Difference between revisions of "Cuenca, Ecuador" - New World Encyclopedia
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==Geography== | ==Geography== | ||
| + | [[Image:Cajasview ecuador.jpg||thumb|180px|Overlooking Cajas National Park]] | ||
Cuenca, capital of the province of Azuay, is located in the [[Andes]] in the southern region of [[Ecuador]]. 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: four [[river]]s (the Tomebamba, Yanuncay, Tarqui, and Machangara, in order of importance). The first three rivers originate in the Páramo of Parque Nacional Cajas to the west of the city. These four rivers are part of the [[Amazon River]] watershed. Cuenca (meaning a basin caused by a confluence of rivers) is surrounded by [[mountain]]s on all sides, with passes to the west, south, and east. | Cuenca, capital of the province of Azuay, is located in the [[Andes]] in the southern region of [[Ecuador]]. 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: four [[river]]s (the Tomebamba, Yanuncay, Tarqui, and Machangara, in order of importance). The first three rivers originate in the Páramo of Parque Nacional Cajas to the west of the city. These four rivers are part of the [[Amazon River]] watershed. Cuenca (meaning a basin caused by a confluence of rivers) is surrounded by [[mountain]]s on all sides, with passes to the west, south, and east. | ||
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==History== | ==History== | ||
===First inhabitants=== | ===First inhabitants=== | ||
| − | According to [[archaeology|archeological]] discoveries in the Chopsi [[cave]], the origins of the first inhabitants go back to about 8060 B.C.E. The ruins are a group of [[rock art|rock engravings]] housed in a cave consisting of large quadrangular buildings surrounded by smaller ones, enclosed in a stone wall.<ref>[http://www.goecuador.com/ecuador-general-info/cuenca-southern-andes2.html] | + | According to [[archaeology|archeological]] discoveries in the Chopsi [[cave]], the origins of the first inhabitants go back to about 8060 B.C.E. The ruins are a group of [[rock art|rock engravings]] housed in a cave consisting of large quadrangular buildings surrounded by smaller ones, enclosed in a [[stone]] wall.<ref>''GoEcuador.com.'' [http://www.goecuador.com/ecuador-general-info/cuenca-southern-andes2.html Chopsi Ruins] Retrieved February 13, 2009.</ref> They were [[hunting|hunters]] and [[nomad]]s. [[Tool]]s like [[arrow]]s and [[spear]]s have been found throughout the Andean valley. |
| − | The early inhabitants used the stable [[climate]], fertile [[soil]], and abundant water to develop [[agriculture]]. They grew [[potato]]es, [[melloco]] (a juicy plant with a creeping stem, the sprouts of which swell at the tips into tubers), [[chocho]] (a type of gourd), [[squash (plant)|squash]], and [[quinoa]], to name a few. They also domesticated | + | The early inhabitants used the stable [[climate]], fertile [[soil]], and abundant water to develop [[agriculture]]. They grew [[potato]]es, [[melloco]] (a juicy plant with a creeping stem, the sprouts of which swell at the tips into tubers), [[chocho]] (a type of gourd), [[squash (plant)|squash]], and [[quinoa]], to name a few. They also domesticated [[animal]]s such as cuy ([[guinea pig]]s), [[llama]]s, and [[alpaca]]s. |
| − | Their [[technology]] also advanced; they started using [[ceramics]], which are the main [[archaeology|archaeological]] material from which to study their [[culture]]. Little has been found from the period between 5000 and 2000 B.C.E. A more organized society began around 2000 B.C.E., demonstrating delegated responsibilities like [[irrigation|managing water]] and control of [[plague]]s, and there was a differentiation between administrative and religious authorities (known as [[shamanism|shamans]]). This occurred during the Periods of Chaullabamba, Huayco, Pirincay, Monjas, Putushio, Huancarcucho, and Jubones. From then until 500 C.E. began the periods of Tacalshapa III and Cañari.