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The best things to see in Cuenca, Ecuador

Cuenca (Santa Ana de los Ríos de Cuenca) is a town in the Andes Mountains of southern Ecuador.


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Cuenca (Santa Ana de los Ríos de Cuenca) is a town in the Andes Mountains of southern Ecuador. It is known for the waterfront of the Tomebamba River and handicrafts, including Panama hats. Its central square, the Parque Calderón, houses the blue Catedral Nueva and the 16th-century Catedral Vieja, now a religious museum. The Museo y Parque Arqueológico Pumapungo presents ruins and artifacts from the Incan city of Tomebamba.


1. New Cathedral of Cuenca

New Cathedral of Cuenca, Cuenca, Ecuador
New Cathedral of Cuenca, Cuenca, Ecuador

The Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, commonly referred to as the New Cathedral of Cuenca, is the cathedral church in Cuenca, Ecuador. It is situated in front of Parque Calderon. The plan of the Cathedral was drawn up by Juan Bautista Stiehle — a German-born friar who arrived in Cuenca from Alsace in 1873 — on suggestions made by Bishop León Garrido. The Cathedral took over the function of the nearby Old Cathedral that had become too small. Construction works started in 1885 and lasted for almost a century. This building combines many architecture styles, but Romanesque Revival is predominant.


2. Old Cathedral of Cuenca

Old Cathedral of Cuenca, Cuenca, Ecuador
Old Cathedral of Cuenca, Cuenca, Ecuador

The Church of the Shrine — commonly referred to as the Old Cathedral of Cuenca — was the main place of Spanish worship during the time of Spanish colonization in Cuenca, Ecuador. It functions today as the Museum for Religious Art and is located at the Parque Calderon, opposite the New Cathedral.


3. Abdon Calderon Park

Abdon Calderon Park, Cuenca, Ecuador
Abdon Calderon Park, Cuenca, Ecuador

Abdon Calderon park is situated in the focal point of Cuenca. Its wonderful landscape, its social convention, and its provincial zone make it one of the fundamental vacation spots of the city. Inside You will see Abdon Calderon landmark to autonomy legend at the Battle of Pichincha, which opened on May 24, 1931. The recreation center has eight pine trees that were planted by previous President Luis Cordero in 1912. You can likewise observe the Old Cathedral and El Sagrario New Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception. You can also come to visit this place, explore and experience more.


4. El Cajas National Park

El Cajas National Park, Cuenca, Ecuador
El Cajas National Park, Cuenca, Ecuador

El Cajas National Park or Cajas National Park is a national park in the highlands of Ecuador. It is located about 30 km west of Cuenca, the capital of the province of Azuay. The area of 285.44 km² between 3100m and 4450m above sea level offers tundra vegetation on a jagged landscape of hills and valleys. It was declared a National Park on November 5, 1996.


5. Museo Pumapungo

Museo Pumapungo, Cuenca, Ecuador
Museo Pumapungo, Cuenca, Ecuador

There are many reasons to visit this huge, free museum in Cuenca, Ecuador. It is home to a world-class collection of art, artifacts, and more than 20 displays that illustrate the variety of Ecuador’s geographic regions. But for many visitors, the main draw is the museum’s collection of shrunken heads from the Shuar people of Amazonia.