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Cuenca () is a city and
municipality A municipality is usually a single administrative division having corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality'' may also mean the ...
of
Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = '' Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , ...
located in the autonomous community of Castilla–La Mancha. It is the capital of the province of Cuenca.


Etymology

Its name may derive from the
Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through ...
''conca'' meaning "river basin", referring to the gorge of the rivers
Júcar left The Júcar () or Xúquer () is a river on the Iberian Peninsula of Spain. The river runs for approximately 509 km from its source at Ojuelos de Valdeminguete, on the eastern flank of the Montes Universales, Sistema Ibérico. Its most ...
and Huécar. It may also be derived from the now-ruined Arab castle, Kunka. Other alternative original names have been suggested, including "Anitorgis", "Sucro" or "Concava". The city of Cuenca is also known as the "Eagle's Nest" because of its precarious position on the edge of a gorge.


History

When the
Iberian peninsula The Iberian Peninsula (), ** * Aragonese and Occitan: ''Peninsula Iberica'' ** ** * french: Péninsule Ibérique * mwl, Península Eibérica * eu, Iberiar penintsula also known as Iberia, is a peninsula in southwestern Europe, def ...
was part of the
Roman Empire The Roman Empire ( la, Imperium Romanum ; grc-gre, Βασιλεία τῶν Ῥωμαίων, Basileía tôn Rhōmaíōn) was the post-Roman Republic, Republican period of ancient Rome. As a polity, it included large territorial holdings aro ...
, there were several important settlements in the province, such as
Segobriga Segóbriga was an important Celtic and Roman city, and is today an impressive site located on a hill (cerro Cabeza de Griego) near the present town of Saelices. Research has revealed remains of important buildings, which have since been preserve ...
,
Ercavica Ercavica (or Arcavica) was an important Roman City whose remains are visible today at the archaeological site. It is situated on the hill of Santaver near Cañaveruelas in Spain. History The site of the Roman city of Ercávica is located on a pro ...
and Gran Valeria. However, the place where Cuenca is located today was uninhabited at that time. When the Muslims captured the area in 714, they soon realized the value of this strategic location and they built a fortress (called ''Kunka'') between two gorges dug between the
Júcar left The Júcar () or Xúquer () is a river on the Iberian Peninsula of Spain. The river runs for approximately 509 km from its source at Ojuelos de Valdeminguete, on the eastern flank of the Montes Universales, Sistema Ibérico. Its most ...
and Huécar rivers, surrounded by a 1 km-long wall. Cuenca's economy soon became dominated by agriculture and
textile manufacturing Textile Manufacturing or Textile Engineering is a major industry. It is largely based on the conversion of fibre into yarn, then yarn into fabric. These are then dyed or printed, fabricated into cloth which is then converted into useful goods ...
, enjoying growing prosperity. In the early 11th century, the
Caliphate of Córdoba The Caliphate of Córdoba ( ar, خلافة قرطبة; transliterated ''Khilāfat Qurṭuba''), also known as the Cordoban Caliphate was an Islamic state ruled by the Umayyad dynasty from 929 to 1031. Its territory comprised Iberia and part ...
broke into several rump states (''
taifas The ''taifas'' (singular ''taifa'', from ar, طائفة ''ṭā'ifa'', plural طوائف ''ṭawā'if'', a party, band or faction) were the independent Muslim principalities and kingdoms of the Iberian Peninsula (modern Portugal and Spain) ...
''). Cuenca was ruled by the taifa of Toledo—possibly the largest one—whose jurisdiction roughly spanned across the bulk of the Middle March of
Al-Andalus Al-Andalus translit. ; an, al-Andalus; ast, al-Ándalus; eu, al-Andalus; ber, ⴰⵏⴷⴰⵍⵓⵙ, label= Berber, translit=Andalus; ca, al-Àndalus; gl, al-Andalus; oc, Al Andalús; pt, al-Ândalus; es, al-Ándalus () was the M ...