<ref>[http://www.buzzle.com/editorials/9-1-2006-107312.asp] | + | Their [[technology]] also advanced; they started using [[ceramics]], which are the main [[archaeology|archaeological]] material from which to study their [[culture]]. Little has been found from the period between 5000 and 2000 B.C.E. A more organized society began around 2000 B.C.E., demonstrating delegated responsibilities like [[irrigation|managing water]] and control of [[plague]]s, and there was a differentiation between administrative and religious authorities (known as [[shamanism|shamans]]). This occurred during the Periods of Chaullabamba, Huayco, Pirincay, Monjas, Putushio, Huancarcucho, and Jubones. From then until 500 C.E. began the periods of Tacalshapa III and Cañari.<ref>Jorge Alvarado. September 2, 2006. [http://www.buzzle.com/editorials/9-1-2006-107312.asp Cuenca Ecuador history, when Cuenca was Tomebamba] ''Cuenca Tourism Foundation''. Retrieved February 13, 2009.</ref> |
===Pre-Columbian society=== | ===Pre-Columbian society=== | ||
[[Image:Ecuador cajas national park.jpg|thumb|Lacs en miroir (Mirrored lakes) in Cajas National Park]] | [[Image:Ecuador cajas national park.jpg|thumb|Lacs en miroir (Mirrored lakes) in Cajas National Park]] | ||
[[Image:Catedral de la Inmaculada Consepción en el Parque Calderon en Cuenca, Ecuador.jpg|thumb|Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception]] | [[Image:Catedral de la Inmaculada Consepción en el Parque Calderon en Cuenca, Ecuador.jpg|thumb|Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception]] | ||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | + | The Cañari settlement called ''Guapondeleg'' is believed to have been founded around 500 C.E. Guapondeleg translates into "land as big as heaven." Less than half a century before the [[conquistador]]s landed, the [[Inca]]s, 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 Cañari or their impressive achievements in [[astronomy]] and [[agriculture]]. These, as was customary for the Incas, were absorbed into their [[culture]]. The city was then renamed ''Tomebamba''. | |
| − | Cuenca is considered a candidate for the mythical city of gold, [[El Dorado]]. El Dorado is believed to have been burned by the inhabitants themselves when rumors arose of Spanish conquests. Tomebamba's destruction by its inhabitants prior to the arrival of the Spanish lends credence to the theory that it was El Dorado. | + | Shortly after the defeat of the Cañari, Inca commander [[Tupac Yupanqui]] ordered the construction of a grand city—Pumapungo, "the door of the Puma"—whose magnificence was to challenge that of the Inca capital of [[Cuzco]]. Indians relayed stories to the Spanish of [[gold]]en temples and other wonders, but by the time the Spaniards found the legendary city all that remained were ruins, leaving uncertainty about what happened to the fabled splendor and riches of the second Inca capital. After being abandoned by the Cañari and then the Incas, Cuenca was sparsely populated until the 1550s.<ref>''Enjoy Ecuador''. [http://www.enjoyecuador.net/english/what-new/cuenca-unforgettable.shtml Cuenca Unforgettable] Retrieved February 13, 2009.</ref> |
| + | |||
| + | Cuenca is considered a candidate for the mythical city of [[gold]], [[El Dorado]]. El Dorado is believed to have been burned by the inhabitants themselves when rumors arose of Spanish conquests. Tomebamba's destruction by its inhabitants prior to the arrival of the Spanish lends credence to the theory that it was El Dorado. | ||
===Spanish settlement=== | ===Spanish settlement=== | ||
| − | Cuenca was founded on April 12, 1557, by the Spanish explorer Gil Ramírez Dávalos. The foundation of the city was commissioned by Andrés Hurtado de Mendoza, the Viceroy of | + | The city of Cuenca was founded on April 12, 1557, by the Spanish explorer [[Gil Ramírez Dávalos]]. The foundation of the city was commissioned by [[Andrés Hurtado de Mendoza]], the [[Viceroy of Peru]] at the time. Hurtado de Mendoza had the city named after his home town of Cuenca, [[Spain]]. The date of the foundation is notably later than other major Ecuadorian cities founded at the time, such as [[Quito]] (1534), [[Guayaquil]] (1538), and Loja (1548). |
