Cuenca, Ecuador
Encyclopedia
Cuenca is the capital of the Azuay Province. It is located in the highland
s of Ecuador at about 2500 m above sea level. The center of the city is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Trust site
because of its many historical buildings.
offered them, and nomadic, following the animals and seasons. The culture is represented by tools such as arrows and spears, which have been found throughout the Andean
alley. The culture was most present about 5585 BC.
Later the early indigenous people used the stable climate, fertile soil and abundant water to develop agriculture
. They grew potato
es, melloco, chocho, squash and quinoa
. They also domesticated animals such as cuys, and camelids: llama
s and alpaca
s.
Their technology also advanced; they started creating ceramics. These comprise the greatest number of artifacts which archeologists use to study their culture. The period from 5000 BCE to 2000 BCE is not represented well in the archeological record. Beginning around 2000 BCE, the people developed a more highly organized society, demonstrating delegated responsibilities, such as the managing of water
and control of plagues
. People specialized as 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 AD began the periods of Tacalshapa III and the Cañari people
, who were absorbed into the Incas in the 15th century.
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 conquistador
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 Cañari 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 Tomebamba. The city became known as the second Cusco
, a regional capital.
After the defeat of the Cañari
, 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 told stories to the Spanish chroniclers of gold
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, Tomebamba was sparsely populated until the 1550s.
Tumebamba is considered a candidate for the mythical city of gold which the Spanish called El Dorado
. The Spanish thought El Dorado was burned by the inhabitants after they heard of the Spanish conquests. Tomebamba's destruction by its inhabitants prior to the arrival of the Spanish suggests it may have been what the Spanish called El Dorado.
, then Viceroy of Peru had commissioned the founding and ordered the city named after his home town of Cuenca, Spain
. It was founded decades after other major Spanish settlements in the region, such as Quito (1534), Guayaquil (1538), and Loja (1548).
Cuenca's population and importance grew steadily during the colonial
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 Guayaquil
and Quito
.
The dominant features of the city's geography are also the source of its name in Spanish: the four rivers of Cuenca (meaning a basin made by a confluence
of rivers). These rivers are the Tomebamba (named after the Cañari culture), Yanuncay, Tarqui and Machangara, in order of importance. The first three of these 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 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 enough that sweaters or jackets are needed. The average daily temperature is 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.
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.
The nearby Cañar plantation (in the county of the same name) features the biggest Inca ruins in Ecuador.
Buses arrive and depart throughout the day. Service is available to major cities, such as Guayaquil and Quito and also to nearby cities 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.
), is located due east of the Terminal Terrestre (bus station
) on Avenida España. It's a 5-minute walk from the bus station.Three airlines serve Cuenca in 2011; TAME
and AeroGal
fly to Quito
and Guayaquil
daily while LAN Ecuador
only flies to Quito.
RYU
Peruvian airline Star Peru announced that it will begin flying to and from Chiclayo, Peru in November 2010; however operations have not started yet.
Highland (geography)
The term highland or upland is used to denote any mountainous region or elevated mountainous plateau. Generally speaking, the term upland tends to be used for ranges of hills, typically up to 500-600m, and highland for ranges of low mountains.The Scottish Highlands refers to the mountainous...
s of Ecuador at about 2500 m above sea level. The center of the city is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Trust site
World Heritage Site
A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance...
because of its many 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
The term páramo can refer to a variety of ecosystems. Some ecologists describe the páramo broadly as “all high, tropical, montane vegetation above the continuous timberline”. A more narrow term classifies the páramo according to its regional placement - specifically located in “the northern Andes...
offered them, and nomadic, following the animals and seasons. The culture is represented by tools such as arrows and spears, which have been found throughout the Andean
Andes
The Andes is the world's longest continental mountain range. It is a continual range of highlands along the western coast of South America. This range is about long, about to wide , and of an average height of about .Along its length, the Andes is split into several ranges, which are separated...
alley. The culture was most present about 5585 BC.
