Cuenca (full name
Santa Ana de los cuatro ríos de Cuenca) is the third largest city in
EcuadorEcuador , officially the Republic of Ecuador , literally, "Republic of the equator") is a representative democratic republic in South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and by the Pacific Ocean to the west. It is one of only two countries in South America that...
by population, which totals 467,000. It is the capital of the Azuay Province. It is located in the highlands of Ecuador at about 2500m (8200 ft) above sea level. The center of the city is listed as a UNESCO
World Heritage Trust siteA UNESCO World Heritage Site is a site that is on the list that is maintained by the international World Heritage Programme administered by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, composed of 21 state parties which are elected by their General Assembly for a four-year term.A World Heritage Site is a...
because of its historical buildings.
First inhabitants
According to studies and archeological discoveries, the origins of the first inhabitants go back to the year 8060 BC in the Cave of Chopsi. They were hunters, hunting everything the
PáramoPáramo is a neotropical ecosystem. It is located in the high elevations, between the upper forest line and the permanent snow line . The ecosystem consists of accidented, mostly glacier formed valleys and plains with a large variety of lakes, peat bogs and wet grasslands intermingled with...
offered them, and also nomads moving from one place to another. Tools such as arrows and spears, found throughout the
AndeanThe Andes are the world's longest exposed mountain range. They lie as a continuous chain of highland along the western coast of South America...
alley, are signs of the beginning of this culture. Their presence dates back to approximately 5585 BC.
The early inhabitants used the stable climate, fertile soil and abundant water to develop
agricultureAgriculture is the production of food and goods through farming and forestry. Agriculture was the key development that led to the rise of human civilization, with the husbandry of domesticated animals and plants creating food surpluses that enabled the development of more densely populated and...
. They grew
potatoThe potato is a starchy, tuberous crop from the perennial Solanum tuberosum of the Solanaceae family . The word potato may refer to the plant itself as well. In the region of the Andes, there are some other closely related cultivated potato species. Potatoes are the world's fourth largest food...
es, melloco,
chocho-Plants:* Andean Lupin * Chayote * Horse-eye beans -Other:* Chocho people, an indigenous people of Mexico* Chocho language, their language...
, squash and
quinoaQuinoa , a species of goosefoot , is a grain-like crop grown primarily for its edible seeds. It is a pseudocereal rather than a true cereal, or grain, as it is not a grass. As a chenopod, quinoa is closely related to species such as beets, spinach and tumbleweeds...
. They also domesticated animals such as cuy, guinea pigs,
llamaThe llama is a South American camelid, widely used as a pack animal by the Incas and other natives of the Andes mountains. In South America llamas are still used as beasts of burden, as well as for the production of fiber and meat....
s, and
alpacaAlpaca is a domesticated species of South American camelid. It resembles a small llama in superficial appearance.Alpacas are kept in herds that graze on the level heights of the Andes of Ecuador, southern Peru, northern Bolivia, and northern Chile at an altitude of to above sea-level, throughout...
s.
Their technology also advanced; they started using ceramics, which are the main
archaeologicalArchaeology or archeology is the science that studies human cultures through the recovery, documentation, analysis, and interpretation of material culture and environmental data, including architecture, artifacts, biofacts, and landscapes...
material from which to study their culture. There isn’t much information from between 5000 and 2000 B.C., since remains dating from that era haven’t been found. Around 2000 B.C began a more organized society, demonstrating delegated responsibilities, such as the
managing of waterIrrigation is an artificial application of water to the soil. It is usually used to assist in growing crops in dry areas and during periods of inadequate rainfall...
,
control of plaguesPublic health is "the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, public and private, communities and individuals." It is concerned with threats to the overall health of a community based...
and there was a differentiation between administrative and religious authorities (known as
shamansShamanism comprises a range of traditional beliefs and practices concerned with communication with the spirit world. It is a prominent term in anthropological research. A practitioner of shamanism is known as a shaman, , noun...
). This occurred during the periods of Chaullabamba, Huayco, Pirincay, Monjas, Putushio, Huancarcucho and Jubones. From then until 500 AD began the periods of Tacalshapa III and Cañari.
Pre-Columbian society
Cuenca was originally a
CañariCanari is a commune in the Haute-Corse department of France on the island of Corsica....
settlement called
Guapondeleg. It is believed to have been founded around 500 AD.