| − | This inland colonial town was founded on the rigorous planning guidelines issued 30 years earlier by the Spanish king, Charles V. Cuenca still observes the formal orthogonal town plan, which it has respected for 400 years. Today, Cuenca illustrates the successful implantation of the principles of Renaissance urban planning in the Americas. Its layout also demonstrates the successful fusion of different societies and cultures in Latin America. | + | This inland colonial town was founded on the rigorous planning guidelines issued 30 years earlier by the Spanish king, [[Charles V]]. Cuenca still observes the formal orthogonal town plan, which it has respected for 400 years. Today, Cuenca illustrates the successful implantation of the principles of Renaissance urban planning in [[the Americas]]. Its layout also demonstrates the successful fusion of different societies and cultures in [[Latin America]]. |
Cuenca achieved its independence on November 3, 1820. Cuenca's population and importance grew steadily during the [[Colonialism|colonial]] era and reached the peak of its importance in the first years of Ecuador's independence; it became the capital of one of the three provinces that made up the nascent republic. The other two capitals were Guayaquil and [[Quito]]. | Cuenca achieved its independence on November 3, 1820. Cuenca's population and importance grew steadily during the [[Colonialism|colonial]] era and reached the peak of its importance in the first years of Ecuador's independence; it became the capital of one of the three provinces that made up the nascent republic. The other two capitals were Guayaquil and [[Quito]]. | ||
==Demographics== | ==Demographics== | ||
| − | As per the | + | As per the 2000 census, the population of the Cuenca canton was 417,632, of whom 277,000 constituted the urban population (i.e., the population of the city proper).<ref>''Answers.com''. [http://www.answers.com/topic/cuenca-ecuador Cuenca] Retrieved February 14, 2009.</ref> |
==Economy== | ==Economy== | ||
| − | Cuenca is in one of the richest agricultural basins of the Ecuadorian Andes and is the commercial center of southern Ecuador. Although isolated from the north and the coast until | + | Cuenca is in one of the richest agricultural basins of the Ecuadorian Andes and is the commercial center of southern Ecuador. Although isolated from the north and the coast until [[road]]s were cut through the [[Andes]] in the 1950s, the city has modernized in recent years and [[tourism]] is on the increase. Economic development is based on [[industry]] and [[agriculture|agricultural]] development. Cuenca has a longtime reputation for being a [[university]] city. It hosts two universities, the oldest and best known being the University of Cuenca, a public university with about 12,000 students, and the other the University of Azuay. |
| − | One of the region's agricultural and administrative centers, it has been a melting pot for local and immigrant populations. Much of the [[quinine]] bark of Ecuador is shipped from Cuenca, and the city is also a center for the trimming, stitching, and shipping of Panama hats, so called because of their former center of distribution. Other industries in the city are the refining of [[sugar]], the manufacture of [[wool]]en goods and [[pottery]], and the shipping of grain, hides, and [[cheese]]. Vendors sell handcrafted products such as shawls, metalwork, jewelry, ceramics, and clothes. | + | One of the region's agricultural and administrative centers, it has been a melting pot for local and immigrant populations. Much of the [[quinine]] bark of Ecuador is shipped from Cuenca, and the city is also a center for the trimming, stitching, and shipping of Panama hats, so called because of their former center of distribution. Other industries in the city are the refining of [[sugar]], the manufacture of [[wool]]en goods and [[pottery]], and the shipping of [[grain]], hides, and [[cheese]]. Vendors sell handcrafted products such as shawls, metalwork, [[jewelry]], [[ceramics]], and [[Clothing|clothes]]. |
==Culture== | ==Culture== | ||
{{Infobox World Heritage Site | {{Infobox World Heritage Site | ||
