Community hub
Recent from talks
Knowledge base stats:
Talk channels stats:
Members stats:
Cuenca, Ecuador
Cuenca, officially Santa Ana de los Ríos de Cuenca, is an Ecuadorian city, head of the canton of the same name and capital of the province of Azuay, as well as its largest and most populated city. It is crossed by the Tomebamba, Tarqui, Yanuncay and Machángara rivers, in the south-central inter-Andean region of Ecuador, in the Paute river basin, at an altitude of 2,538 meters above sea level and with a temperate Andean climate averaging 16.3 °C.
It has been locally called "Cuenca of the Andes" or "Athens of Ecuador" for its architecture, its cultural diversity, its contribution to Ecuadorian arts, sciences and literature, and for being the birthplace of many illustrious figures of Ecuadorian society. At the 2022 census it had a population of 596,101 inhabitants, making it the third most populous city in the country behind Guayaquil and Quito. The city is the core of the Cuenca metropolitan area, which is also made up of nearby rural towns and parishes. The conglomerate also ranks third among Ecuador's conurbations.
It was founded on April 12, 1557, on the ruins of the Inca city of Tomebamba (a major administrative center) and the Cañari city of Guapondelig, by Gil Ramírez Dávalos, under orders of the viceroy of Peru Andrés Hurtado de Mendoza. During the 20th century, the city continued to grow, promoting education and culture, and in 1999 its historic center was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is one of Ecuador's most important administrative, economic, financial and commercial centers. The city's main activities are commerce and industry; in recent years, Cuenca has also established itself as an international tourist attraction.[citation needed]
The city is named Santa Ana de los Ríos de Cuenca in honor of the city of Cuenca in Spain, birthplace of the Spanish viceroy of Peru Andrés Hurtado de Mendoza, who was the one who ordered the Spanish Gil Ramírez Dávalos to found the city and the fact that this place, in its geographical features, is very similar to the Spanish city. Viceroy Andrés Hurtado was also at that time High Guard of the European city of Cuenca, and it was then a gift from the conquistador to the viceroy. In addition, the name "de los Ríos" includes the fact that it is crossed by the rivers: Tomebamba, Tarqui, Yanuncay and Machángara. The rest of the name comes from the Spanish tradition of dedicating new cities to a saint of the Catholic Church, in this case Saint Anne.
“The plateau is a place treasured by empires," comments Jeffrey Herlihy-Mera. "The Cañari then Inca and then Spanish occupied the region in the last two millennia, each renaming it in their own language. Now the capital city is called Cuenca and the province Azuay.”
According to studies and archeological discoveries, the origins of the first inhabitants go back to the year 8060 BC in the Cave of Chopsi. They were hunters, hunting everything the Páramo offered them, and nomads, following the animals and seasons. Their culture is represented by tools such as arrows and spears, which have been found throughout the Andean valley. The culture was most present about 5585 BC.
Later, the early indigenous people used the stable climate, fertile soil, and abundant water to develop agriculture. They grew potatoes, melloco, chocho, squash, and quinoa. They also domesticated animals such as cuys (guinea pigs) and camelids: llamas and alpacas.
Their technology was also advanced. For example, they began creating ceramics. In fact, ceramics constitute the greatest number of artifacts which archeologists use to study their culture. The period from 5000 BCE to 2000 BCE is not well represented in the archeological record. Beginning around 2000 BCE, the people developed a more highly organized society, demonstrating delegated responsibilities, such as the managing of water and control of plagues. People were specialized as administrative and religious authorities (known as shamans). This occurred during the periods of Chaullabamba, Huayco, Pirincay, Monjas, Putushio, Huancarcucho, and Jubones. From then until 500 AD began the periods of Tacalshapa III and the Cañari people, who were absorbed into the Incas in the 15th century.
Hub AI
Cuenca, Ecuador AI simulator
(@Cuenca, Ecuador_simulator)
Cuenca, Ecuador
Cuenca, officially Santa Ana de los Ríos de Cuenca, is an Ecuadorian city, head of the canton of the same name and capital of the province of Azuay, as well as its largest and most populated city. It is crossed by the Tomebamba, Tarqui, Yanuncay and Machángara rivers, in the south-central inter-Andean region of Ecuador, in the Paute river basin, at an altitude of 2,538 meters above sea level and with a temperate Andean climate averaging 16.3 °C.
It has been locally called "Cuenca of the Andes" or "Athens of Ecuador" for its architecture, its cultural diversity, its contribution to Ecuadorian arts, sciences and literature, and for being the birthplace of many illustrious figures of Ecuadorian society. At the 2022 census it had a population of 596,101 inhabitants, making it the third most populous city in the country behind Guayaquil and Quito. The city is the core of the Cuenca metropolitan area, which is also made up of nearby rural towns and parishes. The conglomerate also ranks third among Ecuador's conurbations.
It was founded on April 12, 1557, on the ruins of the Inca city of Tomebamba (a major administrative center) and the Cañari city of Guapondelig, by Gil Ramírez Dávalos, under orders of the viceroy of Peru Andrés Hurtado de Mendoza. During the 20th century, the city continued to grow, promoting education and culture, and in 1999 its historic center was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is one of Ecuador's most important administrative, economic, financial and commercial centers. The city's main activities are commerce and industry; in recent years, Cuenca has also established itself as an international tourist attraction.[citation needed]
The city is named Santa Ana de los Ríos de Cuenca in honor of the city of Cuenca in Spain, birthplace of the Spanish viceroy of Peru Andrés Hurtado de Mendoza, who was the one who ordered the Spanish Gil Ramírez Dávalos to found the city and the fact that this place, in its geographical features, is very similar to the Spanish city. Viceroy Andrés Hurtado was also at that time High Guard of the European city of Cuenca, and it was then a gift from the conquistador to the viceroy. In addition, the name "de los Ríos" includes the fact that it is crossed by the rivers: Tomebamba, Tarqui, Yanuncay and Machángara. The rest of the name comes from the Spanish tradition of dedicating new cities to a saint of the Catholic Church, in this case Saint Anne.
“The plateau is a place treasured by empires," comments Jeffrey Herlihy-Mera. "The Cañari then Inca and then Spanish occupied the region in the last two millennia, each renaming it in their own language. Now the capital city is called Cuenca and the province Azuay.”
According to studies and archeological discoveries, the origins of the first inhabitants go back to the year 8060 BC in the Cave of Chopsi. They were hunters, hunting everything the Páramo offered them, and nomads, following the animals and seasons. Their culture is represented by tools such as arrows and spears, which have been found throughout the Andean valley. The culture was most present about 5585 BC.
Later, the early indigenous people used the stable climate, fertile soil, and abundant water to develop agriculture. They grew potatoes, melloco, chocho, squash, and quinoa. They also domesticated animals such as cuys (guinea pigs) and camelids: llamas and alpacas.
Their technology was also advanced. For example, they began creating ceramics. In fact, ceramics constitute the greatest number of artifacts which archeologists use to study their culture. The period from 5000 BCE to 2000 BCE is not well represented in the archeological record. Beginning around 2000 BCE, the people developed a more highly organized society, demonstrating delegated responsibilities, such as the managing of water and control of plagues. People were specialized as administrative and religious authorities (known as shamans). This occurred during the periods of Chaullabamba, Huayco, Pirincay, Monjas, Putushio, Huancarcucho, and Jubones. From then until 500 AD began the periods of Tacalshapa III and the Cañari people, who were absorbed into the Incas in the 15th century.