Later the early indigenous people used the stable climate, fertile soil and abundant water to develop agriculture
Agriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
. They grew potato
Potato
The 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 as the edible tuber. In the region of the Andes, there are some other closely related cultivated potato species...
es, melloco, chocho, squash and quinoa
Quinoa
Quinoa , 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 member of the grass family...
. They also domesticated animals such as cuys, and camelids: llama
Llama
The llama is a South American camelid, widely used as a meat and pack animal by Andean cultures since pre-Hispanic times....
s and alpaca
Alpaca
An alpaca is a domesticated species of South American camelid. It resembles a small llama in appearance.Alpacas are kept in herds that graze on the level heights of the Andes of southern Peru, northern Bolivia, Ecuador, and northern Chile at an altitude of to above sea level, throughout the year...
s.
Their technology also advanced; they started creating ceramics. These comprise the greatest number of artifacts which archeologists use to study their culture. The period from 5000 BCE to 2000 BCE is not represented well in the archeological record. Beginning around 2000 BCE, the people developed a more highly organized society, demonstrating delegated responsibilities, such as the managing of water
Irrigation
Irrigation may be defined as the science of artificial application of water to the land or soil. It is used to assist in the growing of agricultural crops, maintenance of landscapes, and revegetation of disturbed soils in dry areas and during periods of inadequate rainfall...
and control of plagues
Public health
Public 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 health based on population health...
. People specialized as administrative and religious authorities (known as shamans
Shamanism
Shamanism is an anthropological term referencing a range of beliefs and practices regarding communication with the spiritual world. To quote Eliade: "A first definition of this complex phenomenon, and perhaps the least hazardous, will be: shamanism = technique of ecstasy." Shamanism encompasses the...
). This occurred during the periods of Chaullabamba, Huayco
Huayco
A huayco or huaico is a Peruvian term that refers to a flash flood caused by torrential rains occurring high in the mountains, especially during the weather known as El Niño....
, Pirincay, Monjas
Monjas
Monjas is a municipality in the Jalapa department of Guatemala, approximately 50 miles from Guatemala City, Guatemala.-References:...
, Putushio, Huancarcucho and Jubones. From then until 500 AD began the periods of Tacalshapa III and the Cañari people
Canari
Canari is a commune in the Haute-Corse department of France on the island of Corsica.-Population:-References:*...
, who were absorbed into the Incas in the 15th century.
Pre-Columbian society
Cuenca was originally a CañariCanari
Canari is a commune in the Haute-Corse department of France on the island of Corsica.-Population:-References:*...
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 conquistador
Conquistador
Conquistadors were Spanish soldiers, explorers, and adventurers who brought much of the Americas under the control of Spain in the 15th to 16th 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 Cañari 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 Tomebamba. The city became known as the second Cusco
Cusco
Cusco , often spelled 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 Cuzco Province. In 2007, the city had a population of 358,935 which was triple the figure of 20 years ago...
, a regional capital.
After the defeat of the Cañari
Canari
Canari is a commune in the Haute-Corse department of France on the island of Corsica.-Population:-References:*...
, 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 told stories to the Spanish chroniclers of gold
Gold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...
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, Tomebamba was sparsely populated until the 1550s.
Tumebamba is considered a candidate for the mythical city of gold which the Spanish called El Dorado
El Dorado
El Dorado is the name of a Muisca tribal chief who covered himself with gold dust and, as an initiation rite, dived into a highland lake.Later it became the name of a legendary "Lost City of Gold" that has fascinated – and so far eluded – explorers since the days of the Spanish Conquistadors...
. The Spanish thought El Dorado was burned by the inhabitants after they heard of the Spanish conquests. Tomebamba's destruction by its inhabitants prior to the arrival of the Spanish suggests it may have been what the Spanish called El Dorado.