| WHS = Historic Centre of Santa Ana de los Ríos de Cuenca | | WHS = Historic Centre of Santa Ana de los Ríos de Cuenca | ||
| − | | Image = [[Image:Cuenca1.jpg| | + | | Image = [[Image:Cuenca1.jpg|230px|thumb|center|Cuenca's stone streets.]] |
| State Party = {{ECU}} | | State Party = {{ECU}} | ||
| Type = Cultural | | Type = Cultural | ||
| Line 206: | Line 207: | ||
:Four niches of Inca origin are found here. Their form is trapezoidal and they are built of stone. There are also remains of a colonial mill. | :Four niches of Inca origin are found here. Their form is trapezoidal and they are built of stone. There are also remains of a colonial mill. | ||
| + | ==Looking to the future== | ||
| + | To the extent that Cuenca's economy is based on [[tourism]], it is likely that figures will decline as a result of the 2008-2009 global [[recession]]. But its home-based industries and [[agriculture]] will be able to provide growth. The city is a major source of [[quinine]] bark and a center for weaving Panama hats from straw. Two universities serve the area, both based in Cuenca. | ||
| + | |||
| + | ---- | ||
| + | n Cuenca it's easy to forget one is living in the 21st century; The city streets, the tall cathedrals and the marble-lined and whitewashed buildings give it a colonial air unparalleled elsewhere in Ecuador. As well as being Ecuador's cultural "Mecca", Cuenca is the capital of the province of Azuay, the third city in size in the country, and the economic center for the southern sierras. These distinctions, together with the incredibly well preserved state of the city, recently earned Cuenca the honor of being named an "Archaeological World Heritage" by the UNESCO. | ||
| + | Cuenca is a city in southern Ecuador, capital of Azuay Province, and is located in an Andes Cordillera valley at 2,535 m altitude. The city supplies a large part of the quinine produced in Ecuador, as well as the famous "Panama Hats", thus called after their original distribution place. It also has sugar refineries, wool textile mills, fur and ceramics factories, and produces cereals, potatoes and dairy products. Founded in 1557, it is a bishop's see and home to two universities. Cuenca displays its original picturesque colonial appearance, especially the ancient mansions whose walls still bear inscriptions with old Spanish proverbs. Population (2,000) - 345,353 inhabitants. | ||
| − | + | Founded in 1557, it is known as “the Marble City” for its fine buildings. | |
| − | + | Cuenca is in one of the richest agricultural basins of the Ecuadorian Andes and is the commercial center of S Ecuador. | |
==Notes== | ==Notes== | ||
Revision as of 02:36, 15 February 2009
| Cuenca | |||
| — City — | |||
| Santa Ana de Los Cuatro Ríos de Cuenca | |||
_from_Turi.jpg) |
|||
|
|||
| Nickname: Atenas del Ecuador (Athens of Ecuador) | |||
  Cuenca |
|||
| Coordinates: {{#invoke:Coordinates|coord}}{{#coordinates:2|53|57|S|79|00|55|W| | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| name= }} | |||
| Country | Ecuador | ||
| Province | Azuay | ||
| Canton | Cuenca | ||
| Founded | April 12, 1557 | ||
| Founder | Gil Ramírez Dávalos | ||
| Named for | Cuenca, Spain | ||
| Parishes | Urban Parishes
|
||
| Government | |||
| - Mayor | Hugo Marcelo Cabrera Palacios | ||
| Area | |||
| - City | 67.71 km² (26.1 sq mi) | ||
| Elevation | 2,560 m (8,399 ft) | ||
| Highest elevation | 2,550 m (8,366 ft) | ||
| Lowest elevation | 2,350 m (7,710 ft) | ||
| Population (2000)INEC decadal national census | |||
| - City | 467,000 | ||
| - Density | 6,897.1/km² (17,863.3/sq mi) | ||
| - Metro | 617,632 | ||
| Time zone | ECT (UTC-5) | ||
| Demonym | Cuencano(-a) | ||
| Website: http://www.municipalidadcuenca.gov.ec/ | |||
Cuenca (full name Santa Ana de los cuatro ríos de Cuenca) is the third largest city in Ecuador in terms of population. It is located in the Sierra, the highlands of Ecuador, at about 8,200 feet (2,500 m) above sea level. The chief industry is the weaving of Panama hats. The center of the city is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Trust site because of its historical buildings. Cuenca is an outstanding example of a planned inland Spanish colonial city.