. In 1076, Cuenca was besieged by Sancho Ramírez of Aragon, who failed to conquer the place. In 1080 King Yahya al-Qadir of Toledo lost his taifa, and his vizier signed in Cuenca a treaty with Alfonso VI of León and Castile by which he ceded him some fortresses in exchange for military help. Following the Christian defeat at the battle of Sagrajas (1086), Cuenca was captured by the taifa king of
Seville Seville (; es, Sevilla, ) is the capital and largest city of the Spanish autonomous community of Andalusia and the province of Seville. It is situated on the lower reaches of the River Guadalquivir, in the southwest of the Iberian Penins ...
,
Al-Mu'tamid ibn Abbad Al-Mu'tamid Muhammad ibn Abbad al-Lakhmi ( ar, المعتمد محمد ابن عباد بن اسماعيل اللخمي; reigned c. 1069–1091, lived 1040–1095), also known as Abbad III, was the third and last ruler of the Taifa of Sev ...
. However, when his lands were attacked by the
Almoravids The Almoravid dynasty ( ar, المرابطون, translit=Al-Murābiṭūn, lit=those from the ribats) was an imperial Berber Muslim dynasty centered in the territory of present-day Morocco. It established an empire in the 11th century that s ...
, he sent his daughter-in-law Zaida to Alfonso, offering him Cuenca in exchange for military support. The first Christian troops entered the city in 1093. However, the Almoravids captured it in 1108. Their governor in Cuenca declared independence in 1144, followed by the whole of Murcia the following year. In 1147 Muhammad ibn Mardanis became King of Cuenca, Murcia and Valencia. He defended his lands from the Almohad invasion until his death in 1172, after which his son had to sign a pact of tributes with the newcomers. A 17-year-old
Alfonso VIII of Castile Alfonso VIII (11 November 11555 October 1214), called the Noble (''El Noble'') or the one of Las Navas (''el de las Navas''), was King of Castile from 1158 to his death and King of Toledo. After having suffered a great defeat with his own army a ...
tried to conquer the place, but after five months of siege, he had to retreat after the arrival of troops sent by the Almohad caliph
Abu Yaqub Yusuf Abu Ya`qub Yusuf or Yusuf I ( ''Abū Ya‘qūb Yūsuf''; 1135 – 14 October 1184) was the second Almohad ''Amir'' or caliph. He reigned from 1163 until 1184 in Marrakesh. He was responsible for the construction of the Giralda in Seville, whi ...
. Alfonso signed a seven-year truce but when, in 1176 the Cuenca locals occupied some Christian lands in Huete and Uclés, Alfonso intervened at the head of a coalition including also Ferdinand II of León,
Alfonso II of Aragon Alfonso II (1–25 March 1157Benito Vicente de Cuéllar (1995)«Los "condes-reyes" de Barcelona y la "adquisición" del reino de Aragón por la dinastía bellónida» p. 630-631; in ''Hidalguía''. XLIII (252) pp. 619–632."Alfonso II el Casto, hi ...
and the Military Orders of Calatrava,
Santiago Santiago (, ; ), also known as Santiago de Chile, is the capital and largest city of Chile as well as one of the largest cities in the Americas. It is the center of Chile's most densely populated region, the Santiago Metropolitan Region, whos ...
and Montegaudio, besieging Cuenca for months starting from 1177's Epiphany. The Cuenca's commander, Abu Bakr, again sought the support of Yaqub Yusuf, but the latter was in Africa and did not send any help. After an unsuccessful sortie against the Christian besiegers' camp on 27 July, Cuenca was conquered by Alfonso's troops on 21 September 1177, while the Muslim garrison took refuge in the citadel. The latter fell in October, putting an end to Arab domination. Cuenca was given a set of laws, the Fuero, written in Latin, that ruled Cuenca's citizens, and it was considered one of the most perfectly written at that time. The
diocese of Cuenca The Roman Catholic Diocese of Cuenca ( la, Conchen(sis)) is a diocese located in the city of Cuenca in the Ecclesiastical province of Toledo in Spain.
was established in 1183; its second bishop was St. Julian of Cuenca, who became
patron saint A patron saint, patroness saint, patron hallow or heavenly protector is a saint who in Catholicism, Anglicanism, or Eastern Orthodoxy is regarded as the heavenly advocate of a nation, place, craft, activity, class, clan, family, or perso ...
of the city.
