Santa Ana de los Cuatro Ríos de Cuenca, commonly referred to as Cuenca (
Kichwa: ''Tumipampa'') is the capital and largest city of the
Azuay Province of
Ecuador
Ecuador ( ; ; Quechua: ''Ikwayur''; Shuar: ''Ecuador'' or ''Ekuatur''), officially the Republic of Ecuador ( es, República del Ecuador, which literally translates as "Republic of the Equator"; Quechua: ''Ikwadur Ripuwlika''; Shuar: ' ...
. Cuenca is located in the
highland
Highlands or uplands are areas of high elevation such as a mountainous region, elevated mountainous plateau or high hills. Generally speaking, upland (or uplands) refers to ranges of hills, typically from up to while highland (or highlands) is ...
s of
Ecuador
Ecuador ( ; ; Quechua: ''Ikwayur''; Shuar: ''Ecuador'' or ''Ekuatur''), officially the Republic of Ecuador ( es, República del Ecuador, which literally translates as "Republic of the Equator"; Quechua: ''Ikwadur Ripuwlika''; Shuar: ' ...
at about
above sea level
Height above mean sea level is a measure of the vertical distance ( height, elevation or altitude) of a location in reference to a historic mean sea level taken as a vertical datum. In geodesy, it is formalized as '' orthometric heights''.
Th ...
, with an urban population of approximately 329,928 and 661,685 inhabitants in the larger metropolitan area.
The center of the city is listed as a
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international coope ...
World Heritage Site
A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for ...
due to its many historical buildings and its historical importance as an agricultural and administrative center.
History
“The plateau is a place treasured by empires," comments
Jeffrey Herlihy-Mera. "The
Cañari
The Cañari (in Kichwa: Kañari) are an indigenous ethnic group traditionally inhabiting the territory of the modern provinces of Azuay and Cañar in Ecuador. They are descended from the independent pre-Columbian tribal confederation of the ...
then Inca and then Spanish occupied the region in the last two millennia, each renaming it in their own language. Now the capital city is called Cuenca and the province Azuay.”
According to studies and
archeological
Archaeology or archeology is the scientific study of human activity through the recovery and analysis of material culture. The archaeological record consists of artifacts, architecture, biofacts or ecofacts, sites, and cultural landsca ...
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
Páramo
Páramo () can refer to a variety of alpine tundra ecosystems located in the Andes Mountain Range, South America. Some ecologists describe the páramo broadly as "all high, tropical, montane vegetation above the continuous timberline". A narrowe ...
offered them, and nomads, following the animals and seasons. Their culture is represented by tools such as arrows and spears, which have been found throughout the
Andean valley. 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 or farming is the practice of cultivating plants and livestock. Agriculture was the key development in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that enabled people ...
. They grew
potato
The potato is a starchy food, a tuber of the plant ''Solanum tuberosum'' and is a root vegetable native to the Americas. The plant is a perennial in the nightshade family Solanaceae.
Wild potato species can be found from the southern Uni ...
es,
melloco,
chocho,
squash and
quinoa
Quinoa (''Chenopodium quinoa''; , from Quechua ' or ') is a flowering plant in the amaranth family. It is a herbaceous annual plant grown as a crop primarily for its edible seeds; the seeds are rich in protein, dietary fiber, B vitamins, ...
. They also domesticated animals such as
cuys (guinea pigs) and
camelids:
llamas and
alpaca
The alpaca (''Lama pacos'') is a species of South American camelid mammal. It is similar to, and often confused with, the llama. However, alpacas are often noticeably smaller than llamas. The two animals are closely related and can success ...
s.
Their technology was also advanced. For example, they started creating ceramics. In fact, ceramics constitute the greatest number of artifacts which
archeologists
Archaeology or archeology is the scientific study of human activity through the recovery and analysis of material culture. The archaeological record consists of artifacts, architecture, biofacts or ecofacts, sites, and cultural landscape ...
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 were specialized as administrative and religious authorities (known as ''
shamans
Shamanism is a religious practice that involves a practitioner (shaman) interacting with what they believe to be a spirit world through altered states of consciousness, such as trance. The goal of this is usually to direct spirits or spirit ...
