Ecuadorians consider it the most beautiful city, a most
peaceful and relaxing setting. One of the first things
you notice when entering the city is the magnificent skyline
marked by shining church domes. Cuenca’s cobblestone
streets, winding rivers, graceful ironwork balconies,
and beautiful gardens are part of the pleasant atmosphere
of this historical city. The UNESCO declared Cuenca a
World Cultural Heritage Site on December 1999.
The first name of the city was "Guapondelig",
that in the Cañari language means "a plain
as big as the sky". The Cañaris were the indigenous
group that lived in the region before the arrival of the
Incas. In the last decades of the XV century, the Incas
built the city of "Tumipamba" ("Tumi"
meaning ridge and "pamba" meaning plain), over
this Cañari settlement. This city was located along
the Inca highway that joined Cusco with Quito (map
>>). When the Spanish arrived, they called the
city "Tomebamba". Finally, it was baptized as
the city of "Santa Ana de los Cuatro Ríos
de Cuenca" (Santa Ana of the Four Rivers of Cuenca).
The city stands 8.315 feet above sea level. Cuenca is
the capital of the Azuay province and the third largest
city in Ecuador.
The colonial past from the days of the Spanish Empire
are ever present in the artistry of the churches, convents
and religious treasures.
Many of the beautiful houses are found perched along the
banks of the four different rivers that run through and
around the city (Tarqui, Yanucay, Tomabamba and Machángara).
One of the highlights are the beautiful handicrafts that
can be found throughout the city, including embroidered
blouses, wool sweaters, gold and silver filigree jewelry
and weaving with tie-dyed patterns called ikat. Cuenca
also has a tradition in ceramics. Crafts and fresh products
can be found on sale at the weekly Thursday fair, or the
smaller Saturday market, located at the squares titled
9 de Octubre and 10 de Agosto.
A leading industry in Cuenca and the surrounding areas
is straw hats. A misconception among many people is the
Panama Hat. Originally made in Montecristi, Ecuador, the
hats were sent north to the workers of Panama Canal and
hence the name Panama Hat.
Interesting places in this city
El
Barranco
The riverfront of the Tomebamba River is the most symbolic
site of Cuenca, and serves as limit between the historical
and the modern city.
The Classical Republican style of the facades of the constructions
that surround the river give a special personality to
the city. El Barranco is a residential area, as well as
a cultural district. The Pumapungo Ruins, the Central
Bank and Remigio Crespo Toral Museums, the "Todos
los Santos" vestiges, and other sites along this
riverside offer cultural and artistic exhibits.
Pumapungo Vestiges
Located at the left margin of the Barranco of the Tomebamba
River. The Pumapungo ("Puma´s Door") neighborhood
was the first development zone of the Inca city of Tumipamba.
The architectural elements of the vestiges of this neighborhood
show that it was mainly a religious, military, political
and administrative center. The vestiges of Pumapungo include
walls, channels, cobble stoned corridors, isolated enclosed
areas, an enormous channel of 1.050 feet of length with
some internal bathrooms, a mausoleum inside a tunnel,
etc. All this surrounded by terraces that were used for
agriculture. This archeological complex is complemented
with gardens of native plants and a small display of birds
of the region.
It is part of the Central Bank Museum, located on Huayna
Capac Ave. across from Calle Larga. Visiting hours Mondays
to Fridays 9h00 -18h00. Saturdays 9h00 -13h00.
It also includes an archeological museum, a numismatic
museum (coins), and a very didactical and up-to-date ethnographic
display.
Entrance fee is $3 for adults and $1.50 for children/students/special
groups.
The Ruins of Todos Los Santos
Follow the Todos Los Santos Street down the hill. This
site has ruins of Cañari, Incas and colonial Spanish
constructions. Here you will find the four Incas stonework
niches.
Libri Mundi Bookstore & Cultural Center
Located in a colonial house with a charming internal patio, Libri Mundi is a most welcoming place to spend some time reading and admiring temporary art exhibits while enjoying a delicious coffee at the cafeteria.
Address: Hermano Miguel 8-14 y Sucre
Churches
of Special Interest
The Sagrario Church (Old
Cathedral)
Located at the corner of Mariscal Sucre and Luis Cordero
Ave. It is one of the oldest churches in Latin America
(1557). Inca blocks from the Pomango Palace were used
in the construction. It has marble floors and a gold-leaf
altar in its interior. The Geodesic Mission used this
place as a reference point to calculate the Earth’s
circumference.
Cathedral
of the Immaculate Conception (New Cathedral)
Located on the corner of Mariscal Sucre and Benigno Malo.
This Cathedral’s construction began in 1880, and
is one of the largest of America. The Cathedral is made
of alabaster and marble. Its floor is made of pink marble
imported from Carrara, Italy. Both Romance and Baroque
are prominent in this architecture.
Church and Monastery of “El
Carmen de Asunción”
They are located near the main square and to the right
of the daily flower market. Both have been preserved in
the original condition since the XVII century. A remarkable
treasury of religious art pieces can be found here.