Guapondeleg translates into "land as big as heaven." Less than half a century before the
conquistadorConquistador is the term widely used to refer to the Spanish soldiers, explorers, and adventurers who brought much of the Americas under the control of Spain in the 15th through the 17th centuries following Europe's discovery of the New World by Christopher Columbus in 1492...
s landed, the Incas, after a bitter struggle, conquered the Cañari and occupied Guapondeleg and the surrounding area. Though the Incas replaced the Cañari architecture with their own, they did not suppress the
CañariCanari is a commune in the Haute-Corse department of France on the island of Corsica....
or their impressive achievements in astronomy and agriculture. As was customary for the Incas, they absorbed useful achievements into their culture. They renamed the city
TumebambaTumebamba or Tomebamba, was a former city-state in the Inca federation, held by the ethnic Cañaris people. Known as the "second Cusco" because of its high quality architecture, it was given to Atahualpa when the empire was divided in 1527.Its fate was decided when Canari tribal leaders chose to...
. The city became known as the second
Cusco||}Cusco or Cuzco is a city in southeastern Peru, near the Urubamba Valley of the Andes mountain range. It is the capital of the Cusco Region as well as the Cusco Province. The city has a population of 348,935 which is triple the figure of 20 years ago...
.
Shortly after the defeat of the
CañariCanari is a commune in the Haute-Corse department of France on the island of Corsica....
, the Inca commander, Tupac Yupanqui, ordered the construction of a grand city to be called Pumapungo, "the door of the Puma". Its magnificence was to challenge that of the Inca capital of Cuzco. Indians relayed stories to the Spanish chroniclers of
goldGold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. It has been a highly sought-after precious metal for coinage, jewelry, and other arts since the beginning of recorded history. The metal occurs as nuggets or grains in rocks, in veins and in alluvial deposits. Gold is...
en temples and other such wonders, but by the time the Spaniards found the legendary city, all that remained were ruins. They wondered what happened to the fabled splendor and riches of the second Inca capital. After having been abandoned by the Cañari and then the Incas, Tumebamba was sparsely populated until the 1550s.
Tumebamba is considered a candidate for the mythical city of gold,
El DoradoEl Dorado is a legend that began with the story of a South American tribal chief who covered himself with gold dust and would dive into a lake of pure mountain water....
. El Dorado is believed to have been burned by the inhabitants when rumors arose of Spanish conquests. Tumebamba's destruction by its inhabitants prior to the arrival of the Spanish lends credence to the theory that it was
El DoradoEl Dorado is a legend that began with the story of a South American tribal chief who covered himself with gold dust and would dive into a lake of pure mountain water....
. Tumebamba was founded by the Incas as a second imperial capital, as noted above.
Spanish settlement
Cuenca was founded on April 12, 1557 by the Spanish explorer Gil Ramírez Dávalos. The founding of the city was commissioned by
Andrés Hurtado de MendozaAndrés Hurtado de Mendoza, 2nd Marquis of Cañete was a Spanish military officer and, from June 29, 1556 to his death on March 30, 1561, the fifth viceroy of Peru.-Origins and military career:...
, then
Viceroy of Peru. Hurtado de Mendoza had the city named after his home town of
Cuenca, SpainCuenca is a city in the autonomous community of Castilla-La Mancha in central Spain. It is the capital of the province of Cuenca , and one of the largest provinces in Spain , being almost as large as countries like Slovenia or Montenegro.-Geography and climate:Cuenca is located across a steep...
. The date of its founding was notably later than those of other major Ecuadorian cities, such as Quito (1534), Guayaquil (1538), and Loja (1548).
Cuenca's population and importance grew steadily during the
colonialColonialism is the building and maintaining of colonies in one territory by people from another territory. Sovereignty over the colony is claimed by the metropole...
era. It reached the peak of its importance in the first years of Ecuador's independence; Cuenca achieved its independence on November 3, 1820. It became the capital of one of the three provinces that made up the nascent republic. The other two capitals were
GuayaquilGuayaquil , officially Santiago de Guayaquil, is the largest and the most populous city in Ecuador, as well as that nation's main port. The city is the capital of the Ecuadorian province of Guayas and the seat of the namesake canton....
and
QuitoSan Francisco de Quito, most often called Quito, is the capital city of Ecuador in northwestern South America. It is located in north-central Ecuador in the Guayllabamba river basin, on the eastern slopes of Pichincha, an active stratovolcano in the Andes mountains...
.
Population
As per the last census, the population of the Cuenca canton was 417,632 inhabitants, of which 267,000 constitute the urban population (i.e., the population of the city proper). The economic development is based on industry and agricultural development. Cuenca has a long lasting reputation for being a university city. It hosts eight universities, the oldest and best known one being University of Cuenca (Universidad de Cuenca), a public university with about 12,000 students.