''). This occurred during the periods of
Chaullabamba,
Huayco,
Pirincay,
Monjas
Monjas is a town, with a population of 13,541 (2018 census), and a municipality in the Jalapa department of Guatemala
Guatemala ( ; ), officially the Republic of Guatemala ( es, República de Guatemala, links=no), is a country in Central ...
,
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.
Pre-Columbian society
Cuenca was originally a
Cañari
The Cañari (in Kichwa: Kañari) are an indigenous ethnic group traditionally inhabiting the territory of the modern provinces of Azuay and Cañar in Ecuador. They are descended from the independent pre-Columbian tribal confederation of the ...
settlement called ''Guapondeleg''. Archeologists believe Cuenca was founded around 500 AD. ''Guapondeleg'' translates into "land as big as heaven." Less than half a century before the
conquistador
Conquistadors (, ) or conquistadores (, ; meaning 'conquerors') were the explorer-soldiers of the Spanish and Portuguese Empires of the 15th and 16th centuries. During the Age of Discovery, conquistadors sailed beyond Europe to the Americas, ...
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, often spelled Cuzco (; qu, Qusqu ()), is a city in Southeastern Peru near the Urubamba Valley of the Andes mountain range. It is the capital of the Cusco Region and of the Cusco Province. The city is the seventh most populous in Peru; ...
, a regional capital.
After the defeat of the
Cañari
The Cañari (in Kichwa: Kañari) are an indigenous ethnic group traditionally inhabiting the territory of the modern provinces of Azuay and Cañar in Ecuador. They are descended from the independent pre-Columbian tribal confederation of the ...
, probably in the 1470s, the Inca emperor,
Tupac Yupanqui, ordered the construction of a grand city to be called Pumapungo, "the door of the Puma". Its magnificence was said to have rivaled that of the Inca capital of Cuzco. Indians told stories to the Spanish chroniclers of
gold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au (from la, aurum) and atomic number 79. This makes it one of the higher atomic number elements that occur naturally. It is a bright, slightly orange-yellow, dense, soft, malleable, and ductile ...
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.
Tomebamba is considered a candidate for the mythical city of gold which the Spanish called ''
El Dorado
El Dorado (, ; Spanish for "the golden"), originally ''El Hombre Dorado'' ("The Golden Man") or ''El Rey Dorado'' ("The Golden King"), was the term used by the Spanish in the 16th century to describe a mythical tribal chief (''zipa'') or king ...
''. 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
Gil or GIL may refer to:
Places
* Gil Island (disambiguation), one of several islands by that name
* Gil, Iran, a village in Hormozgan Province, Iran
* Hil, Azerbaijan, also spelled ''Gil, a village in Azerbaijan
* Hiloba, also spelled ''Gil, ...
.
Andrés Hurtado de Mendoza, 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.
Cuenca 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
, motto = Por Guayaquil Independiente en, For Independent Guayaquil
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, pushpin_map = Ecuador#South America
, pushpin_re ...
and
Quito
Quito (; qu, Kitu), formally San Francisco de Quito, is the capital and largest city of Ecuador, with an estimated population of 2.8 million in its urban area. It is also the capital of the province of Pichincha. Quito is located in a valley on ...
.
Population
As per the last INEC estimate for 2015, the population of the Cuenca canton was 580,000 inhabitants, of which 400,000 constitute the urban population (i.e., the population of the city proper). Local publications estimate that the expat population is between 4,000 and 6,000. The economic development is based on industry and agricultural development.
Cuenca Metropolitan Area includes the cities of Azogues, Biblian and Deleg in the Cañar province and the cities of Paute and Gualaceo in the Azuay province with a population of 730,000 inhabitants, however, Cuenca's influence in the cultural, economic and educational areas extends to all the remaining cities around.
Economy
Cuenca is known for its textile making, as well as furniture and other crafts like hats and shoes. The straw hats known around the world as Panama hats are in fact made in Cuenca by local artisans. Cuenca also exports flowers to the United States and many countries in Europe. While farming has shrunk in the past years, it is still an important sector of the city's economy. Beekeeping has also become key for growing crops. Some of the typical crops grown here include wheat, barley, rye, oats, and corn. Since Cuenca is located in the Andes mountains surrounded by forested areas nearby, mining and logging are industries there. Some of the common mined resources are kaolin, plaster, limestone, sand, specialized rocks, and carbon. Cuenca is also known for making car tires.