Alfonso X Alfonso X (also known as the Wise, es, el Sabio; 23 November 1221 – 4 April 1284) was King of Castile, León and Galicia from 30 May 1252 until his death in 1284. During the election of 1257, a dissident faction chose him to be king of Ger ...
granted Cuenca the title of 'city' (''ciudad'') in 1257. During the next few centuries Cuenca enjoyed prosperity, thanks to textile manufacturing and livestock exploitation. The cathedral started to be built at that time, in an Anglo-Norman style, with many French workers, since Alfonso VIII's wife,
Eleanor Eleanor () is a feminine given name, originally from an Old French adaptation of the Old Provençal name ''Aliénor''. It is the name of a number of women of royalty and nobility in western Europe during the High Middle Ages. The name was intro ...
, had French cultural affinity. During the 18th century the
textile industry The textile industry is primarily concerned with the design, production and distribution of yarn, textile, cloth and clothing. The raw material may be Natural material, natural, or synthetic using products of the chemical industry. Industry p ...
declined, especially when Carlos IV forbade this activity in Cuenca in order to prevent competition with the Real Fábrica de Tapices (Royal Tapestry Factory), and Cuenca's economy declined, thus losing population dramatically (5,000 inhabitants). During the independence war against
Napoleon Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader wh ...
's troops the city suffered great destruction, and it made the crisis worse. The city lost population, with only around 6,000 inhabitants, and only the arrival of railroads in the 19th century, together with the timber industry, were able to boost Cuenca moderately, and population increased as a result to reach 10,000 inhabitants. In 1874, during the Third Carlist War, Cuenca was taken over by
Carlist Carlism ( eu, Karlismo; ca, Carlisme; ; ) is a Traditionalist and Legitimist political movement in Spain aimed at establishing an alternative branch of the Bourbon dynasty – one descended from Don Carlos, Count of Molina (1788–1855) – o ...
troops, and the city suffered great damage once more. The 20th century began with the collapse of the Giraldo cathedral's tower in 1902, which affected also the façade. It had to be rebuilt by Vicente Lámperez, with two new twin towers at both ends of the façade, which have remained unfinished without the upper part of them. The first decades of the 20th century were as turbulent as in other regions of Spain. There was poverty in rural areas, and the Catholic Church was attacked, with monks, nuns, priests and a bishop of Cuenca, Cruz Laplana y Laguna, being murdered. During the
Spanish Civil War The Spanish Civil War ( es, Guerra Civil Española)) or The Revolution ( es, La Revolución, link=no) among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War ( es, Cuarta Guerra Carlista, link=no) among Carlism, Carlists, and The Rebellion ( es, La Rebeli ...
Cuenca was part of the republican zone (''Zona roja'' or: "the red zone"). It was taken in 1938 by General Franco's troops. During the post-war period the area suffered a major economic decline, causing many people to migrate to more prosperous regions, mainly the Basque Country and
Catalonia Catalonia (; ca, Catalunya ; Aranese Occitan: ''Catalonha'' ; es, Cataluña ) is an autonomous community of Spain, designated as a '' nationality'' by its Statute of Autonomy. Most of the territory (except the Val d'Aran) lies on the no ...
, but also to other countries such as Germany. The city started to recover slowly from 1960 to 1970, and the town limits went far beyond the gorge to the flat surroundings. In recent decades the city has experienced a moderate growth in population and economy, the latter especially due to the growing tourism sector, and both of them fuelled by improvements in road and train communications. Cuenca has strongly bet on culture and as a result of this it was declared a
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 ...
in 1996. In recent years, new cultural infrastructure such as the municipal Concert Hall and the Science Museum saw Cuenca unsuccessfully apply for the title of European Capital of Culture in 2016.


