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La Quinta by Ambateño writer Juan León Mera, has a great architectural value due to the use of materials from the colonial era: tile, adobe and wood. The enclosure is made with fences to admire the botanical garden. Today, it is a museum in which the furniture, pictorial works, documents and writings that recreate the life of Mera are exhibited.

In Juan León Mera's villa the peaceful atmosphere that inspired him on many occasions can still be seen; it is open to the public from Wednesday to Sunday.

Extension

The Quinta de Mera has an area of ​​9 hectares, of which 2.5 hectares correspond to the botanical garden that exists inside.

Creation date

Juan León Mera's family began the construction of the manor house in 1874, being completed ten years later.





Direction

La Quinta of the illustrious Ambateño is located in the Atocha parish, on Circunvalación avenue.





Description

It is a Quinta that belonged to the illustrious Juan León Mera Martínez, an important character in national life who was a self-taught person who never entered school and yet is the singer of the country.

In this place, 250 species of plants are appreciated, between native and introduced, the cedar, palm, Chilean coconut and eucalyptus trees stand out, you can also admire the cumbi coconut palm trees that have become extinct in some Latin American countries.

This Quinta is an architectural structure from the last century, the gardens are in a French style due to the water mirrors and a Japanese or oriental style due to the palm trees. The terraces were built to be able to give a total distribution of water to the farm.



It is a heavenly place, the house is typical of the republican era. Today it is a natural Museum that shows all the belongings that surrounded the Illustrious Ambateño during his existence, it is a charming place for those who visit Ambato.

The greenery of its gardens, the aroma of its flowers, the chirping of birds, the murmur of the river, the freshness of its air give the charm and the feeling of stillness and peace that man seeks when arriving at this place.

Luís A. Martínez is so closely linked with

the house and the Mera family since he was part of it when he married Juan León's sister and later died there at 49 years of age.

Attractive

• Historical Part: La Quinta de Mera has two areas of attraction; The first is the historical part that corresponds to the house, with 11 rooms, where his paintings are present, they contain testimony of literary life, but also records his artistic activity, since Mera was a firm painter and student of Rafael Salas.

• Botanical Garden: The second area of ​​attraction is the floral one with 250 plant species between native and imported, where the Chilean coconut trees brought in 1874, Australian eucalyptus trees, a great variety of bird species and the enviable view of the Ambato River stand out.

• La Quinta was also the scene of the work of another illustrious Ambateño, Luís A. Martínez, who wrote his work ´´A la Costa´´ in that place of peace and tranquility.

• Martínez is so closely linked to the house and the Mera family, he was part of this family having married Juan León's sister and died there at the age of 49.

• In the lower part of the Quinta, precisely when reaching the Ambato River, there is a small area of ​​forest that preserves eucalyptus trees over 100 years old, a climbing cobea from Mexico, Sangre de drago and Amazon creepers.

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