The original settlement was conquered by the Incas less than half a century before the conquistadors landed. Inca ruler Tupac Yupanqui ordered the construction of a grand city, a second Inca capital. Indians relayed stories to the Spanish of golden temples and other wonders, but by the time the Spaniards found the legendary city all that remained were ruins, leaving uncertainly about what had happened. For that reason, Cuenca is considered a candidate for the mythical city of gold, El Dorado, which is believed to have been burned by the inhabitants themselves in response to rumors of Spanish conquests.
Geography
Cuenca, capital of the province of Azuay, is located in the Andes in the southern region of Ecuador. 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: four rivers (the Tomebamba, Yanuncay, Tarqui, and Machangara, in order of importance). The first three rivers originate in the Páramo of Parque Nacional Cajas to the west of the city. These four rivers are part of the Amazon River 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.
Like the rest of the Ecuadorian Andes, Cuenca enjoys a mild climate year-round. Days are generally warm and nights are cool. The average daily temperature is 15 degrees Celsius. 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.
History
First inhabitants
According to archeological discoveries in the Chopsi cave, the origins of the first inhabitants go back to about 8060 B.C.E. The ruins are a group of rock engravings housed in a cave consisting of large quadrangular buildings surrounded by smaller ones, enclosed in a stone wall.[1] They were hunters and nomads. Tools like arrows and spears have been found throughout the Andean valley.
The early inhabitants used the stable climate, fertile soil, and abundant water to develop agriculture. They grew potatoes, melloco (a juicy plant with a creeping stem, the sprouts of which swell at the tips into tubers), chocho (a type of gourd), squash, and quinoa, to name a few. They also domesticated animals such as cuy (guinea pigs), llamas, and alpacas.
Their technology also advanced; they started using ceramics, which are the main archaeological material from which to study their culture. Little has been found from the period between 5000 and 2000 B.C.E. A more organized society began around 2000 B.C.E., demonstrating delegated responsibilities like managing water and control of plagues, and there was a differentiation between administrative and religious authorities (known as shamans). This occurred during the Periods of Chaullabamba, Huayco, Pirincay, Monjas, Putushio, Huancarcucho, and Jubones. From then until 500 C.E. began the periods of Tacalshapa III and Cañari.[2]
Pre-Columbian society
The Cañari settlement called Guapondeleg is believed to have been founded around 500 C.E. Guapondeleg translates into "land as big as heaven." Less than half a century before the conquistadors 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 Cañari or their impressive achievements in astronomy and agriculture. These, as was customary for the Incas, were absorbed into their culture. The city was then renamed Tomebamba.
Shortly after the defeat of the Cañari, Inca commander Tupac Yupanqui ordered the construction of a grand city—Pumapungo, "the door of the Puma"—whose magnificence was to challenge that of the Inca capital of Cuzco. Indians relayed stories to the Spanish of golden temples and other wonders, but by the time the Spaniards found the legendary city all that remained were ruins, leaving uncertainty about what happened to the fabled splendor and riches of the second Inca capital. After being abandoned by the Cañari and then the Incas, Cuenca was sparsely populated until the 1550s.[3]
Cuenca is considered a candidate for the mythical city of gold, El Dorado. El Dorado is believed to have been burned by the inhabitants themselves when rumors arose of Spanish conquests. Tomebamba's destruction by its inhabitants prior to the arrival of the Spanish lends credence to the theory that it was El Dorado.