Geography and climate

Cuenca is located across a steep spur, whose slopes descend into deep gorges of the
Júcar left The Júcar () or Xúquer () is a river on the Iberian Peninsula of Spain. The river runs for approximately 509 km from its source at Ojuelos de Valdeminguete, on the eastern flank of the Montes Universales, Sistema Ibérico. Its most ...
and Huécar rivers. It is divided into two separate settlements: the "new" city is situated south-west of the old one, which is divided by the Huécar course. The climate of Cuenca is the typical hot-summer Mediterranean climate of Spain's "Meseta" (inner plateau). Winters are relatively cold, but summers are quite hot during the day with occasional cool nights. Spring and autumn seasons are short, with pleasant temperatures during the day but with rather cold nights due to its altitude from
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 ...
up to in the old town.


Main sights


Cathedral of Our Lady of Grace and Saint Julian

Cuenca Cathedral was built from 1182 to 1270. The façade was rebuilt after it crumbled down in 1902. It is the first
gothic style Gothic or Gothics may refer to: People and languages *Goths or Gothic people, the ethnonym of a group of East Germanic tribes **Gothic language, an extinct East Germanic language spoken by the Goths **Crimean Gothic, the Gothic language spoken b ...
Cathedral in Spain (together with Avila's one), because of the influence of Alfonso VIII's wife,
Eleanor Eleanor () is a feminine given name, originally from an Old French adaptation of the Old Provençal name ''Aliénor''. It is the name of a number of women of royalty and nobility in western Europe during the High Middle Ages. The name was intro ...
, daughter of King
Henry II of England Henry II (5 March 1133 – 6 July 1189), also known as Henry Curtmantle (french: link=no, Court-manteau), Henry FitzEmpress, or Henry Plantagenet, was King of England from 1154 until his death in 1189, and as such, was the first Angevin kin ...
and his wife,
Eleanor of Aquitaine Eleanor ( – 1 April 1204; french: Aliénor d'Aquitaine, ) was Queen of France from 1137 to 1152 as the wife of King Louis VII, List of English royal consorts, Queen of England from 1154 to 1189 as the wife of Henry II of England, King Henry I ...
, who introduced the
Anglo-Norman Anglo-Norman may refer to: *Anglo-Normans, the medieval ruling class in England following the Norman conquest of 1066 *Anglo-Norman language **Anglo-Norman literature *Anglo-Norman England, or Norman England, the period in English history from 1066 ...
style. From that date the cathedral has undergone some changes. An apse-aisle (doble girola) was added in the 15th century, while the Renaissance Esteban Jamete's Arch was erected in the 16th century. The main altar was redesigned during the 18th century by famous architect Ventura Rodríguez: it features a precious iron-work gate. The façade was rebuilt in 1902 from ruins due to the collapse of the former
bell tower A bell tower is a tower that contains one or more bells, or that is designed to hold bells even if it has none. Such a tower commonly serves as part of a Christian church, and will contain church bells, but there are also many secular bell tow ...
, the Giraldo. In the early 1990s modern coloured windows were installed, and in 2006 one of the two old baroque organs from Julián de la Orden was recovered. The other organ has also been restored, and on 4 April 2009 an inauguration ceremony was held. The naves do not follow exactly a straight line. The ''San Julián'' altar, dedicated to
Saint Julian of Cuenca Julián of Cuenca ( 1127 – 28 January 1208), also known as Saint Julián, was a Spanish Roman Catholic prelate who served as the Bishop of Cuenca from 1196 until his death. He also served as a professor and preacher in addition to being a si ...
, at the apse-aisle, consists of columns made of green marble. Another curiosity are the "Unum ex septem" signs at some chapels. It is said that if one prays looking at these signs one would obtain a five-year forgiveness for one's sins, and seven years if one prays during the patron saint's day.


Church of Saint Peter

With Romanesque origins, the church of St. Peter (''San Pedro'' in Spanish) was rebuilt by Jose Martin de la Aldehuela during the 18th century and displays since that time a
Baroque The Baroque (, ; ) is a style of architecture, music, dance, painting, sculpture, poetry, and other arts that flourished in Europe from the early 17th century until the 1750s. In the territories of the Spanish and Portuguese empires including ...
façade. It shows an octagonal shape outdoors but it is circular inside, and it is located at Plaza del Trabuco. This church can be reached by going up along San Pedro Street from Plaza Mayor.


Church of Saint Michael

The Church of Saint Michael (''Iglesia de San Miguel'' in Spanish) was erected during the 13th Century, with only one nave and an apse. In the 15th Century, a second nave at the north side was added. The dome was built by Esteban Jamete in the 16th Century, and finally the wooden ceiling of the two naves was replaced with stone vaults during the 18th Century. Saint Michael was restored in the 20th Century, and its management was transferred to Cuenca's municipality from Cuenca's Diocese, so that this church could be used to hold classical music concerts. In fact, Saint Michael is home of the Religious Music Week (''Semana de Musica Religiosa'') together with other places within the city and its province. It is located at San Miguel street, next to Plaza Mayor. Saint Michael is accessed through a descending narrow passage which starts at Plaza Mayor left lateral (looking from the Town Hall).


Church of Our Savior (''Iglesia del Salvador'')

Built in Neo-Gothic style during the 18th century, with only one nave and a high tower. It shows a modest baroque façade and some remarkable baroque altars indoors. The door is however quite modern, added in the late 1990s. The famous religious procession "Las Turbas", held on Good Friday morning, starts at this location, since the image of "Jesús el Nazareno", which is at the forefront of the procession, is kept within "El Salvador".


Bridge of Saint Paul

The bridge of Saint Paul (''Puente de San Pablo'') was built from 1533 to 1589, a construction driven by the canon Juan del Pozo, over the gorge of the River Huecar, aiming at connecting the old town with St Paul convent. The original bridge collapsed, and the current one was built in 1902, made of wood and iron according to the style dominating at the beginning of the 20th century. It is up to 40 metres high and supported by the remains of the old bridge.