Spanish settlement
The Spanish settlement of Cuenca was founded on April 12, 1557 by the explorer Gil Ramírez Dávalos. Andrés Hurtado de MendozaAndrés Hurtado de Mendoza, 3rd Marquis of Cañete
Andrés Hurtado de Mendoza y Cabrera, 3rd 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 had commissioned the founding and ordered the city named after his home town of Cuenca, Spain
Cuenca, Spain
-History:When the Iberian peninsula was part of the Roman Empire there were several important settlements in the province, such as Segóbriga, Ercávica and Gran Valeria...
. It was founded decades after other major Spanish settlements in the region, such as Quito (1534), Guayaquil (1538), and Loja (1548).
Cuenca's population and importance grew steadily during the colonial
Colonialism
Colonialism is the establishment, maintenance, acquisition and expansion of colonies in one territory by people from another territory. It is a process whereby the metropole claims sovereignty over the colony and the social structure, government, and economics of the colony are changed by...
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 Guayaquil
Guayaquil
Guayaquil , officially Santiago de Guayaquil , is the largest and the most populous city in Ecuador,with about 2.3 million inhabitants in the city and nearly 3.1 million in the metropolitan area, as well as that nation's main port...
and Quito
Quito
San 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 500,632 inhabitants, of which 350,000 constitute the urban population (i.e., the population of the city proper). The economic development is based on industry and agricultural development.Geography and 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 in Spanish: the four rivers of Cuenca (meaning a basin made by a confluence
Confluence
Confluence, in geography, describes the meeting of two or more bodies of water.Confluence may also refer to:* Confluence , a property of term rewriting systems...
of rivers). These rivers are the Tomebamba (named after the Cañari culture), Yanuncay, Tarqui and Machangara, in order of importance. The first three of these rivers originate in the Páramo
Páramo
The term páramo can refer to a variety of ecosystems. Some ecologists describe the páramo broadly as “all high, tropical, montane vegetation above the continuous timberline”. A more narrow term classifies the páramo according to its regional placement - specifically located in “the northern Andes...
of Parque Nacional Cajas to the west of the city. These four rivers are part of the Amazon river
Amazon River
The Amazon of South America is the second longest river in the world and by far the largest by waterflow with an average discharge greater than the next seven largest rivers combined...
watershed. Cuenca is surrounded by mountains on all sides, with passes to the west, south and east.
Parishes
Cuenca Canton contains the following parishes:- BañosBaños, AzuayBaños is a town and parish in Cuenca Canton, Azuay Province, Ecuador. The parish covers an area of 327.3 km² and according to the 2001 Ecuadorian census it had a population total of 12, 271.-History:...
- ChauchaChauchaChaucha is a town and parish in Cuenca Canton, Azuay Province, Ecuador. The parish covers an area of 337.2 km² and according to the 2001 Ecuadorian census it had a population total of 1,633....
- Checa (Jidcay)
- ChiquintadChiquintadChiquintad is a town and parish in Cuenca Canton, Azuay Province, Ecuador. The parish covers an area of 92.1 km² and according to the 2001 Ecuadorian census it had a population total of 4,073. The most common last name from the town are Riera, Agudo, Carpio, Velez, Merchan, Aucapina, Pesantez,...
- Cuenca
- CumbeCumbeCumbe is a municipality located in the Brazilian state of Sergipe. Its population was 3,847 and its area is 129 km²....
- LlacaoLlacaoLlacao is a town and parish in Cuenca Canton, Azuay Province, Ecuador. The parish covers an area of 17.4 km² and according to the 2001 Ecuadorian census it had a population total of 4501....
- MolleturoMolleturoMolleturo is a town and parish in Cuenca Canton, Azuay Province, Ecuador. The parish covers an area of 853.4 km² and according to the 2001 Ecuadorian census it had a population total of 5,221....
- NultiNultiNulti is a town and parish in Cuenca Canton, Azuay Province, Ecuador. The parish covers an area of 31.3 km² and according to the 2001 Ecuadorian census it had a population total of 4,589....