Todos
Los Santos Church
It is located where the streets Calle Larga and Bajada
de Todos Los Santos meet. This is one of the oldest churches
in Cuenca. It is also where the first Catholic mass was
celebrated after the Spaniards arrived. The statue of
Santa Ana, patron saint of the city, is found here. During
the end of the XIX century the church that is currently
found there replaced it.
Church and Monastery of The Conceptas
They are located on the corner of Presidente Cordova and
Presidente Borrero Streets. The entrance of the church
contains 17th century tombstones. The monastery was constructed
in the 16th century and later became a museum of religious
art.
Other Churches:
Santo Domingo Church
Located on the corner of Padre Aguirre and Gran
Colombia.
San Alfonso Church
Located on Simon Bolivar and Presidente Borrero.
San Francisco Church
Located on Coronel Talbot and Simon Bolivar Avenues.
San Blas Church
Located on Manuel Vega Ave.
Maria Auxiliadora Church
Located on Simon Bolivar and Tarqui Ave.
Museums
Central Bank Museum
Located on Huayna Capac Ave. across from Calle
Larga. Visiting hours Mondays to Fridays 9h00 -18h00.
Saturdays 9h00 -13h00. Archeological objects, colonial
and republic art collections, paintings and old photographs
of the city can be seen here. There is a strong emphasis
on objects from the pre-Incan periods of Cuenca’s
region.
Remigio Crespo Toral Museum
707 Calle Larga and Borrero St. Visiting hours:
Mondays to Fridays 8h30 - 13h00 and 15h00-18h30. Saturdays:
10h00 - 13h00.
The museum is named after the famous poet Remigio Crespo
Toral. It has an interesting collection of gold objects
from the Cañari and Chordeleg cultures. There are
also pre-Hispanic ceramics, colonial paintings and religious
art.
The museum is divided into four departments: Archeology,
Cuenca’s Foundation, the City’s Independence
and historical documents.
CIDAP (Centro Interamericano de Artes Populares) Museum
Calle Larga and Hermano Miguel streets. Visiting
hours: Monday - Friday: 9:00- 13:00 and 14:30 - 18:00.
Saturday 10:00-12:00.
This museum is devoted to the handicrafts of South America.
It contains art, crafts and beautiful folklore pieces
on temporary exhibitions.
Las Conceptas Museum
633 Hermano Miguel St. Visiting hours: Monday
to Friday: 9:00 -17:30 Saturday 10:00-13:00. Entrance
fee: US$ 2.
Here you will find a great collection of religious art.
It exhibits 64 paintings, more than 200 sculptures, toys,
furniture and craftsmanship.
Modern Art Museum
It is located on 1527 Calle Sucre and Coronel
Talbot. Visiting hours: Mondays to Fridays, 8h00- 13h00
and 15h00 – 18h30. Saturdays and Sundays, 9h00 – 13h00.
In this museum there is a permanent collection of contemporary
art. There are many artistic activities available for
children and the Biannual International Painting Competition
is held here.
Esqueletología Museum
Bolívar 6-57 and Borrero streets. Visiting
hours: Mondays - Fridays: 10h00 - 13h00 / 16h00 - 19h00.
Saturdays 10h00 - 14h30
Native Cultures Museum
Calle Larga #524 entre Hermano Miguel y Mariano
Cueva
Phone: 839181/ 841540
This museum was built as homage to the Ecuadorian indigenous
cultures and their 15,000 years of existence. The museum
holds archeological pieces from the first indigenous civilizations
in Ecuador, to those that lived in the XVI century, in
more than 5,000 impressive pieces!
"Toquilla Straw Hat" Museum-Workshop.
Gil Ramírez Dávalos 3-86 . Phone: 280 9000.
This museum includes a factory, a gallery, and a store
of the famous Panama hats made of toquilla straw. Take
a view from its sightseeing terrace.
Eduardo Vega’s Workshop
and Gallery. - On the hill of Turi, over viewing
the city, 10 minutes by car from downtown Cuenca, we find
a beautiful place where the re-known Ecuadorian artist
Eduardo Vega has his house, his workshop and gallery.
His specialties are artistic ceramics. The visitor can
admire his latest creations ranging from mugs, plaques,
jewelry, and plates up to wonderful murals that show the
lushness of Ecuadorian landscape, costumes, flora and
fauna. You can also find good books, and complimentary
coffee and biscuits. Visiting hours: Mondays - Fridays
9h00-18h00, Saturdays 10h00 - 13h30.
Other Interesting Places
Cojitambo
Approximately 47km from the city of Cuenca, surrounded
by an extraordinary landscape, are the ruins of Cojitambo.
These constructions belonged to the Cañari indigenous
group, which lived in the area before the arrival of the
Incas. They lay at approximately 3.050 meters of height.
Baños
Only 8km East from Cuenca, you can find soothing
hot spring waters. These thermal waters of volcanic origin
reach the surface with a temperature of 70oC and cool
down to 35-40o C. Hotels and different tourist services
are offered.