Seminary

The Seminary (Seminario), a rectangular building stretching from Plaza de la Merced to Mangana Square, was established under the rule of José Flores y Osorio, the
Bishop of Cuenca The Roman Catholic Diocese of Cuenca ( la, Conchen(sis)) is a diocese located in the city of Cuenca in the Ecclesiastical province of Toledo in Spain.
(1738–1759), and built by Vicente Sevill, around 1745. The
Baroque The Baroque (, ; ) is a style of architecture, music, dance, painting, sculpture, poetry, and other arts that flourished in Europe from the early 17th century until the 1750s. In the territories of the Spanish and Portuguese empires including ...
façade at Plaza de la Merced was erected in 1748. It holds a library with numerous ancient books, some of them "incunables" (previous to 1501). There is also a
Rococo Rococo (, also ), less commonly Roccoco or Late Baroque, is an exceptionally ornamental and theatrical style of architecture, art and decoration which combines asymmetry, scrolling curves, gilding, white and pastel colours, sculpted moulding, ...
meeting room inside and a
Gothic Gothic or Gothics may refer to: People and languages *Goths or Gothic people, the ethnonym of a group of East Germanic tribes **Gothic language, an extinct East Germanic language spoken by the Goths **Crimean Gothic, the Gothic language spoken b ...
altarpiece An altarpiece is an artwork such as a painting, sculpture or relief representing a religious subject made for placing at the back of or behind the altar of a Christian church. Though most commonly used for a single work of art such as a painting ...
at the chapel, but visits are not allowed. In 2004 some books from this library were stolen, but the suspect of the robbery was caught and the books recovered before entering on an auction process. Now an average of 10–15 future priests are trained there, according to statistics of the Spanish Episcopal Conference.


Old convent of Saint Paul

The convent of Saint Paul was built in the 16th century by command of the canon priest Juan del Pozo, a monk belonging to the
Dominican Order The Order of Preachers ( la, Ordo Praedicatorum) abbreviated OP, also known as the Dominicans, is a Catholic mendicant order of Pontifical Right for men founded in Toulouse, France, by the Spanish priest, saint and mystic Dominic of ...
. Brothers Juan and Pedro de Alviz were in charge of the building project; Pedro worked on the convent and the cloister and Juan on the church. The church was finished in the 18th century, in
rococo style Rococo (, also ), less commonly Roccoco or Late Baroque, is an exceptionally ornamental and theatrical style of architecture, art and decoration which combines asymmetry, scrolling curves, gilding, white and pastel colours, sculpted moulding, ...
. The convent was ruled by Dominican friars, but during the 19th century was handed over to the Pauline Fathers, who were based here until 1975, when they left due to the possible collapse of the building. In the 1990s the convent was restored to house the Parador Nacional de Turismo in Cuenca, a hotel which allows the visit to the convent as well as the access to the church. The cloister has an ornamental source of water, and the cafeteria is the old chapel. From the convent the old town can be reached easily by crossing St Paul bridge.


Bishop's Palace

The bishop's palace features, on three of its museums, the Diocese's Museum, which has a remarkable collection of religious art. It can be easily accessed from the cathedral. The rooms where the collection is shown were remodeled by architect Fernando Barja Noguerol, and Gustavo Torner selected the art pieces from an inventory made by some priests of the Diocese in 1977. Some of the diocese's artistic patrimony was lost during the
Peninsular War The Peninsular War (1807–1814) was the military conflict fought in the Iberian Peninsula by Spain, Portugal, and the United Kingdom against the invading and occupying forces of the First French Empire during the Napoleonic Wars. In Spai ...
, the confiscation of ecclesiastical property by Juan Álvarez Mendizábal, and the
Spanish Civil War The Spanish Civil War ( es, Guerra Civil Española)) or The Revolution ( es, La Revolución, link=no) among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War ( es, Cuarta Guerra Carlista, link=no) among Carlism, Carlists, and The Rebellion ( es, La Rebeli ...
. Masterpieces like The
Byzantine The Byzantine Empire, also referred to as the Eastern Roman Empire or Byzantium, was the continuation of the Roman Empire primarily in its eastern provinces during Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, when its capital city was Constantinopl ...
Diptych (book-like silver work whose origin is dated around 1370, containing saints'
relics In religion, a relic is an object or article of religious significance from the past. It usually consists of the physical remains of a saint or the personal effects of the saint or venerated person preserved for purposes of veneration as a tangi ...
), paintings by El Greco, and handcrafted carpets from Cuenca's school, can be seen at the museum.


