Chimborazo
Height above sea level: 6,263 meters, 20,549 feet
Type of volcano: Inactive stratovolcano
Last eruption: 550 AD

Chimborazo is the highest mountain in Ecuador, and because of the way the Earth bulges at the equator, the summit of Chimborazo is the farthest point from the center of the Earth and also the closest point to the stars. Some would say this makes it the highest mountain in the world.

Known as Taita (Father) Chimborazo in Kichwa, the mountain plays an important role in the legends of local indigenous people. All of the volcanoes in Ecuador have a legendary significance and have been personified in the many tales handed down by orators over the years. Chimborazo and Cotopaxi are believed to be Andean warriors who waged a centuries-long battle for the love of Tungurahua. Chimborazo eventually won the battle and married Tungurahua, and their baby was Guagua (which means child in Kichwa) Pichincha.