañar. In Cerro Cojitambo, located in the Azogues canton, enjoy hiking through trails natural The famous rock wall, when you get to the top you will visit a Cañari and Inca archaeological complex with terraces and ancestral walls. The Culebrillas Lagoon, located in the Cañar canton within the Sangay National Park south zone, is surrounded by Andean moors, in this area there is the best preserved stretch of Qhapaq Ñan of Ecuador, in its 18km from Culebrillas to Ingapirca. The area is ideal for medium-demanding hikes, observation of high Andean fauna and cultural tours that follow the traces of the ancient Inca road network. 

ANCESTRAL COMMUNITIES AND RURALITY

Discover in Cañar the cultural richness of the Cañari people, a pre-Inca nation that today has about 22,000 members in the province and keeps alive the Kichwa language, the minka or community work and ceremonies. The Cañari people are part of the Kichwa nationality in Ecuador and they maintain their own systems of organization and ancestral culture.

Sisid Annex: Experiential tourism

Discover experiential tourism with the indigenous community of Sisid Anejo, which opens its doors to share its culture and traditions. Visit family orchards, visit what is considered the second oldest church in Ecuador, learn about handicraft enterprises, learn words in Kichwa and participate in daily chores with local families. An authentic experience that connects the visitor with the history, the people and the living spirit of the Andean region.

Fairs and ancestral festivals:

In Cañar four Raymis Cañaris are celebrated. The Killa Raymi or Coya Raymi, in the province of Cañar, is celebrated in September in the archaeological complex of Coyoctor in the canton of El Tambo, is a celebration in honor of the moon, femininity and Pachamama. The Capac Raymi is celebrated by the Cañari people in Culebrillas in December. The Lalay Raymi is the celebration between February and March, coincides with the carnival, and is celebrated strongly in the cantons of Cañar, El Tambo and Suscal. The Inti Raymi is celebrated in the canton of Cañar in Ingapirca and the city of Cañar in the foothills of the Narrío hill. In Azogues in June of each year, the Sara Raymi or corn festival is celebrated in the archaeological complex of Cojitambo.

Holidays:

Experience unique celebrations in Cañar. In January, the Fiesta de la Virgen de la Nube gathers thousands of pilgrims who climb the stairs of El Calvario hill to participate in masses, processions and admire spectacular views. In January, May and September, the Virgen del Rocío comes alive in Biblián with colorful processions, castle burnings, balloon releases and family activities. Between February and March, during Carnival, immerse yourself in parades of traditional costumes, ritual painting and ancestral dances that evoke Cañari legends.

GASTRONOMY

In the province of Cañar, delight yourself with "cascaritas de chancho", crispy pork skins seasoned with salt and chili. Taste the potatoes with guinea pig, Andean potatoes bathed in pumpkin seed sauce or zambos pepa, accompanied by golden guinea pig. Enjoy the chiviles, traditional from the Suscal canton, snacks made of corn flour and cheese wrapped in huicundo leaves. Come and discover these ancestral flavors of Cañar.

CRAFTS

Discover the rich craftsmanship of the Cañar canton, where masters weave ponchos, sashes and chumbis in sheep's wool with symbolic designs, embroidery and unique dyes. In Azogues, the blacksmithing, pottery and weaving of toquilla straw, mostly in high quality hats, stand out. Take with you a souvenir that is a piece of history.