Sightseeing in Cuenca, Ecuador
El Sagrario Church, the Weekly Market, Museums and More
Cuenca is famous for its handicrafts, art and jewelry galleries, churches and museums. Explore this traditional Ecuadorian town.
There are over 50 churches and monasteries, many of them museums, in Cuenca, as well as beautiful gardens, a famous handicraft market and other cultural museums. (Always check visiting hours and entrance fees before planning a trip, as they may change.)
Old Cathedral (El Sagrario)
At the corner of Mariscal Sucre and Luis Cordero St. sits El Sagrario Church, one of the oldest churches in Latin America. Built in 1557, the Incas used blocks from the Pomango Palace in its construction. Marble floors and a gold-leaf altar adorn its interior. The church gained posterity when it was used as a reference point from which to calculate the Earth’s circumference by the French Geodesic Mission to Ecuador in the eighteenth century. It was replaced in the late 1880s by the new cathedral. Currently it is being remodeled as a museum.
New Cathedral (Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception)
Made of alabaster and marble, this cathedral is one of the largest on the continent. Construction of the church began in 1880, when the old cathedral was deemed too small to handle the city’s growing devout. It was built in front of the Old Cathedral on the corner of Mariscal Sucre and Benigno Malo. Easily recognizable by its blue and white domes, the cathedral towers above central Cuenca. Pink marble from Carrara, Italy, was imported for its floors.
All Saints Church (Iglesia de Todos los Santos)
One of the oldest churches in Cuenca, this church was the site of the first Catholic mass celebrated after the Spaniards arrived. It also houses the statue of Santa Ana, the patron saint of the city. Located at the junction where Calle Larga and Bajada de Todos los Santos meet.
Weekly Market
Market day is Thursday. Find fresh produce, meat, fish, and poultry, as well as gold and silver filigree jewelry, wool sweaters, leather goods, ceramics, and traditional weavings. If you can’t attend the Thursday fair, come out to the smaller Saturday market for some good deals. Location: main squares 9 de octubre and 10 de agosto.
El Carmen de Asunción Church and Monastery
Near the main square and to the right of the local daily flower market is this church and monastery. Unchanged from its original condition in the seventeenth century, this church holds religious art pieces from the Colonial Period.
Central Bank Museum
Learn more about the history of Ecuador’s currency at this museum. There is also an archaeological museum displaying Inca ruins that were built in-situ over Cañari ruins. It is located on Hayna Capac Ave across from Calle Larga. Visiting hours run from 9 am – 6 pm Monday through Friday, and 9 am – 1 pm on Saturdays. Entrance fees are $3 for adults and $1.50 for children and students.
Modern Art Museum
Here you can find a permanent collection of contemporary art by local and national artists. Located at the corner of Calle Sucre and Coronel Talbot, this museum is open on Mondays to Fridays from 8 am – 1pm and 3 pm – 6.30 pm.
Museum of Indigenous Cultures
As homage to the many indigenous cultures of Ecuador, this museum (Calle Larga 5-24) features archeological pieces from the first indigenous civilizations in Ecuador to those that lived here until the sixteenth century. Open Monday to Friday from 8:30 am – 6:30 pm and Saturdays from 9 am – 1 pm.
Municipal Musuem Remigio Crespo Toral
Named after the famous poet, Remigio Crespo Toral, this museum displays an interesting collection of gold objects from the Chordeleg and Cañari cultures. For those wanting to know more about the history of the city, you can also learn about the city’s foundation and independence from the Spaniards. The museum also has an assortment of colonial paintings and religious art. Visiting hours are 8:30 am – 1 pm and 3 pm –6.30 Monday to Friday, and 10 am to 1 pm on Saturdays.
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