The Castle

''El Castillo'' is the name for the remains of an ancient
Arab The Arabs (singular: Arab; singular ar, عَرَبِيٌّ, DIN 31635: , , plural ar, عَرَب, DIN 31635: , Arabic pronunciation: ), also known as the Arab people, are an ethnic group mainly inhabiting the Arab world in Western Asia, ...
fortress, representing the older structures of Cuenca. Only a tower, two stone blocks, the arch which allows to enter/leave the old town from the Barrio del Castillo and a fragment of the walls have been left. The arch (''arco de Bezudo'') is named after Gutierre Rodriguez Bezudo, from Segovia, who fought the Arabs with King Alfonso VIII to conquer Cuenca. The castle was home of the Holy Inquisition after 1583, and it was finally destroyed during the 19th century by French soldiers during the Spanish War of Independence. Nearby are the small chapel and cemetery of San Isidro.


Mangana Tower

The origins of the Mangana Tower remain unclear. In 1565 it was painted by
Anton van den Wyngaerde Anton van den Wyngaerde ( Span.: ''Antonio de las Viñas''; 1525 – 7 May 1571) was a prolific Flemish topographical artist who made panoramic sketches and paintings of towns in the southern Netherlands, northern France, England, Italy, and ...
, which indicates that at that time Mangana had already been built up, and after the attacks by French soldiers during the Spanish War of Independence war – at the beginning of the 19th century – and having been hit previously by a thunderbolt in the 18th century, it became badly destroyed. Mangana Tower was rebuilt by Fernando Alcántara in Neomudejar style – inspired on Arab decorative motifs – in 1926. Finally Victor Caballero gave Mangana its current look in a fortress-like style in 1968. It has a clock on one of its walls and a recording of bell chimes can be heard in the old town at certain times (every quarter of an hour). There are views from the near viewpoints over the river Jucar's gorge and the modern neighborhoods. Mangana can be reached on foot from Plaza Mayor.


Town Hall

The Town Hall is a building in
baroque style The Baroque (, ; ) is a style of architecture, music, dance, painting, sculpture, poetry, and other arts that flourished in Europe from the early 17th century until the 1750s. In the territories of the Spanish and Portuguese empires includin ...
built up during the ruling period of King Carlos III and supported over three Roman arches. It was finished in 1762, as it can be read on the façade. Nevertheless, in the 18th century Mateo Lopez was the architect in charge of the extension of the building since it was necessary to amply the building for the oratory as well as the archive. The central arch is the only one giving access to vehicles to Plaza Mayor.


Hanging Houses

Built over a rock above the Huecar River gorge in the 15th century, ''Las Casas Colgadas'' are the only remaining samples of this type of building which was common in this city a long time ago. Hanging Houses can be considered the most famous civil buildings in Cuenca. They house a restaurant and the Museum of Abstract Arts and they serve as the background of millions of photos made from the bridge of San Pablo.


Monument devoted to the Sacred Heart of Jesus

On top of the Cerro del Socorro you can find the monument devoted to the Holy Heart of Jesus, whose materials were transported on donkeys in the mid-20th century. This place is a magnificent viewpoint over the city. It can be accessed by taking the road to Palomera / Buenache de la Sierra (Huecar river gorge) and turn right after , approx.


Cuenca Province Council

The provincial council's seat (''Diputación provincial de Cuenca'') is a building with 2 floors built at the early 20th century according to a project conceived by provincial architect Rafael Alfaro. Cuenca's coat of arms at the façade is made of Carrara marble.


Others

Other notable buildings in Cuenca include the ''San Felipe Neri'' church, the ''Our Lady of Light'' church (''Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de La Luz'') and the ''Las Petras'' convent.


