Our Lady of the Cloud Monument, Religious monument on Mount Abuga in Azogues, Ecuador
The monument is a large aluminum statue standing on Mount Abuga in Cañar Province. It depicts the Virgin Mary holding her son and rises from a solid base on the mountain slope, where the air grows thinner and the light becomes bright and clear.
Fray Manuel García proposed the monument in 2004; a foundation created in 2007 carried the work forward amid objections that the hillside vegetation would be damaged. Carlos Aníbal Altamirano Argüello, fourth bishop of Azogues, inaugurated it on 18 October 2009 with Franciscan friars, custodians of the image linked to the Santuario de la Virgen de la Nube.
The monument shows the Virgin Mary cradling Jesus and functions as a pilgrimage destination for worshippers. Religious celebrations and family gatherings take place here throughout the year, drawing people who come to pray and spend time at this elevated sacred spot.
The summit sits at about 3,090 metres, roughly 5 km from central Azogues. The ascent path is often damaged by rain, landslides or fires, so check conditions before setting out. The monument can be seen from the Zhalao hill in Biblian and from Cojitambo hill. Vendors work on the summit, and rubbish left there is not always cleared.
The statue is visible from the summit of Mount Zhalao in Biblian and from Cojitambo Hill, both across the valley from Abuga. The figure stands 25 metres tall on a 5-metre base, making the whole work 30 metres high.
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