- Octavio Cordero Palacios (Santa Rosa)
- PacchaPacchaPaccha is a town and parish in Atahualpa Canton, El Oro Province, Ecuador. The parish covers an area of 25.6 km² and according to the 2001 Ecuadorian census it had a population total of 5,311....
- QuingeoQuingeoQuingeo is a town and parish in Cuenca Canton, Azuay Province, Ecuador. The parish covers an area of 114.2 km² and according to the 2001 Ecuadorian census it had a population total of 5,646....
- RicaurteRicaurteRicaurte is a town and municipality in the Nariño Department, Colombia....
- San JoaquínSan Joaquín, EcuadorSan Joaquín is a town and parish in Cuenca Canton, Azuay Province, Ecuador. The parish covers an area of 185.1 km² and according to the 2001 Ecuadorian census it had a population total of 5126....
- Santa Ana
- SayausiSayausiSayausi a green oasis located in the South Area of Ecuador. This area is close to the National Park of Cajas. Therefore, the area enjoys much of its treasures. The rivers of the area tend to contain the beauty of the Andes. The Andes is full of treasures and Sayausi proves it. Sayausi contains,...
- SidcaySidcaySidcay is a town and parish in Cuenca Canton, Azuay Province, Ecuador. The parish covers an area of 17 km² and according to the 2001 Ecuadorian census it had a population total of 3,439....
- SinincaySinincaySinincay is a town and parish in Cuenca Canton, Azuay Province, Ecuador. The parish covers an area of 24.9 km² and according to the 2001 Ecuadorian census it had a population total of 12,650....
- TarquiTarqui, Cuenca CantonTarqui is a parish in Cuenca Canton, Azuay, Ecuador.It encompasses the communities of Atucloma, Santa Lucrecia, Tañiloma, Acchayacu, Bellavista, Las Américas - Estación, Gullanzhapa, Morascalle, Tutupali Chico, Tutupali Grande, Manzanapamba, El Verde, Chaullayacu, Santa Rosa, Chilcatotora,...
- TuriTuri, EcuadorTuri is a town and parish in Cuenca Canton, Azuay Province, Ecuador. The parish covers an area of 26.2 km² and according to the 2001 Ecuadorian census it had a population total of 6,692.It is perched on a hill overlooking the city of Cuenca....
- ValleValle, EcuadorValle is a town and parish in Cuenca Canton, Azuay Province, Ecuador. The parish covers an area of 42.7 km² and according to the 2001 Ecuadorian census it had a population total of 18,692....
- Victoria del Portete (Irquis)
Climate
Cuenca features a subtropical highland climate under the Köppen climate classificationKöppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by Crimea German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen himself, notably in 1918 and 1936...
. 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 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.
Main 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 6 - Epiphany Day), or in the commemoration of the independence of the city (November 3), 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 CathedralOld Cathedral of CuencaThe 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 cathedralNew Cathedral of CuencaThe 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 Conception, 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 alabasterAlabasterAlabaster is a name applied to varieties of two distinct minerals, when used as a material: gypsum and calcite . The former is the alabaster of the present day; generally, the latter is the alabaster of the ancients...
and local marbleMarbleMarble is a metamorphic rock composed of recrystallized carbonate minerals, most commonly calcite or dolomite.Geologists use the term "marble" to refer to metamorphosed limestone; however stonemasons use the term more broadly to encompass unmetamorphosed limestone.Marble is commonly used for...
, 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 in the building. - Park Abdon Calderon. It is located 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, with 17th century tombs and a complete collection of religious art.
- 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, 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.
- Jima, 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.
- GualaceoGualaceoGualaceo , nicknamed "El Jardin Del Azuay" , is a canton in the south-central region of Ecuador. It belongs to Azuay Province, Ecuador...
- Chordeleg. Less than 50 kilometers from Cuenca, it is a town of Cañari origin, known for its weaversWeavingWeaving is a method of fabric production in which two distinct sets of yarns or threads are interlaced at right angles to form a fabric or cloth. The other methods are knitting, lace making and felting. The longitudinal threads are called the warp and the lateral threads are the weft or filling...