The tourism industry continues to grow. Cuenca has many cathedrals that are a part of the cultural heritage of the city and some important national parks. Cuenca is also the home to its main university, La Universidad de Cuenca.
For the future, Ecuador has been working on producing electrolytic hydrogen to better use resources that are environmentally friendly.
At the turn of the century, the country's economy was affected by the change in currency, from sucre to USD.
Geography and location economy
''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
Quito (; qu, Kitu), formally San Francisco de Quito, is the capital and largest city of Ecuador, with an estimated population of 2.8 million in its urban area. It is also the capital of the province of Pichincha. Quito is located in a valley on ...
and four hours east of
Guayaquil
, motto = Por Guayaquil Independiente en, For Independent Guayaquil
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, pushpin_map = Ecuador#South America
, pushpin_re ...
. The city ranges from 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
In geography, a confluence (also: ''conflux'') occurs where two or more flowing bodies of water join to form a single channel. A confluence can occur in several configurations: at the point where a tributary joins a larger river (main stem); o ...
of rivers). These rivers are the Tomebamba (named after the Inca culture), Yanuncay, Tarqui and Machangara, in order of importance. The first three of these rivers originate in the
Páramo
Páramo () can refer to a variety of alpine tundra ecosystems located in the Andes Mountain Range, South America. Some ecologists describe the páramo broadly as "all high, tropical, montane vegetation above the continuous timberline". A narrowe ...
of
Parque Nacional Cajas
El Cajas National Park or Cajas National Park ( es, Parque Nacional El 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 ...
to the west of the city.
Parishes
Cuenca Canton contains the following parishes:
*
Baños
*
Chaucha
Chaucha is a town and parish in Cuenca Canton, Azuay Province, Ecuador
Ecuador ( ; ; Quechua: ''Ikwayur''; Shuar: ''Ecuador'' or ''Ekuatur''), officially the Republic of Ecuador ( es, República del Ecuador, which literally translates as ...
*
Checa (Jidcay)
*
Chiquintad
Chiquintad is a town and parish in Cuenca Canton, Azuay Province, Ecuador
Ecuador ( ; ; Quechua: ''Ikwayur''; Shuar: ''Ecuador'' or ''Ekuatur''), officially the Republic of Ecuador ( es, República del Ecuador, which literally translates ...
*
Cumbe
*
Llacao
*
Molleturo
Molleturo is a town and parish in Cuenca Canton, Azuay Province, Ecuador
Ecuador ( ; ; Quechua: ''Ikwayur''; Shuar: ''Ecuador'' or ''Ekuatur''), officially the Republic of Ecuador ( es, República del Ecuador, which literally translates a ...
*
Nulti
Nulti is a town and parish in Cuenca Canton, Azuay Province, Ecuador
Ecuador ( ; ; Quechua: ''Ikwayur''; Shuar: ''Ecuador'' or ''Ekuatur''), officially the Republic of Ecuador ( es, República del Ecuador, which literally translates as "R ...
*
Octavio Cordero Palacios (Santa Rosa)
*
Paccha
Paccha (Hispanicized spelling of the Kichwa word ''pakcha'' meaning "waterfall")Fabián Potosí C. et al., Ministerio de Educación del Ecuador, ''Kichwa Yachakukkunapa Shimiyuk Kamu, Runa Shimi - Mishu Shimi, Mishu Shimi - Runa Shimi.'' Quito ( ...
*
Quingeo
Quingeo is a town and parish in Cuenca Canton, Azuay Province, Ecuador
Ecuador ( ; ; Quechua: ''Ikwayur''; Shuar: ''Ecuador'' or ''Ekuatur''), officially the Republic of Ecuador ( es, República del Ecuador, which literally translates as ...