Spanish settlement
The city of Cuenca was founded on April 12, 1557, by the Spanish explorer Gil Ramírez Dávalos. The foundation of the city was commissioned by Andrés Hurtado de Mendoza, the Viceroy of Peru at the time. Hurtado de Mendoza had the city named after his home town of Cuenca, Spain. The date of the foundation is notably later than other major Ecuadorian cities founded at the time, such as Quito (1534), Guayaquil (1538), and Loja (1548).
This inland colonial town was founded on the rigorous planning guidelines issued 30 years earlier by the Spanish king, Charles V. Cuenca still observes the formal orthogonal town plan, which it has respected for 400 years. Today, Cuenca illustrates the successful implantation of the principles of Renaissance urban planning in the Americas. Its layout also demonstrates the successful fusion of different societies and cultures in Latin America.
Cuenca achieved its independence on November 3, 1820. Cuenca's population and importance grew steadily during the colonial era and reached the peak of its importance in the first years of Ecuador's independence; it became the capital of one of the three provinces that made up the nascent republic. The other two capitals were Guayaquil and Quito.
Demographics
As per the 2000 census, the population of the Cuenca canton was 417,632, of whom 277,000 constituted the urban population (i.e., the population of the city proper).[4]
Economy
Cuenca is in one of the richest agricultural basins of the Ecuadorian Andes and is the commercial center of southern Ecuador. Although isolated from the north and the coast until roads were cut through the Andes in the 1950s, the city has modernized in recent years and tourism is on the increase. Economic development is based on industry and agricultural development. Cuenca has a longtime reputation for being a university city. It hosts two universities, the oldest and best known being the University of Cuenca, a public university with about 12,000 students, and the other the University of Azuay.
One of the region's agricultural and administrative centers, it has been a melting pot for local and immigrant populations. Much of the quinine bark of Ecuador is shipped from Cuenca, and the city is also a center for the trimming, stitching, and shipping of Panama hats, so called because of their former center of distribution. Other industries in the city are the refining of sugar, the manufacture of woolen goods and pottery, and the shipping of grain, hides, and cheese. Vendors sell handcrafted products such as shawls, metalwork, jewelry, ceramics, and clothes.
Culture
| Historic Centre of Santa Ana de los Ríos de Cuenca* | |
|---|---|
| UNESCO World Heritage Site | |
File:Cuenca1.jpg Cuenca's stone streets. | |
| State Party |  Ecuador
|
| Type | Cultural |
| Criteria | ii, iv, v |
| Reference | 863 |
| Region** | Latin America |
| Inscription history | |
| Inscription | 1999 (23rd Session) |
| * Name as inscribed on World Heritage List. ** Region as classified by UNESCO. | |
Most tourists visit the historic area, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, located between the river Tomebamba and the streets 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. There are 52 churches in the historic area, though many are closed now due to lack of priests. The city is also famous for hosting an International Art Fair. The most impressive of the city's many museums are Banco Central, Casa de la Cultura, Conceptas Convent, Remigio Crespo Toral, Artes Populares de América, Arte Moderno, and Instituto Azuayo de Folclore.
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 6, Epiphany Day), or in the commemoration of the independence of the city (November 3), during which processions, cultural acts, and dances are organized. May 2 is the Festival of the Crosses. El Septenario begins with the Festival of Corpus Cristi, which lasts eight days and includes fireworks, processions, and concerts performed by brass bands. December's Pase del Niño, a festival that mixes folklore and religion, is probably Cuenca's most famous festival.
The nearby Cañar plantation (in the county of the same name) features the biggest Inca ruins in Ecuador.
Landmarks
- Old cathedral
- It was built in 1557, but soon was too small and in 1880, it was decided to build a replacement. At the present time, the old cathedral is in the process of restoration. It is no longer consecrated and is operated as a museum.
