Fodor's Expert Review Mitad del Mundo
Ecuador's famous Mitad del Mundo (Middle of the World) monument does not sit exactly on the equator. It marks the spot that in 1736 the French Geodesic Mission determined was the latitudinal center of the earth. But GPS satellite technology has demonstrated that the true equator runs about 300 meters (980 feet) north. Visitors today enjoy having their photographs taken as they straddle the painted line here, but, alas, they are really standing entirely in the southern hemisphere. Nonetheless, the site makes an interesting visit. The monument itself is a 30-meter-tall (98-foot-tall) stone obelisk topped by a 2½-ton metal globe. Inside is an Ethnographic Museum with exhibits of the people, clothing, and dwellings of Ecuador's diverse ethnic groups; bilingual guided tours are included in your admission price. The nearby planetarium's show is in Spanish only, and is put on only if at least 15 people are in attendance. The rest of the site is constructed to resemble a colonial village,... READ MORE
Ecuador's famous Mitad del Mundo (Middle of the World) monument does not sit exactly on the equator. It marks the spot that in 1736 the French Geodesic Mission determined was the latitudinal center of the earth. But GPS satellite technology has demonstrated that the true equator runs about 300 meters (980 feet) north. Visitors today enjoy having their photographs taken as they straddle the painted line here, but, alas, they are really standing entirely in the southern hemisphere. Nonetheless, the site makes an interesting visit. The monument itself is a 30-meter-tall (98-foot-tall) stone obelisk topped by a 2½-ton metal globe. Inside is an Ethnographic Museum with exhibits of the people, clothing, and dwellings of Ecuador's diverse ethnic groups; bilingual guided tours are included in your admission price. The nearby planetarium's show is in Spanish only, and is put on only if at least 15 people are in attendance. The rest of the site is constructed to resemble a colonial village, with most buildings housing souvenir shops.
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