Cuenca – living on the edge of a cliff

Getting to Cuenca

If you travel by car and your route runs from Madrid to Valencia or vice versa, be sure to visit Cuenca. This small town with a rich history has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is here that you will find the famous hanging houses of Cuenca.

Cuenca is located 200 km northwest of Valencia and 168 km east of Madrid. The most convenient and fastest way to get there is by car (from Madrid 1 hour 46 minutes), but you can also take the train (from Madrid 3 hours 8 minutes).

Cuenca, the capital of the province of the same name, which forms part of the Autonomouse Community of Castile-La Mancha. The town is located at an average altitude of 946 m above sea level on a rocky hill bordered by the Hukar River from the north and its affluent from the south.

The first settlements and fortress (Kunka) were founded by the Arabs in the 8th century, who came, saw and quickly understood the strategic importance of the area. The town has a rather turbulent history.

Impregnable Bastion

The Catholic kings tried for many years to recapture the fortress from the Arabs, and finally it was taken by the troops of the King of Castile Alfonso VIII (in 1177) after an eight-month (!!!) siege. In the future, the Aragonese will try to recapture the fortress from the Castilians, but they will not succeed.

Economy

Cuenca flourished under the reign of the Catholic kings and became a rich city thanks to the textile industry and cattle breeding. In the 16th century the population reached 15,000 inhabitants.

A Series of Unfortunate Events

Soon Cuenca was struck by a series of unfortunate and tragic events: first a plague, then a drought and then a locust invasion. Only 1500 inhabitants remain in the city!

In the 18th century, the economy of the city, which did not have time to recover, was undermined by a new misfortune: King Charles IV forbade the opening of new weaving workshops favouring the Royal Tapestry Factory ….

In 1808 – the war for independence against Napoleon had started, the city – was plundered more than 9 times, and the inhabitants were massacred.

In 1874, Cuenca was taken over by the Carlists, and in 1939 the city was taken by the Francoists. In the post-war period, Cuenca inhabitants flee to the richer regions of Spain from an impoverished and half-ruined town…

The Renaissance of Cuenca

It was not until the 1960s and 70s that the city began its revival thanks to the growth of tourism. A new city has sprouted up on the other side of the Hukar River.

In 1996, Cuenca receives recognition of its historical heritage and the status of a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

What should I see in Cuenca? 

• The Cathedral (built from 1182 to 1270) is the first cathedral in Spain built in the Gothic style.

• The monastery of St. Paul (16th century) was abandoned by the monks in 1975 due to the risk of the building collapsing; in the 1990s the building was renovated to become a chain hotel.

• “Skyscraper houses” located along calle Alfonso VIII. From the side of the street, these are 3-4 storey buildings, and from the back they reach 10 floors!

• Museums of Cuenca. There are at least 10 museums in Cuenca, incl. museum of archeology, museum of abstract art, museum of sciences and diocesan museum with an impressive collection of objects of religious art.

• Enchanted city. Half an hour from Cuenca is the Enchanted City (Ciudad Encantada) – a natural park with bizarre limestone geological formations, whose age is estimated at tens of millions of years.

• The hanging houses. The most striking attraction of Cuenca are the 15th century houses hanging over the edge of the cliff (Casas Colgadas). This type of building was once very common. To date, only 3 of these houses have survived, one of them houses a museum of abstract art, and the other is a small hotel. To see the hanging houses in all their glory and admire the picturesque surroundings, go down to St. Paul’s Bridge (Puente de San Pablo).

The Delicacies of Castile-La-Mancha

You can´t visit Castile-La Mancha without trying the local delicacies. We do not promise a complete gastronomic excursion, but we will name a few key dishes that you just need to try.

Manchego cheese. Surely you have heard of Manchego cheese (literally “from La Mancha”)? This is probably the most famous Spanish cheese, which is even mentioned in the Don Quixote by Cervantes.

This cheese is made from the milk of a special breed of Manchega sheep. The minimum aging period for such cheese is 30 days, the maximum is 2 years.
There are three main varieties of Manchego cheese: semicurado (1 to 3 months aging), curado (6 to 9 months aging), viejo (9 months). Semicurado – has a delicate creamy taste, the cheese itself is elastic and has a light cream color. Curado is firmer and has a more pronounced taste. Viejo is a hard brittle caramel-colored cheese with a bright aftertaste.
In the restaurant, you can always order a set of cheeses (tabla de quesos) and try different types of this legendary cheese.

Gazpacho Manchego. A traditional dish from La Mancha, not to be confused with Andalusian cold tomato gazpacho soup, they are two completely different dishes! Gazpacho Manchego is made from game (rabbit or poultry, such as partridge). An obligatory ingredient of this dish is special yeast-free unleavened flatbreads (tortas cenceñas or pan ácimo), which are broken into pieces at the end and laid out on top.

Rice with hare (arroz con liebre). Another hunting dish typical of Castilian cuisine. Main ingredients: hare, rice, red pepper, tomato, garlic, white wine, olive oil and salt. There are several varieties of this dish: a drier version, reminiscent of a typical paella, as well as with broth. It is recommended to serve good red wine with the dish.