page_title: Cuenca, Ecuador
section_title: Landmarks
hierarchical_section_title: Cuenca, Ecuador / Main sights / Landmarks
caption_attribution_description: Español: Puerta de ingreso al Museo del Banco Central en Cuenca, Ecuador.English: Entrance of the Museum of the Central Bank in Cuenca, Ecuador.
context_page_description: Santa Ana de los Cuatro Ríos de Cuenca, commonly referred as Cuenca is the capital and largest city of the Azuay Province of Ecuador. Cuenca is located in the highlands of Ecuador at about 2,560 metres above sea level, 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 an UNESCO World Heritage Site due to its many historical buildings.
context_section_description: 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 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, while the floor of the nave 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.
caption: Museo Banco Central Cuenca
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