Cahuasquí: Architecture and Traditions

Cahuasquí can be explored for travel planning through two distinct themes: the architectural heritage in the main town and natural features in the surrounding area. If you are looking for a hotel in Cahuasquí, you can first consider whether local culture or landscape should play a greater role in your stay. Long-standing customs are also part of Cahuasquí’s cultural themes.

Adobe and mud houses

The narrow streets of Cahuasquí are lined with one- and two-story houses: their walls are made of adobe or thick mud, alongside wood and tiled roofs. Street-facing corridors are also part of the traditional houses. Modern buildings made of cement and brick stand in between; the streetscape thus reflects both traditional building methods and newer materials.

The Ministerio de Patrimonio restored the traditional houses to preserve their architectural style. Most of these buildings are located around the central park. There are also old houses there that are registered with the Instituto Nacional de Patrimonio.

Park and cultural heritage in the main town

The Parque del Reloj, also known as Parque del Amor, is one of the highlighted cultural heritage features in the main town. The central park is home to the stone church, which is more than a hundred years old. The reloj inca is also one of Cahuasquí’s highlighted cultural heritage features.

Festivals and family traditions

El Animero is a family tradition passed down from generation to generation. On the night before Finados, a person dressed as a “soul” walks to the cemetery and represents the souls in purgatory who should not be forgotten. The 2020 municipal plan also lists the celebration of San Juan Evangelista on December 27 and a procession in honor of the Virgen del Tránsito on August 15 in the main town. The municipal plan also lists Semana Santa and Carnaval for the parish. If you would like to plan your trip around one of these festivals, check the current dates before booking.

Natural features in the surrounding area

The small natural formation of Tatacho emerges during the rainy season in the Páramos de Pugarán and Piñan and is suitable for guided horseback rides. The Nagnarillos glacial lake complex, also known as Cuatro Vientos, is located in the páramos of the Comunidad de San Francisco de Sachapamba in the Parroquia de Cahuasquí. Tatacho is seasonal because it forms during the rainy season, while Nagnarillos is defined by its glacial origin—two distinct natural themes in the surrounding area.

A feature of the associated community

For the associated community, the 2020 municipal plan lists the traditional ice creams of Las Delicias de Cahuasquí, opposite the Plaza Central, as part of the parish’s tourist offering.

Discover more destinations: Iluman, Urcusiqui, Ambuqui, Cotacachi, Ibarra, Plaza Gutierrez, Guadual, Urcuqui.

For the broader travel overview: Imbabura.