For other articles on subjects named Cuenca, see Cuenca.
Cuenca is the third largest city in Ecuador, capital of the Azuay province. It is located in the Sierra, the highlands of Ecuador at 2800m above sea level. Its full name is Santa Ana de los Cuatro Ríos de Cuenca.
Its foundation is dated in 1557 by the Spanish historian Diego Hurtado de Mendoza, and its independence has been declared in 1820. However, the history of the site remounts further to the native Cañari village of Guapondeleg ("land as big as heaven", 500AD), later conquered by the Inca and called Tomebamba.
Ecuador is a small and stable democratic country with a population of 11,000,000.
Ecuador is a land bursting with contrasts: the warm Pacific coastline, the summits of the Andes mountains and the tangled Amazon rain forest form a brightly colored mosaic of exuberant nature and cultural diversity.
Cuenca is located in an Andean valley at an altitude of 2,200 meters, and the climate is spring like, with average temperatures ranging between 14° and 24° C. The region is rich in history and tradition -the Ingapirca ruins and picturesque craft villages such as Chordeleg are found nearby.
Much of the quinine bark of Ecuador is shipped from Cuenca, and the city is also a center for the trimming, stitching, and shipping of Panama hats, so called because of their former center of distribution.
Cuenca, founded in 1557, is the seat of a bishop and the site of two universities.
Despite its industrial and commercial development, the city of Cuenca is especially known for its picturesque appearance and many old houses, often displaying murals and old-fashioned Spanish proverbs painted on the patio walls.
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