Cuenca (Spain)

History

Cuenca one of the most beautiful Spanish medieval cities, is declared Patrimoine of Humanity by UNESCO and is located at the entry of the mountainous region of the same name between the throats of the Júcar river and its affluent Huécar. One does not know with precision the historical origin of the city. At 9th century a. JC, a fortress called Conca was on this site, built by the Arabs who depended on the emirate of Valence at the time of Kings de Taifas. This fortress will pass later under the capacity of the king of Seville Al-Maramit, then with the hands of the Almoravides, then with those of Alphonse VIII of Castille which added its own fields in 1177 to him.

Alphonse X “the Wise one” conceded in Cuenca the title of City. This one undergoes many seat and was ransacked by the French troops during the War of Independence. It was besieged and taken by Carlistes in 1874, destroying part of the wall.

Administration

Geography

The city is divided into two well differentiated zones: the old city, located on a rock hill bordered by the throats of the river Júcar at north and its affluent Huécar at the south which emerges in the first in the low part of the old city, little before the bridge “San Antón”. To the west and the south of the old city and separated by Huécar the new city in a North-South direction extends.

Its altitude oscillates between 920 meters (for the new city) and more than 1.000 meters (for the old city).

Climate

The climate of Cuenca is of Mediterranean type continental, with cold in winter and soft temperatures in summer, and an important thermal oscillation day laborer during all the year, more marked during the hottest months. Precipitations are more abundant than in the area which surrounds it, because of the mountainous orography, which exceeds the 500 meters and present of rare precipitations in summer.

Population

According to the municipal census carried out by the National institute of Statistics (Instituto Nacional de Estadística, INNATE), Cuenca counted 51.205 inhabitants at the 1/1/2006: 26.702 women (52,15%) and 24.503 men (47,85%). At the 1/1/2004, 96,25% were Spanish and 3,75% of foreign nationality.

Centers of interest

Among the monuments of Cuenca is detached the cathedral, monument national builds in Anglo-Norman Gothic style, a single example in Spain.

Cathedral of Santa María there San Julián

The cathedral of Cuenca is the principal temple of the city and the seat of the diocese of Cuenca (Archidiocèse of Tolède).

From Gothic style , work began in 1196 to be completed in 1257. At that time, constructions were of Romance style . However, the Norman influence of the court of the king Alphonse VIII weighed on the construction of this cathedral, becoming thus the Gothic first of style in Castille, with that of Ávila. Nevertheless, like the majority of the religious buildings, it underwent transformations during the centuries: rebuilding of the Bedside to the XV {{E}} century, quasi complete restoration of outside to the XVI {{E}} century, construction of the Vault of Crowned heart to the XVII {{E}} century and repair of the frontage and the turns in a style Baroque. During the XVIII {{E}} century was built the new heart and, at the beginning of the XX {{E}} century, the frontage was rebuilt after being itself collapsed. The forever completed work, side towers not having never been built.

One distinguishes more particularly the Déambulatoire. The frontage, works of Vicente Lampérez, is inspired that of the Cathédrale of Rheims. Also, inside is an arc rebirth of Esteban Jamete.

Beside the cathedral is located the Episcopal Palate.

Put Colgadas

The suspended houses constitute the originality of the city. Contruites with the XIV {{E}} century and restored well, they overhangs the rock paroie throats of the Júcar river. They shelter a restaurant and the museum of abstract art. They were worth at the city strengthened to be declared with the Patrimoine of Humanity by UNESCO.

A beautiful sight is to be taken since the bridge of San Pablo.

Plaza of mow Angustias

In the bottom of the hurdy-gurdy city, near Júcar, a small quiet and raised place is. There the hermitage of Virgen of mow Angustias is, of style baroque.

Torre Mangana

Torre Mangana, or turn of the clock, was built with the XVI {{E}} century. Its defensive arquitecture points out that of the Moyen-âge. It constitutes today one of the historical symbols of the city.

Surroundings

In the surroundings are natural zones of a great beauty like the mountainous region of Cuenca and its “Ciudad encantada”, the magic city.

Festivals

Festivals of San Mateo, the 18 to the 21 of September (declared regional tourist interest). Its festivals commemorate the “conquista” of Cuenca, the reconquest by Alfonso VIII. During these festivities, the “peñas” fill up the streets of colors, of music and of traditional “will zurra”, a wine-based drink, secret fruits and other ingredients. One also runs after young cows in an impromptu arena of the Great Place.
Semana Santa, the Holy Week, declared International Tourist Interest

Famous characters

Henri d' Aragon, Marquis de Villena (Cuenca, 1384-Madrid, 1434)

Ideologist and writer, of the dynasty of Trastamare, and Large Master of Calatrava

See too

References

Internal bonds

External bonds

Town hall of Cuenca
Spanish National institute of Statistics
UNESCO: World heritage

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