Museums

*Archeological Museum which contains items from the Archaeological Park of Segóbriga *Diocese's Museum * Museum of Spanish Abstract Art *
Museum of Science The Museum of Science (MoS) is a science museum and indoor zoo in Boston, Massachusetts, located in Science Park, a plot of land spanning the Charles River. Along with over 700 interactive exhibits, the museum features a number of live present ...
of Castile- La Mancha * Holy Week Museum of Cuenca *Fundación Antonio Pérez *Fundación Antonio Saura


Parks

*''El Escardillo'', with a few trees and a fountain over a small patch of ground. It is one of the few green areas in the old town. *''Los Moralejos'': located near the entry point from Madrid, Los Moralejos, also known as "Carrero" (its old name was Carrero Blanco, the VP of General Franco), is a park which was enlarged in the early nighties, when San Julian's fair was moved to its current location, thus releasing some amount of land. A bicycle lane has been built recently, as well as a new connection with the "el Sargal" sport centre. *''Santa Ana'', "El Vivero", near to the Cuenca's bullring, large trees give shadow to most of the park. *''San Fernando'': located in the expansion area of Cuenca, it is settled on a slope and features, among other attractions, three small lakes. *''San Julián'', the oldest one in Cuenca, created at the beginning of the 20th century, from land donated by Gregoria Fernández de la Cuba, whose sculpture can be found here. San Julián's park is an example of sustainable design: there is no grass, instead the rectangles of terrain along the perimeter contain large trees, and are separated by bush rows and sand paths. In the centre, an open space houses a bandstand. An sculpture of Lucas Aguirre y Juárez, which devoted its filantropic efforts to education of poor children, is also here. A fully functional "Manneken pis" relieves thirsty passers-by during the summer days.


Festivities

*Jueves Lardero *St. Julian's Day (
Julian of Cuenca Julián of Cuenca ( 1127 – 28 January 1208), also known as Saint Julián, was a Spanish Roman Catholic prelate who served as the Bishop of Cuenca from 1196 until his death. He also served as a professor and preacher in addition to being a si ...
) – 28 January * Saint Matthew's Day – 21 September: a young bull (la vaquilla) is released on the streets being led by people with ropes, while people from Cuenca, grouped in "peñas", eat and drink on the streets during the four-day period. On the first day, peñas get to Plaza Mayor on foot while being watered by the old town's inhabitants from their balconies. *Holy Week: Fiesta of International Tourist Interest of Spain


Transportation

The city is served by the Cuenca railway station. It is a popular day or weekend trip from
Madrid Madrid ( , ) is the capital and most populous city of Spain. The city has almost 3.4 million inhabitants and a metropolitan area population of approximately 6.7 million. It is the second-largest city in the European Union (EU), and ...
, to which it is very well connected. On 2010 December 19 a new AVE (
high-speed rail High-speed rail (HSR) is a type of rail system that runs significantly faster than traditional rail, using an integrated system of specialised rolling stock and dedicated tracks. While there is no single standard that applies worldwide, lines ...
) link was established between Madrid – Atocha and
Valencia Valencia ( va, València) is the capital of the autonomous community of Valencia and the third-most populated municipality in Spain, with 791,413 inhabitants. It is also the capital of the province of the same name. The wider urban area al ...
and some of them stops at the Cuenca–Fernando Zóbel railway station, providing travellers with frequent connections every day with both
Madrid Madrid ( , ) is the capital and most populous city of Spain. The city has almost 3.4 million inhabitants and a metropolitan area population of approximately 6.7 million. It is the second-largest city in the European Union (EU), and ...
and
Valencia Valencia ( va, València) is the capital of the autonomous community of Valencia and the third-most populated municipality in Spain, with 791,413 inhabitants. It is also the capital of the province of the same name. The wider urban area al ...
, reducing the journey time to only 50 minutes to/from Madrid and one hour to/from Valencia. Renfe also operates a non-high-speed service taking 3 hours going from Madrid. Auto Res, a bus operator, links
Madrid Madrid ( , ) is the capital and most populous city of Spain. The city has almost 3.4 million inhabitants and a metropolitan area population of approximately 6.7 million. It is the second-largest city in the European Union (EU), and ...
to Cuenca with a 2-hour or 2½-hour trip duration. The A-40 motorway, recently completed, connects the city with the A-3 at Tarancón, away from Madrid, thus totalling to Spain's capital, and far from
Valencia Valencia ( va, València) is the capital of the autonomous community of Valencia and the third-most populated municipality in Spain, with 791,413 inhabitants. It is also the capital of the province of the same name. The wider urban area al ...
, via the A-3 in the opposite sense.


