[coquito]

National and foreign tourists think that Cuenca is the most beautiful city in Ecuador. The city is at 2,500 meters over sea level and enjoys a spring-like weather year-round. The city was founded on the ruins of the ancient Tomebamba from the Inca Empire. Currently, it's Ecuador's third biggest city and also the one with the best quality of life. The city is surrounded by four rivers, each of them having their own majesty.

All pictures are from Flickr

1 (the new cathedral as seen from the old cathedral), 2 (new cathedral), & 3.

4 & 5.

6, 7, & 8 (one of the stairs that takes tourists from the historic center to the newer part of town).

9 & 10.

11 (the river & the grass - so beautiful) & 12.

13 (impressive building) & 14.

15 (beautiful) & 16.

17 (a school - catholic I believe) & 18 (another picture of one of the rivers).

19 (nice mix - indigenous people carring sacks on their backs) & 20 (other beautiful structures).

As the thread develops, I will be adding more pictures.

 

[coquito]

Wow... 34 views & no one cared to comment on it. I guess the international community is not impressed by Cuenca's unique arquitecture? :uh:

 

[jase8]

wonderful....could be Italy.

 

[alezx]

Very nice city, i love that ancient architecture.

 

[coquito]

21 (Supreme Court) & 22 (Church San Blas - beautiful).

23 (common hotel) & 24 (another shot of the cathedral).

25 (old cathedral) & 26 (stairs that separate the old district with the new district as seen from the bridge over the Tomebamba river).

27 (historic district is found on left while on the right is the new part of town) & 28 (one of the most beautiful places - "EL Barranco").

29 (ruins from the old Tomebamba) & 30 (that bridge doesn't reach the other end - I beleive the building in the background is the tallest in Cuenca).

31 (another stairs & another bridge) & 32 (old bridge that collapsed a while back & became a tourist spot).

Thanks for the comments.... now I can post more pictures.

 

[coquito]

Through my signature below, you can also check out my thread of Quito; which will totally not dissapoint you.

 

[coquito]

Cuenca at night

the wonderful & beautiful cathedral

the main square & another square

Inside the new cathedral

beautiful arquitecture

..just one more church

 

[Somnifor]

It is too bad so few people have replied because it really is a beautiful city.

I am a chef, many restaurant workers in Minneapolis are from Ecuador and most are from Cuenca so I know a lot of people from there and have heard a bit about it. Seeing these pictures makes me want to visit and maybe surprise a few old friends.

 

[Stephan]

Seems like it is a true jewel of Ecuador. Very beautyful and has a stunning setting

 

[coquito]

Other places

Some modern & residential areas but still preserve the same characteristics. In the second pic you can see the cathedral's towers all the way at the end of that avenue in the middle.

Next set of pictures are from the ruins of Tomebamba within the same city of Cuenca.

Next set of pics are from the Ingapirca site - I believe it might be like an hour or so from the city.

Ingapirca - this is an old pre-columbus & pre-inca city by the Canaris but it was destroyed by the Incas due to some conflicts

Another shot. On the second pic, notice the precision

The last pic shows the Indian face in Ingapirca

 

[coquito]

Just a panoramic view of 1/3 of the city as it sprawls to both the left & right of this picture

 

[WinoSoul]

Very interesting!

 

[coquito]

^^ Tem uma versão em Português se você tive a fim de comentar no outro thread.

 

[M_K_O]

Awesome pics! really nice place, specially for its great patrimony or heritage. I guess that it´s an interesting town tu visit.

Thanks for your mini - tour kay:

 

[OtAkAw]

I love the river with all that growth of flora. Very beautiful!

 

[LAR99]

I love this city, where my parents were born. Excelent climate, not too cold, not hot... Beautiful girls, awesome parties, parties in Cuenca = hell... I love it.



My favourite view of the historique centre, Cuenca.

 

[coquito]

More pics of Cuenca...

Open Picture

Open Picture

Tipical street
Open Picture

Modern Cuenca
Open Picture

Ingapirca
Open Picture

Others...

 

[somelc]

muy linda!!!

 

[KWPB]

sto. domingo

La catedral de la inmaculada.

 

[cameronpaul]

What a wonderfully preserved old city - a must for a future visit.

Here in the U.K. we never hear about anything in South America unless its some disaster or the favellas of Rio etc. All we get is Africa, Africa and more Africa. All because there were no colonies in that part of the world (actually one small one) so the media here is not interested.

South America has so much of interest and these sites are a real eye opener.