, embroiderersEmbroideryEmbroidery 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 pottersPotteryPottery is the material from which the potteryware is made, of which major types include earthenware, stoneware and porcelain. The place where such wares are made is also called a pottery . Pottery also refers to the art or craft of the potter or the manufacture of pottery...
. 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 CajasEl CajasThe Parque Nacional Cajas is a national park in the highlands of Ecuador. It is located about 30 km 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 meters above the sea level. It is a place for bird watchers and troutTroutTrout is the name for a number of species of freshwater and saltwater fish belonging to the Salmoninae subfamily of the family Salmonidae. Salmon belong to the same family as trout. Most salmon species spend almost all their lives in salt water...
fishermenFishingFishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
.
- AzoguesAzoguesAzogues 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. The city is the seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Azogues....
, the capital of Cañar ProvinceCañar ProvinceCañar is a province in Ecuador. The capital is Azogues. At the time of census 2005 the province had a population of 221,045. It contains the 16th-century ruins of Ingapirca, the best-known Inca settlement in Ecuador and a product of their conquest of the indigenous Cañari.- Cantons :The province...
, 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. - Cañar plantation, with a coloring market and the near ruins of IngapircaIngapircaIngapirca is a town in Cañar Province, Ecuador and the name of an Incan archeological site just outside the town. The town was named after the Inca palace and temple site....
(wall of Inca stone). 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 City buses provide frequent service as indicated by the "Terminal Terrestre" placard on the windshield. A guide to using the City buses, maps of the routes and an online trip planner can be found at CuencaTransit.comBuses arrive and depart throughout the day. Service is available to major cities, such as Guayaquil and Quito and also to nearby cities 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 (Mariscal Lamar AirportMariscal Lamar Airport
Mariscal Lamar International Airport is an airport serving Cuenca, a city in the province of Azuay in Ecuador.- Facilities :The airport resides at an elevation of above mean sea level. It has one runway designated 05/23 with an asphalt surface measuring ....
), is located due east of the Terminal Terrestre (bus station
Bus station
A bus station is a structure where city or intercity buses stop to pick up and drop off passengers. It is larger than a bus stop, which is usually simply a place on the roadside, where buses can stop...
) on Avenida España. It's a 5-minute walk from the bus station.Three airlines serve Cuenca in 2011; TAME
Tame
Tame 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 AeroGal
Aerogal
AeroGal is an airline based in Quito, Ecuador. It operates passenger and cargo flights within Ecuador, between the mainland and the Galápagos Islands, and between Ecuador and New York, Perú and Colombia.- History :AeroGal was established in 1986.Through a commercial agreement between AeroGal and...
fly to Quito
Quito
San 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...
and Guayaquil
Guayaquil
Guayaquil , officially Santiago de Guayaquil , is the largest and the most populous city in Ecuador,with about 2.3 million inhabitants in the city and nearly 3.1 million in the metropolitan area, as well as that nation's main port...
daily while LAN Ecuador
LAN Ecuador
LAN Ecuador is a subsidiary of LAN Airlines, based in Guayaquil, Ecuador. It operates scheduled passenger services out of Guayaquil and to a lesser extent Quito using leased LAN aircraft.-History:LAN Ecuador was established in July 2002 and started operations on 28 April 2003...
only flies to Quito.
RYU
Peruvian airline Star Peru announced that it will begin flying to and from Chiclayo, Peru in November 2010; however operations have not started yet.
External links
- Official Travel Guide To Cuenca, with maps, hotels, restaurants, photos & more information about Cuenca
- A Guide to Using the City Buses in Cuenca
- Cuenca government
- Cuenca on Wikitravel
- Universidad del azuay
- Ecuador Special Events and Holiday Calendar
- Cultura, tradición y turismo de Cuenca - Ecuador
- Map of Cuenca
- Travel Map Guide To Cuenca, with maps, hotels, restaurants, maps & more about Cuenca
- Business Directory
- Gastronomic Guide