On 15 August 1534 , the city was founded in the San Miguel plains by Diego de Almagro , becoming the first city in modern-day Ecuador to be established . In 1563 , the city became part of the Spanish Empire 's newly formed Royal Audience of Quito . The city was completely destroyed by an earthquake in 1797 , but rebuilt a few years later away from its original location ( near a village named Cajabamba on the plains of San Antonio de Aguíscate ) . The city still retains much architecture from the Spanish period
earthquake in 1797
1797 Riobamba earthquake
Riobamba