Cuenca Ecuador
- Panama hats are the trademark of Cuenca, Ecuador's
third-largest city - the misnamed toppers were first made in the Cuenca area and are still
produced there. The town has an Old World, Spanish colonial feel—flower boxes
on windows, wrought-iron balconies, red-tile roofs, cobblestone streets and a
lively market (open Thursday, with a smaller market on Saturday). It's also a
center for arts and crafts—many of the things sold in Quito and Guayaquil come
from this area. Sights are cathedrals + convents.
The best archaeological exhibits are at the Museo del Banco Central, which also
displays old photos and has changing art and other shows. The Museo de Las
Conceptas is housed in the Convent of the Immaculate Conception and is Cuenca's
most famous religious art museum.
Plan two nights to see the town, but add two more days if you're going on to
Ingapirca, the country's principal Inca site. The trip is a grueling three hours
each way. Fotos by Fiestas
de Cuenca.
One
day is enough to explore all of Cuenca, but you'll need another couple
of days to enjoy the surrounding area. Ingapirca, Ecuador's most
impressive Inca ruins, are only 2 hours away; Cajas National Park, which
is full of scenic hiking trails and peaceful blue lagoons, is an hour
north of the city.
Old cathedral:
it was built in 1557, but with the time it was being small for the faith
of the town. In 1880, they decided to built up a temple to replaced it.
At the present time, the old Cathedral is in restoration process.
New cathedral:
Their towers remain truncated due to a calculation error of the architect. If it
would have been concluded, the structure of this church to the Immaculate
Concepción, would not have been able to resist the
weight.
In spite of the architect's immense mistake, the New Cathedral of Cuenca is a
monumental work of faith that began to be built in 1880. Of style neogótico,
highlights their domes blue and white that have become in an entire symbol for
the city. Their facade is made of alabaster and local marble, while the floor is
covered with pink marbles, cared from Carrara (Italy).
Park Abdón Calderón:
it is the main of Cuenca.
In their benches, people meet to converse and to be loaded of the tranquility
that emanates of each one of its corners. In their surroundings the Old
Cathedral and the New Cathedral are located, besides the Municipality.
Monastery of El Carmen de Asunción:
In their atrium a coloring market of flowers supplements the beauty of the
church been founded in 1682. Their sculpted in stone facade and their golden
pulpit, are only some of their attractions.
Monastery and Museum of La Concepción: tombs of the XVII century and a complete
collection of religious art are part of this exhibition. Also, it is not a bad
idea to visit the House of the Ecuadorian Culture, the Municipal Museum Remigio
Crespo Toral, the Museum of the Central Bank, the Museum of the Aboriginal
Cultures or the Church of Santo Domingo or San Blas.
Ruinas de todos los santos:
In this old place, four niches of Inca origin exist. Their form is trapezoidal
and they are built of stone. There are also remains of a colonial mill.
Chordeleg:
less than 50 kilometers from Cuenca, town of Cañari origin, known for its
weavers, embroiderers and potters. But this it is not the only point of
interest, in the area there is a stone corridor in snake form, built in the
preinca time.
Cajas: A place
where the waters reveal of the rivers, streams and lagoons, they seem to unite,
to create a temple of the nature, in which the altitude varies from the 3500 to
the 4200 m.a.s.l. The fishing of trouts and the observation of birds, are
activities that you will be able to carry out.
Azogues:
it is the capital of the county of the Cañar plantation. 29 kilometers separate
it from Cuenca. In this city of colonial atmosphere, it highlights San
Francisco's convent, built in the summit of a huaca (sacred mountain) of the
prehispanic residents.
Cañar plantation:
Their coloring market and the near ruins of Ingapirca (wall of Inca stone), are
their biggest attractions. Cañar plantation is located 65 kilometers from
Cuenca and it is usually the starting point for the trips to the famous ruins
that, according to the experts, were used to control the native Cañaris.
Stores, bathrooms, a tambo for the Inca, a temple dedicated to the sun, they are
part of Ingapirca that was built in the XV century by orders of Huayna Cápac.
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