Monument in the city Mitad del Mundo
It is well known that the Middle of the World is on the Equator. Actually, there are several countries that are on the Equator Line, such as Colombia, Brazil, several countries in Africa, Indonesia, Maldives, among others.
In fact, the line perpendicular to the equator also divides the world into two parts, and there we can find countries like Spain, United Kingdom, Algeria, Ghana, Russia, United States of America, and others. So actually any of these countries is in the middle of the world. But anyway, in the 18th century it was decided that Ecuador would be the country named the middle of the world because it is precisely in this territory where the climatic conditions allowed to carry out the investigations, which could not be said of the other countries.
For those who are wondering what came before - the line or the country - it was the line, after which the country was named in 1830.
The city La Mitad del Mundo is a town in the province of Pichincha, where the capital of the country, Quito, is located. That is where they put a thin yellow line that divides the Earth into two parts. But over time and with the advancement of technology, modern GPS showed that the real equator line is 250 meters from where it was thought to be. And it's not thin at all. A metre or two, however, doesn't change the game that much.
So what happens in the Middle of the World?
* In the city there is the Equatorial Monument which is located at latitude zero degrees zero minutes and zero seconds. That's why there are no hurricanes or typhoons. Inside the monument there is a small museum that displays objects from the indigenous culture of Ecuador.
* Have you ever noticed that pouring water into the sink makes turns to one side or the other? At the equator this does not happen - the water falls directly without making eddies.
* Perhaps you have never tried to put an egg on the head of a nail, since a priori it is impossible to achieve. In La Mitad del Mundo the egg stays still (believe it or not, it takes several tries).
* When we are in the middle of the world, our body weighs less. Because we are further from the center of the Earth, the gravitational attraction is less than if we were at the poles.
* In the Middle of the World is the Quitsato Solar Clock located exactly on the equatorial line. Due to its design, the cast shadow can indicate the solstices and equinoxes, as well as the months of the year with great precision.
* The days and nights there last exactly the same.
In addition to this, the Middle of the World city has several pavilions that have permanent exhibitions. You can find works by the famous Ecuadorian painter Oswaldo Guayasamín, which combine indigenous themes with the main achievements of the avant-garde.
There is also the French Geodesic Museum, the pavilion of the sun with information on Guayaquil and Cuenca, the two most important cities in Ecuador after Quito, being the capital. You can visit the planetarium and the exhibitions of live and stuffed insects, among other attractions. We can also find the sculptures of those who carried out the geodesic mission in the 18th century and by the merit of which this city became a wonderful place.
Translator:
Letícia Goulart
Original Article:
https://www.tool-platform.com/es/post/mitaddelmundo
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