- New cathedral (official name: Catedral Metropolitana de la Inmaculada Concepción)
- Its towers are truncated due to a calculation error by the architect. If they had been raised to their planned height, the foundation would not have been able to bear the weight. Nevertheless, the cathedral is a monumental work in Neo-Gothic style, and its blue and white domes have become a symbol for the city. Its facade is made of alabaster and local marble, while the floor is covered with pink marble, brought from Carrara, Italy. It can hold close to 10,000 people.
- Park Abdon Calderon
- Located in the center of Cuenca, between the old and new cathedrals.
- 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 golden pulpit adorn the church.
- Monastery and Museum of La Concepcion
- Tombs of the seventeen century and a collection of religious art are part of this exhibition.
- House of Ecuadorian Culture
- Municipal Museum Remigio Crespo Toral
- Central Bank Museum
- Museum of Aboriginal Cultures
- Church of Santo Domingo
- San Blas
- Ruinas de todos los santos
- Four niches of Inca origin are found here. Their form is trapezoidal and they are built of stone. There are also remains of a colonial mill.
Looking to the future
To the extent that Cuenca's economy is based on tourism, it is likely that figures will decline as a result of the 2008-2009 global recession. But its home-based industries and agriculture will be able to provide growth. The city is a major source of quinine bark and a center for weaving Panama hats from straw. Two universities serve the area, both based in Cuenca.
n Cuenca it's easy to forget one is living in the 21st century; The city streets, the tall cathedrals and the marble-lined and whitewashed buildings give it a colonial air unparalleled elsewhere in Ecuador. As well as being Ecuador's cultural "Mecca", Cuenca is the capital of the province of Azuay, the third city in size in the country, and the economic center for the southern sierras. These distinctions, together with the incredibly well preserved state of the city, recently earned Cuenca the honor of being named an "Archaeological World Heritage" by the UNESCO.
Cuenca is a city in southern Ecuador, capital of Azuay Province, and is located in an Andes Cordillera valley at 2,535 m altitude. The city supplies a large part of the quinine produced in Ecuador, as well as the famous "Panama Hats", thus called after their original distribution place. It also has sugar refineries, wool textile mills, fur and ceramics factories, and produces cereals, potatoes and dairy products. Founded in 1557, it is a bishop's see and home to two universities. Cuenca displays its original picturesque colonial appearance, especially the ancient mansions whose walls still bear inscriptions with old Spanish proverbs. Population (2,000) - 345,353 inhabitants.
Founded in 1557, it is known as “the Marble City” for its fine buildings. Cuenca is in one of the richest agricultural basins of the Ecuadorian Andes and is the commercial center of S Ecuador.
Notes
- ↑ GoEcuador.com. Chopsi Ruins Retrieved February 13, 2009.
- ↑ Jorge Alvarado. September 2, 2006. Cuenca Ecuador history, when Cuenca was Tomebamba Cuenca Tourism Foundation. Retrieved February 13, 2009.
- ↑ Enjoy Ecuador. Cuenca Unforgettable Retrieved February 13, 2009.
- ↑ Answers.com. Cuenca Retrieved February 14, 2009.
ReferencesISBN links support NWE through referral fees
- Hamre, Bonnie. Cuenca, Ecuador - City of flowers and Athens of the Andes About.com. Retrieved February 13, 2009.
- Jamieson, Ross W. 2002. Domestic architecture and power the historical archaeology of colonial Ecuador. Contributions to global historical archaeology. New York: Kluwer Academic Publishers. ISBN 9780306471728
- Malo, C. 1991. Cuenca, Ecuador. Quito: Ediciones Libri Mundi, E. Grosse-Luemern. ISBN 9789978990223
- UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Historic Centre of Santa Ana de los Ríos de Cuenca Retrieved February 13, 2009.
External links
All Links Retrieved February 13, 2009.
- Official Travel Guide To Cuenca, with maps, hotels, restaurants, photos & more information about Cuenca
- Cuenca government
- Cuenca on Wikitravel
- Universidad del azuay
- Cultura, tradición y turismo de Cuenca - Ecuador
- Sightseeing information
- My-Quito.com
- Galapagos online
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