*
Ricaurte
*
San Joaquín
*
Santa Ana
*
Sayausi
*
Sidcay
*
Sinincay
Sinincay is a town and parish in Cuenca Canton, Azuay Province, Ecuador
Ecuador ( ; ; Quechuan languages, Quechua: ''Ikwayur''; Shuar language, Shuar: ''Ecuador'' or ''Ekuatur''), officially the Republic of Ecuador ( es, República del Ec ...
*
Tarqui Tarqui may refer to:
* Tarqui, Huila, Colombia
* Tarqui, Cuenca Canton, Ecuador
* Tarqui, Guayaquil Canton
Tarqui is an urban parish in Guayaquil Canton, Guayas, Ecuador, named after the Battle of Tarqui.
Tarqui is the largest and most populous ...
*
Turi
*
Valle
*
Victoria del Portete
Victoria del Portete is a town and parish in Cuenca Canton, Azuay Province, Ecuador
Ecuador ( ; ; Quechua: ''Ikwayur''; Shuar: ''Ecuador'' or ''Ekuatur''), officially the Republic of Ecuador ( es, República del Ecuador, which literally t ...
(Irquis)
Climate
Cuenca features a
subtropical highland climate (''Cfb'') under the
Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, nota ...
. 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 usually desired. The average daily temperature is 14.7 °C (58.5 °F). 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'' (
wet season
The wet season (sometimes called the Rainy season) is the time of year when most of a region's average annual rainfall occurs. It is the time of year where the majority of a country's or region's annual precipitation occurs. Generally, the sea ...
) of March, April and May.
Education
Universities
The first
university
A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United Stat ...
in the city was established in 1867 and is the
Universidad de Cuenca
The University of Cuenca (Spanish: ''Universidad de Cuenca'') is an Ecuadorian university located in Cuenca. University of Cuenca is the principal university of Azuay Province. The university was officially founded in 1867, being the first unive ...
. It is considered the third oldest university of the country, right after the Universidad Central del Ecuador (1836) and the Universidad Nacional de Loja (1859). Ever since, the city has been growing and more universities were created with new careers. This led to the declaration of Cuenca as the City of Universities by the
National Assembly of Ecuador
The National Assembly ( es, Asamblea Nacional) is the unicameral legislature of Ecuador. It replaced the National Congress in 2009 following reforms under the 2008 Constitution. The current President of the Assembly is Virgilio Saquicela si ...
on January 4, 2011.
The city has the following Universities:
*
Universidad de Cuenca
The University of Cuenca (Spanish: ''Universidad de Cuenca'') is an Ecuadorian university located in Cuenca. University of Cuenca is the principal university of Azuay Province. The university was officially founded in 1867, being the first unive ...
UCUENCA
*
Universidad Politécnica Salesiana
The Politecnica Salesiana University in Ecuador
Ecuador ( ; ; Quechuan languages, Quechua: ''Ikwayur''; Shuar language, Shuar: ''Ecuador'' or ''Ekuatur''), officially the Republic of Ecuador ( es, República del Ecuador, which literally ...
UPS
*
Universidad del AzuayUDA
*
Universidad Católica de CuencaUCACUE
The first one is classified as an A category university the next three are B category. This was stated by th
Council for Evaluation, Validation and Assurance of the Quality in Superior Education of EcuadorCEAACES
Primary and secondary schools
International schools:
*
École franco-équatorienne Joseph-de-Jussieu (French school)
*
Colegio Alemán Stiehle (German school)
*
Unidad Educativa Bilingue Interamericana
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 Cathedral (Iglesia de El Sagrario). Built in 1557, the edifice eventually became too small for the town's attendants. In 1880, a new cathedral was built as the replacement. The old cathedral, no longer consecrated, has been restored and is now used as a museum.
*
New Cathedral (official name: Catedral Metropolitana de la Inmaculada Concepción). Its towers are truncated due to a calculation error of the architect. Had it been constructed as planned, the foundation would not bear the weight of the full towers. In spite of the architect's immeasurable mistake, the New Cathedral of Cuenca, completed in 1975, is a monumental work of faith. A combination of
Romanesque Revival and
Neo-Gothic
Gothic Revival (also referred to as Victorian Gothic, neo-Gothic, or Gothick) is an architectural movement that began in the late 1740s in England. The movement gained momentum and expanded in the first half of the 19th century, as increasingly ...
in style, the church's blue and white domes have become a symbol for the city. Its façade is made of
alabaster and local
marble
Marble is a metamorphic rock composed of recrystallized carbonate minerals, most commonly calcite or dolomite. Marble is typically not foliated (layered), although there are exceptions. In geology, the term ''marble'' refers to metamorphose ...
