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CUENCA BRIEF GENERAL DESCRIPTION
Nearly half a century before the arrival of the Spaniards, the powerful Inca leader, Tupac Yupanqui was undertaking the difficult conquest of the Cañari Indians, who
struggled bravely to motivate the expansion of the Inca Empire. After several years of
bitter fighting, Tupac Yupanqui's forces prevailed. The Inca began construction of a major city whose splendor and importance was to rival
that of the imperial capital of Cuzco. The Indians told of sun temples covered with
gold sheets and palaces built using the finest skills of Cuzquefio stonemasons, but
what happened to Tomebamba, as the city was called, is shrouded in a mystery.
By the time Spanish chronicler Cieza de Leon passed through in 1547, Tomebamba was
found largely in ruins, although well-stocked storehouses indicated how great it had
recently been. Today it is difficult to imagine Tomebamba's splendor, for all that
remains are a few recently excavated Inca walls by the river that bears the town's name.
The Rio Tomebamba divides the city of Cuenca in half. South of the river are fairly
recent suburbs, the stadium, and the modern university. To the north is the heart of
the colonial city, which lies at about 2,530 meters above sea level.
Although Cuenca has expanded to become Ecuador's third largest town with over 300,000
inhabitants (officially, the entire Province probably closer to 626.857), it still retains a
pleasantly
provincial air. The people are more conservative than in Quito (you will find that you
will draw attention to yourself if you don't dress conservatively).
The old colonial center has churches dating from the 16th and 17th centuries and is a
delight to stroll around. The earliest building is the original cathedral, construction
of which began in 1557, the year Cuenca was founded by the Spanish conquistador Gil Ramirez
Dávalos. There are cobbled streets and red-tiled roofs, art galleries and flower markets, shady
plazas and museums. The majority of the hotels are also near the center, so the traveler
can conveniently enjoy a relaxing few days in this colonial city.
Cuenca also makes a good base to visit the Area Nacional de Recreación Cajas, as well as
local thermal baths, villages and markets (also here described). The Inca ruins of
Ingapirca are the most spectacular in Ecuador.
CUENCA SUGGESTED TOURS
Flights from Quito or Guayaquil:
Day 1.
Flight from Quito or Guayaquil to Mariscal Lamar international airport / Cuenca, transfer to your Hotel, then continue with a CITY TOUR:
the Tomebamba river and old city with its cathedrals on the main Plaza Calderon,
visit to the remains of precolumbian human settlements
at todos los santos ruins, flower market at Plaza del Carmen, then climb to Turi view point to enjoy a panoramic of the city.
Day 2.
Early in the Morning we will visit the
INGAPIRCA INCA RUINS, wich is the most important "&" spectacular Inca monument in Ecuador. It is found at an altitude of
3.100 m, and located 1 km from the population of the same name, 9 km from the Tambo,
in the Province of Cañar. This place was an important accession ceremonial of the culture Cañari, between 800 and
1500 D.C. This culture was the forerunner for several years in the advance of the Incas
from the south. Afterwards, the Incas converted the city into an administrative center and a ceremonial
of first order, due to the surroundings of accessions and cultivation. Ingaparca also
serves a function for Tambo. It is a place of stop and rest for the mail carriers that
were transporting the imperial mail connecting Quito with Tomebamba and the rest of the
empire. Since the arrival of the Spaniards the place is abandoned and little is known of
Ingapirca until the ruins were visited by the Condamine. The zone consists of an archaeologic area
and an excellent archaeologic and ethnic museum
that is worth the trouble to visit. In the museums you can see numerous archaeologic pieces
of the region.
Of the Cañari era, solely remain some wall vestiges. The most important constructions are
those corresponding to the short Inca period. Of these, the most important is the Ellipse, also called the Castle. It is an oval-shaped
platform surrounded by a typical Inca wall of large stones (almohadilladas) and numerous
angles which encompass two rooms devoted to the god, Inti. In these rooms, the people would
observe the rise and fall of the sun. Near this site are the remains of a series of rooms apparently used by the persons that
carried out the rituals.
Beyond this area is other sector of ancient ruins. These ruins were occupied by women to
the service of the religiously elite. Other important elements, of those which survive, are the foundations of the Warehouses.
These are the areas where the food was stored. You may also find Pilaloma and burial sites
of the Cañari inhabitants., lunch in a typical Hacienda and overnight on own in the Hotel you select or we suggest.
Day 3.
Visit to the CAJAS LAKES, wich is a highland ecosystem including 232 lakes
situated in large valleys. Some of the major lakes include Lagartococha,
Osohuaycu, Mamamag or Taitachungo, Quinoascocha, La Toreadora, Sunincocha,
Cascarillas, Ventanas and Tinguishcocha. These lakes feed several small
rivers, such as Tomebamba, Mazán, Yanucay and Miguir, all of which originate
in Cajas and are the source of portable water for the city of Cuenca.
Additionally, the rivers are responsible for moving the turbines
of the Paute Hydroelectric Complex, which provides electricity to
almost all of Ecuador, lunch and overnight on own in a typical Hacienda.
Day 4.
Visit to the CHORDELEG AND GUALACEO: both small and picturesque colonial towns with folkloric handicrafts,
in Chordeleg a fine community artesians where you can see them at work, they are famous by its craft and jewellery
shops with cheap prices in gold and silver, on sundays indigenous markets, fly back to Quito in the afternoon.
Go to city tour prices, click here.
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Cuenca by night
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Cuenca City
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Ingapirca Inca Ruins
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La Catedral Church
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Market in Cuenca
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Ingapirca Inca Ruins
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View from the Tomebamba River
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Cuenca City
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Ingapirca Inca Ruins
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Cuenca City
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Ingapirca Inca Ruins
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