Geography & location
Cuenca, capital of the province of Azuay, is located in the sierra of the Andes in the
Austro or southern region of Ecuador. It is approximately nine hours south of Quito and four hours east of Guayaquil. The city ranges from 2,350 to 2,550 meters above sea level. The dominant features of the city's geography are also the source of its name: the four rivers of Cuenca. These rivers are the Tomebamba, Yanuncay, Tarqui and Machangara, in order of importance. The first three of these rivers originate in the
PáramoPáramo is a neotropical ecosystem. It is located in the high elevations, between the upper forest line and the permanent snow line . The ecosystem consists of accidented, mostly glacier formed valleys and plains with a large variety of lakes, peat bogs and wet grasslands intermingled with...
of Parque Nacional Cajas to the west of the city. These four rivers are part of the
Amazon riverThe Amazon River of South America is the largest river in the world by volume, with a total river flow greater than the next eight largest rivers combined. The Amazon, which has the largest drainage basin in the world, accounts for approximately one-fifth of the world's total river flow. During...
watershed. Cuenca (meaning a basin caused by a confluence of rivers) is surrounded by mountains on all sides, with passes to the west, south and east.
Climate
Like the rest of the Ecuadorian Andes, Cuenca enjoys a mild climate year-round. Days are generally warm and nights are cool enough that sweaters or jackets are needed. The average daily temperature is 14.6 degrees Celsius - 58 degrees Fahrenheit. There are two seasons: rainy and dry. The dry season, with some variation, falls between June and December. The rainy season, which is characterized by bright sunny mornings and afternoon showers, falls between January and May. The heaviest rains come in the
invierno of March, April and May.
Sights
Most tourists visit the historic area, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, between the river Tomebamba and the street Gran Colombia to the north, General Torres to the west, and Hermano Miguel to the east. This area's compactness, grid-like layout, and numerous readily identifiable monuments make it easy to navigate. Outside this area the city can be confusing, as there are dozens of narrow colonial streets with similar buildings.
Major fiestas of Cuenca come at the time of the "Mass of Children" that is carried out the day of the Arrival of Kings (January 6th - Epiphany Day), or in the commemoration of the independence of the city (November 3rd), during which processions, cultural acts and dances are organized.
The nearby Cañar plantation (in the county of the same name) features the biggest Inca ruins in Ecuador.
Landmarks
- Old Cathedral
The Old Cathedral of Cuenca or Iglesia del Sagrario in Cuenca, Ecuador, was the main place of Spanish worship during the time of Spanish colonization; it functions today as the Museum for Religious Art...
(Iglesia de El Sagrario)
- It was built in 1557, but soon was too small for the faithful of the town. In 1880, they decided to build a temple to replace it. At the present time, the old cathedral is in process of restoration. It is no longer consecrated and is operated as a museum.
- New cathedral
The New Cathedral of Cuenca is the cathedral church in Cuenca, Ecuador. The cathedral is located in front of Parque Calderon....
(official name: Catedral Metropolitana de la Inmaculada Concepción)
- Its towers are truncated due to a calculation error of the architect. If they had been raised to their planned height, the foundation of this church to the Immaculate Concepcion, would not have been able to bear 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. It is in Neo-Gothic style, and its blue and white domes have become a symbol for the city. Its facade is made of alabaster
Alabaster is a name applied to varieties of two distinct minerals: gypsum and calcite . The former is the alabaster of the present day; the latter is generally the alabaster of the ancients....
and local marbleMarble is a non foliated metamorphic rock resulting from the metamorphism of limestone, composed mostly of calcite . It is extensively used for sculpture, as a building material, and in many other applications...
, while the floor is covered with pink marble, brought from Carrara (Italy).When the Cathedral was first constructed 9,000 out of Cuenca's 10,000 inhabitants could fit.
- It is in the center of Cuenca between the old and new cathedrals. On the park benches, people meet to converse and absorb its tranquility. The municipal offices are located nearby.
- Monastery of El Carmen de Asuncion
- In the atrium a colorful flower market supplements the beauty of the church which was founded in 1682. A sculpted stone facade and a golden pulpit make the church very attractive.
- Monastery and Museum of La Concepcion
- Tombs of the XVII century and a complete collection of religious art are part of this exhibition.
- House of the Ecuadorian Culture
- Municipal Museum Remigio Crespo Toral
- Museum of the Central Bank
- Museum of the Aboriginal Cultures
- Church of Santo Domingo
- 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.
Surroundings
- Molleturo is a vast rural area (about 1000 square kilometres) situated in Ecuador’s southern Andes, and composed of several little villages (hamlets). The centre of the area is located at 1.5 hours of distance in car from the nearest bigger city (Cuenca). In fact, this distance is very little compared to ten years ago when there was no road for cars and it took people 3 days of mule riding to get to Cuenca. In spite of the advantages, the road had also very negative impacts on the ecological system, which is still very important for people's daily survival.