, while the floor of the
nave
The nave () is the central part of a church, stretching from the (normally western) main entrance or rear wall, to the transepts, or in a church without transepts, to the chancel. When a church contains side aisles, as in a basilica-typ ...
is covered with pink marble, brought from Carrara (Italy). At its inauguration, the newly constructed Cathedral could accommodated 9,000 out of Cuenca's 10,000 inhabitants at that time.
*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 façade 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
*Turi the Mirador
*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 ) situated in Ecuador's southern Andes, and composed of several little villages (hamlets). The centre of the area is located 1.5 hours' distance by car from the nearest big 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 three days of mule riding to get to Cuenca. In spite of the advantages, the road has also had very negative impacts on the ecological system, which is still very important for people's daily survival.
*Jima, located near Cuenca, is a hiking hotspot for southern Ecuador. Jima is located at the base of two beautiful green mountains at . 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, nicknamed “El Jardin del Azuay” (The Garden of Azuay), is a canton in the sierra region of Ecuador in the Azuay Province. It is located 35 km east from the city of Cuenca and is one of the biggest cities in Azuay.
Gualaceo ha ...
*Chordeleg. Less than from Cuenca, it is a town of Cañari origin, known for its
weavers,
embroiderers and
potters. 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, a national park where the rivers, streams, and lagoons seem to unite to create a temple of nature, in which the altitude varies from above sea level. It is a place for
bird watchers
Birdwatching, or birding, is the observing of birds, either as a recreational activity or as a form of citizen science. A birdwatcher may observe by using their naked eye, by using a visual enhancement device like binoculars or a telescope, by ...
and
trout
Trout are species of freshwater fish belonging to the genera '' Oncorhynchus'', '' Salmo'' and '' Salvelinus'', all of the subfamily Salmoninae of the family Salmonidae. The word ''trout'' is also used as part of the name of some non-salm ...
fishermen.
*
Azogues, the capital of
Cañar Province, 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 colorful market and the nearby ruins of
Ingapirca
Ingapirca (Kichwa: ''Inka Pirka'', "Inca wall") is a town in Cañar Province, Ecuador, and the name of the older Inca ruins and archeological site nearby.
These are the largest known Inca ruins in Ecuador. The most significant building is the ...
(''Kichwa:'' "Inca wall"). Cañar plantation is located 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 15th century by orders of
Huayna Capac
Huayna Capac (with many alternative transliterations; 1464/1468–1524) was the third Sapan Inka of the Inca Empire, born in Tumipampa sixth of the Hanan dynasty, and eleventh of the Inca civilization. Subjects commonly approached Sapa Inkas add ...
.
Culture
Festivities
One of the festivities celebrated in Cuenca and in other parts of Ecuador is "El Carnaval". This is celebrated three days prior to
Ash Wednesday
Ash Wednesday is a holy day of prayer and fasting in many Western Christian denominations. It is preceded by Shrove Tuesday and falls on the first day of Lent (the six weeks of penitence before Easter). It is observed by Catholics in the ...
. Families get together to celebrate what started as a "pagan ritual". Now it is celebrated by wetting friends and random people with water balloons and spraying "Carioca" a nonstaining foam.
Additionally, Cuenca's Independence Day is celebrated at the beginning of November. The festivities span a number of days and consist of various parades, concerts, cultural events, and artisan fairs.
Gastronomy
The gastronomy of Cuenca shares characteristics with other mountainous parts of Ecuador. As in other regions of Ecuador, cuy (
guinea pig
The guinea pig or domestic guinea pig (''Cavia porcellus''), also known as the cavy or domestic cavy (), is a species of rodent belonging to the genus '' Cavia'' in the family Caviidae. Breeders tend to use the word ''cavy'' to describe the ...
