Meeting the vice president.
On the walking tour of Cuenca, our guide pointed out the newly elected vice president was here. I went to take a closer picture, and an aide noticed me and asked if I wanted to speak to her. I said yes. He announced I was an extranjero (foreigner). I told her I lived and worked in Quito and love Ecuador. I did that in Spanish. I was amazed at how close everyone was to her and how little security there was.
The cathedral
The cathedral is amazing. It had been designed by someone in Europe but the full design could not be realized as the building materials were different to make such a tall design. Because of this they did not put a bell in the tower.
The history of the cathedral dates back to the reconquest of Cuenca by Alfonso VIII of Castile in 1177. The cathedral was actually constructed on the site of a former mosque, and I wonder what conqueror brought that religion in and when. The initial construction of the cathedral took place during the transition from the Romanesque to Gothic period, resulting in a unique blend of architecture. Subsequent renovations and additions were with the last restoration in the 20th century after a tower collapsed.
The glass in the domes came from Spain. The marble in the cathedral from Italy.
The tiles in the towers came from Czechoslovakia.
The town square
Food
Other pictures
Other buildings