Twin towns – sister cities

Cuenca is twinned with: * Cuenca, Ecuador *
L'Aquila L'Aquila ( , ) is a city and ''comune'' in central Italy. It is the capital city of both the Abruzzo region and of the Province of L'Aquila. , it has a population of 70,967 inhabitants. Laid out within medieval walls on a hill in the wide valle ...
, Italy * Ronda, Spain * Plasencia, Spain * Taxco de Alarcón, Mexico *
Paju Paju () is a city in Gyeonggi Province, South Korea. Paju was made a city in 1997; it had previously been a county (''gun''). The city area of Paju is ,"Paju (Gyeonggi-do Province)." ''Naver Encyclopedia of Knowledge''. Naver, 2015. 4 Mar. 2016. ...
, South Korea (2007) * Cerreto Sannita, Italy (2017) * Bollène, France (2012)


Gastronomy

The following are typical dishes from the Cuenca area, being basically the result of combining those of Serranía and Mancha areas: *''Ajo arriero'', made of cod, potato and garlic, can be spread on bread *''Cordero'', some pieces of lamb simply roasted or in caldereta *''Morteruelo'', a kind of pâté made of different kinds of meat, mainly hare, partridge, hen and pork. *''Pisto manchego'', a mixture of vegetables (tomato, pepper, courgette/zucchini) cut up and fried together, similar to the "ratatouille" from France. *''Queso manchego'', coming from Villarejo de Fuentes, Santa María del Campo Rus or Villamayor de Santiago, made only from sheep's milk *''Setas'', during the autumn a great variety of mushrooms can be collected in the forests near Cuenca. The most frequent is the so-called ''Níscalo'', but other species, such as boletus, can also be found. *''Trucha'', trout from the mountain rivers just grilled *''Oreja'', ''Forro'', ''Panceta'': different cuts of pork usually grilled *''Mojete'': traditional salad made of tomato. For dessert, the ''Alajú'' is an Arab cake made of honey, almonds, nuts and grated orange rind. ''Resoli'' is a typical drink, served in a glass with ice cubes or directly drunk from a "
porrón A porrón ( ca, porró) is a traditional glass wine pitcher, which holds typical of Spain, originating in Catalonia, in northeastern Spain, and eventually spreading to other parts of Spain. This invention allows everyone to drink from the same ...
" after a meal.


Gallery

File:Catedral Cuenca.jpg, Panoramic view of the Cuenca Cathedral. File:Cuenca arch.jpg, Looking through an arch in old Cuenca. File:Cuenca CasasColgadas1.jpg, Casas Colgadas (Hanging Houses). File:Cuenca Ermita de las angustias.JPG, Virgin of the Anguishes hermitage. File:Cuenca, iglesia de la Merced.jpg, Convent of la Merced. File:Cuenca Convento de las carmelitas.JPG, Convent of las Carmelitas. File:Parador Nacional de Cuenca (portada) 065.jpg, Parador Nacional de Cuenca. File:Diputacion provincial de cuenca.jpg, Cuenca's Province council. File:Cuenca-20080319-03-calle alfonso viii.jpg, Alfonso VIII Street. File:Cuenca Plaza mayor.JPG, Plaza Mayor File:Cuenca-2000 rio jucar 01.jpeg, Júcar River flowing through Cuenca. File:Cuenca-20080319-06-desde puente san anton.jpg, Río Júcar as seen from San Antón Bridge.


See also

* Ciudad Encantada in Cuenca. *
The Valley of Gwangi ''The Valley of Gwangi'' is a 1969 American fantasy Western film produced by Charles H. Schneer and Ray Harryhausen, directed by Jim O'Connolly, written by William Bast, and starring James Franciscus, Richard Carlson, and Gila Golan. Creat ...
: The final scenes of this 1969 American western fantasy film were shot in Plaza Mayor and also inside
Cuenca Cathedral Cuenca Cathedral is a Gothic cathedral in the city of Cuenca, located in the Province of Cuenca in the Castile-La Mancha region of south-eastern central Spain. The building is one of the earliest Spanish examples of Gothic architecture, bui ...
. Scenes were also filmed at the unusual rock formations of Ciudad Encantada near Cuenca, to depict the Forbidden Valley. *
Sound of the Sky is a Japanese anime television series produced by A-1 Pictures and Aniplex and directed by Mamoru Kanbe. The 12-episode anime aired in Japan on the TV Tokyo television network between January 4, 2010 and March 22, 2010. The anime was also s ...
, Japanese anime television series. The series is set in a fictional town named Seize, which is modelled after Cuenca and includes many of its notable landmarks.


References


External links


Official website
(in Spanish)
Webcam in a side streetCuencaA Stroll Through La Mancha
by ''
The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers '' The Observer'' and '' The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the ...
'' {{Authority control * World Heritage Sites in Spain