) and
hornado
Hornado is roast pig, cooked whole, in Ecuadorian cuisine. It is often served in highland markets. Hornado is generally accompanied by llapingacho, mote (hominy), and vegetables.
See also
* List of Ecuadorian dishes and foods
This is a list o ...
are popular traditional dishes. Additionally, dishes made from potatoes and corn (
mote (food)) such as
Llapingachos,
mote pillo, mote pata, and morocho are popular. Trout, which can be caught in nearby
El Cajas National Park, is another popular dish.
In Cuenca, lunch is the largest meal of the day and is typically served in two courses. The first course is soup which is followed by a plate of stewed or grilled meat and rice.
Transport
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.
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 (I582W), 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 Highway (I35N). 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 International Airport), is due east of the Terminal Terrestre (
bus station
A bus station or a bus interchange is a structure where city or intercity buses stop to pick up and drop off passengers. While the term bus depot can also be used to refer to a bus station, it generally refers to a bus garage. A bus station is ...
) on Avenida España. It's a five-minute walk from the bus station. Two airlines currently serve Cuenca;
AeroGal
Avianca Ecuador S.A. (formerly known as 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 Colombia (on behalf of Avia ...
,
LAN Ecuador
Aerolane Líneas Aéreas Nacionales del Ecuador S.A. d/b/a LATAM Airlines Ecuador (formerly LAN Ecuador) is a subsidiary of LATAM Airlines Group, based in Quito, Ecuador. It is owned by Translloyd (55%) and LAN Airlines (45%).
History
LATAM E ...
fly to Quito. It is Ecuador's third-busiest airport. Over 1,400,000 passengers a year pass through its gates.
Tram
A
tram
A tram (called a streetcar or trolley in North America) is a rail vehicle that travels on tramway tracks on public urban streets; some include segments on segregated right-of-way. The tramlines or networks operated as public transport ...
/
light rail line was completed in early 2019, and the tramway opened May 25, 2020.
The line runs a total of 10.5 km.(7 miles) with 27 stations, starting at Cuenca Industrial Park in the north, crossing the Historic Center of Cuenca and ending south at the entrance to Baños.
Cuenca public transportation statistics
According to the Moovit Public Transport Index, Cuenca's bus system compares extremely favourably with other cities in Latin America. The average amount of time people spend commuting with public transit in Cuenca, for example to and from work, on a weekday is 51 minutes, with only 7% of public transit riders riding for more than 2 hours every day. The average amount of time people wait at a bus stop or bus station for public transit is 11 minutes, while a mere 9% of riders wait for over 20 minutes on average every day. The average distance people usually ride in a single trip with public transit is 3.8 km, while 0% travel for over 12 km in a single direction.
[ Material was copied from this source, which is available under ]
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
In 2018, the flat-rate bus fare is 30 US cents, 15 cents for children, students, seniors, and the disabled.
International relations
Twin towns – Sister cities
Cuenca is
twinned with:
*
Rosario
Rosario () is the largest city in the central Argentine province of Santa Fe. The city is located northwest of Buenos Aires, on the west bank of the Paraná River. Rosario is the third-most populous city in the country, and is also the most p ...
, Argentina
*
Tempe, Arizona
, settlement_type = City
, named_for = Vale of Tempe
, image_skyline = Tempeskyline3.jpg
, imagesize = 260px
, image_caption = Tempe skyline as se ...
, United States
*
Ossining, New York
Ossining may refer to:
*Ossining (town), New York, a town in Westchester County, New York state
*Ossining (village), New York, a village in the town of Ossining
* Ossining High School, a comprehensive public high school in Ossining village
* Ossin ...
, United States
See also
References
External links
Official Travel Guide To Cuenca, with maps, hotels, restaurants, photos & more information about CuencaA Guide to Using the City Buses in CuencaCuenca governmentUniversidad de CuencaUniversidad del azuayEcuador Special Events and Holiday CalendarCultura, tradición y turismo de Cuenca - EcuadorCuenca in 360° view, Map of Cuenca Business Directory Gastronomic Guide
{{Authority control
Populated places in Azuay Province
Populated places established in 1557
Provincial capitals in Ecuador
World Heritage Sites in Ecuador
1557 establishments in the Spanish Empire