Cajas
National Park
Cajas is located 33 km (19 miles) northwest of
Cuenca, at an altitude of 9.000 to 13.000 feet above the
sea level.
This is a place for those who love the great out-doors.
Some of the many things to do and see are camping, fishing
or hiking miles of trails to choose from through a scenic
preserve, and more than 230 lagoons of glacial origin.
A guided tour of the area allows one to admire a breathtaking
landscape and unique fauna and flora. Warm clothing is
recommended due to the low temperatures that fluctuate
between the 0 and 8 degrees centigrade.
Buses to Cajas depart from the San Sebastian Park, which
is in the corner of Simon Bolivar and Talbot. Buses leave
from 6h00 to 7h00 and return in the afternoon.
Entrance fee to the park US$ 10.
Paredones
This archeological site was a Cañari settlement.
Its origin is still unknown. The area with the most edifications
is located 12.000 ft above sea level, while others lie
higher that 13.000 ft. The archeological remains include
terraces. To reach this site one must enter the Cajas
National Park and descend the cloud forest.
Gualaceo
This is a subtropical valley, approximately 36 km away
from Cuenca. The way by car is through the Pan-American
Highway in direction to the Azogues town. At "El
Descanso" pick your right to reach Gualaceo. This
town is especially known for its handicrafts, folklore
and a beautiful river where you can go for a swim. At
the Sunday market, piles of fine hand-woven shawls called
macanas, colorful belts, shoe manufacturing, leather goods
and many other items can be found.
Sígsig
This is another picturesque town nearby, with beautiful
architecture. Close to the town is the beach of "Zhingate"
at the banks of the Santa Bárbara River. Locals
wash clothes and swim in the river. Although pretty chilly,
a swim in the river can be quite refreshing.
The Chobshi Cave
This site is thought to be the first vestige of
human civilization in Ecuador. The walls of the cave are
decorated with orchids and mosses.
Shabalula Ruins
Very close to the Chobshi Cave are the Cañari ruins
of Shabalula. This 7-hectare complex was an Administrative
and Military Center of the Cañaris. This indigenous
group lived in the area from 500 to 1500 A.C.
San Juan de Gualaceo
San Juan is a quiet, picturesque little village, full
of peace and tranquility, fresh mountain air, and genuinely
sincere and friendly people. The town preserves its colonial
architecture, and its people still maintain their culture
and traditions. This is the perfect starting point for
numerous spectacular trails.
"El Chorro de Giron"
Waterfall
48 kilometers South-West of Cuenca, close to the city
of Giron, one finds this beautiful waterfall of approximately
230 feet of height. To reach this site one must hike through
a canyon surrounded by exuberant vegetation submerged
in cloud forest. Accommodation, meals, camping gear, campfire,
horse rentals and other services are offered close to
the waterfall.
Ingapirca
Inca Vestiges
These vestiges are the most important architectural legacy
of the Incas in Ecuador. They are located in the province
of Cañar, about an hour and 45 minutes from Cuenca.
The entrance fee is 5 dollars. Ingapirca means "Incas
stone wall". The vestiges rise dramatically above
beautiful valleys. On the way to Ingapirca are the towns
of Azogues, with its lovely church and Saturday straw
market; and Biblian, crowned with an astonishing cathedral
cut into the rock.
It is believed today that Ingapirca was both a religious
and administrative center, as well as a fortress. The
Incas built the complex on top of an old Cañari
settlement.
The vast archeological complex includes a roofless fortification,
courtyards, terraces, temples, houses and a "castle",
possibly the "Temple of the Sun".
A museum is now open at the site, with both archeological
and ethnographic displays as well as a scale model of
the ruins. Additionally, there are exhibits of ceramics
and jewelry of earlier cultures, and scraps of textiles
found in a burial ground believed to have been from the
Cañari period (500 years before the Incas). Entrance
fee is US$6.
An excellent option is to stay overnight at the charming
Posada Ingapirca (Phone: 2827-401/ 2831-120).
Culebrillas Lagoon
The lagoon is found 40 km East of the Cañar province,
at an altitude of approximately 12.700 ft above sea level.
The Culebrillas River is born from the Quilloloma hill
and meanders across the valley until it reaches the lagoon.
This lagoon is surrounded by an archeological complex
of Inca and Cañari construction. This site is found
along the Inca Trail that goes from the town of Acchupallas
to Ingapirca.
Chordeleg
Located 10 minutes from Gualaceo, it is a pre-Incan
town where important archeological objects can be found.
This brilliant culture inhabited the area between the
years 500 and 1500 BC. The artisans offer Ikat ponchos,
pottery straw hats and jewelry. This is the place to buy
the finest gold and silver filigree at a very reasonable
price. There is also an excellent ethnographic museum
on the square in an old courtyard house, where you can
see weavers at work and find good shawls, scarves, belts
and embroidery to buy.
Article © by This is Ecuador Magazine
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