- The community of Jima is located near Cuenca and is a hiking hotspot for Southern Ecuador. Jima is located at the base of two beautiful green mountains at 8,800 feet. Hikes for all skill levels are available including a three day hike from the peaks of the Andes mountains down into the lush tropical rainforest of the Amazon basin.
- Gualaceo
Gualaceo It’s also called "El Jardin Del Azuay" due to its favored climate, privileged nature, environment of peace and hospitality of its inhabitants....
- Chordeleg
- Less than 50 kilometers from Cuenca, town of Cañari origin, known for its weavers
Weaving is the textile art in which two distinct sets of yarns or threads, called the warp and the filling or weft , are interlaced with each other to form a fabric or cloth...
, embroiderersEmbroidery is the art or handicraft of decorating fabric or other materials with needle and thread or yarn. Embroidery may also incorporate other materials such as metal strips, pearls, beads, quills, and sequins....
and pottersPottery is the ceramic ware made by potters. Major types of pottery include earthenware, stoneware, and porcelain. The places where such wares are made are called potteries. Pottery is one of the oldest human technologies and art-forms, and remains a major industry today...
. In the same area there is a stone corridor in snake form, built in pre-Inca time, known for gold and silver smiths and local jewelry.
- El Cajas
The Parque Nacional Cajas is a national park in the highlands of Ecuador. It is located about 30km west from Cuenca, the capital of the province of Azuay. The area of 285.44 km² between 3100m and 4450m above sea level offers a tundra vegetation on a jagged landscape of hills and valleys...
- A national park where the rivers, streams and lagoons seem to unite, to create a temple of nature, in which the altitude varies from the 3500 to the 4200 m.a.s.l. It is a place for bird watchers
Bird Watching is a British magazine for birders. The current editor is Kevin Wilmot....
and troutTrout are a number of species of freshwater and saltwater fish belonging to the Salmoninae subfamily of the Salmonidae family. Salmon belong to some of the same genera as trout but, unlike most trout, most salmon species spend almost all their lives in salt water...
fishermenFishing is the activity of catching fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
.
- Azogues
Azogues is the capital of the province of Cañar in Ecuador. The population of Azogues is 27,866. Azogues is known for its Panama hat industry; the hats are produced primarily for export...
- Azogues is the capital of Cañar Province
Cañar is a province in Ecuador. The capital is Azogues. At the time of census 2005 the province had a population of 221,045. -Cantons:The province is divided into 7 cantons.- References :
...
, 29 kilometers separate it from Cuenca. In this city of colonial atmosphere, one of the highlights is San Francisco's convent, built on the summit of a huaca (sacred mountain) of the prehispanic residents.
- Their coloring market and the near ruins of Ingapirca
Ingapirca is a town in Cañar Province, Ecuador and the name of an Incan ruin site just outside the town itself....
(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 Capac.
Bus Station
Cuenca's inter-provincial bus station, called the Terminal Terrestre as it is in most cities, is well organized and clean. It is located on Avenida España in the northeastern corner of the city, a twenty-minute walk or a brief taxi ride from the historic center. Also, many municipal buses provide frequent service as indicated by the "Terminal Terrestre" placard on the windshield.
Buses arrive and depart throughout the day. Service is available to major cities, such as Guayaquil and Quito and also to nearby cities and towns, such as Loja, Riobamba, or Machala. The distance to Guayaquil is 243 km. and the bus takes nearly 4 hours on the highway Durán-Pto.Inca-Molleturo, a scenic ride through the Cajas National Park. Quito is 497 km from Cuenca and the trip takes around 10 hours on the Road Pan-American South. Many prefer to travel by bus at night. Those who choose to travel overnight should exercise caution due to reported bus hijacks which have resulted in armed robbery
Airport
The airport, named Aeropuerto Mariscal Lamar, is located due east of the Terminal Terrestre on Avenida España. It's a 5-minute walk from the bus station. Three airlines serve Cuenca in 2007;
TAMETame may refer to:*Taming, the act of domesticating wild animals*River Tame, Greater Manchester*River Tame, West Midlands and the Tame Valley*Tame, Arauca, a Colombian town and municipality...
and
AeroGalAerogal is an airline based in Quito, Ecuador. It was established in 1986 and operates passenger and cargo flights within Ecuador, between the mainland and the Galápagos Islands, and between Ecuador to Miami, and Colombia.- Destinations :Aerogal operates services to the following scheduled...
fly to Quito and Guayaquil daily, while
Icaro AirIcaro Air is an airline based in Quito, Ecuador. It operates domestic passenger services under the name of Icaro Express, as well as fixed-wing and helicopter charters...
connects only to Quito.
External links