Toquilla Straw Hats at Lazareto District

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Places to visit within 30 km.

Workshop-Museum of the Toquilla Straw Hat by Paredes Family

The traditional weaving of the Ecuadorian toquilla straw hat is Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity declared by UNESCO since December 5, 2012. In Cuenca there is a Hat Museum, owned by the Paredes-Roldán family, dedicated to the public dissemination of this centennial craft. The Museum opened its doors in 2007. A traditional house of the Tomebamba river’s ravine, with more than a century of antiquity. The house was converted into cultural center, to make known to the world a family tradition for generations: the production and commercialization of the toquilla straw hat. The Paredes Roldán house is also part of the El Vado neighborhood, an important area of handicraft activity in Cuenca. Its Museum tells in detail the history and the present of a craftwork admired in the world. The objective is that the tourist has a first class and pedagogical experience, about the toquilla straw hat in the Southern Region of Ecuador. The Hat Museum is divided into several rooms, which exhibit different collections: tools that were used to make custom hats, recreation of a workshop for arranging hats and what are the steps for the elaboration of a hat (harvesting, processing of the fiber and weaving). All this craft industry is supported by the skillful hands of thousands of Ecuadorian craftsmen and women. In the factory, visitors can appreciate live the making of the hat, from the hand-weaving in a traditional way, the work of the potting machines, the steam presses and the finishing with the making of bands and tafiletes (leather decorative borders). In the sales area, those interested can purchase a finished hat, which can be perfectly adjusted to the different head sizes. There is a great variety of models and designs. The cultural complex also has spaces for events, a cafeteria, a gallery and the terrace with a panoramic view of the Tomebamba river’s ravine and the south of the city.

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Tramway of Cuenca

Ecuador's first modern streetcar began operating in Cuenca. It connects the old Control Sur with the Industrial Park in the north. At its maximum capacity it can carry an estimated 120,000 passengers each day. During the trip, the urban train crosses the Historical Center of Cuenca, a World Heritage Site. This is its main attraction, since its panoramic windows allow passengers to observe, with total clarity, the architectural heritage of the city along 4 km. It is a first class tourist experience through Gran Colombia Street up and Mariscal Lamar Street down. In order to combat environmental pollution, vehicle congestion, noise and its associated nuisances, several municipal administrations made the political and planning decision to begin, continue and conclude tramway construction. The technical data of the work are: 27 stations, 20.4 km of round trip, track gauge of 143.5 cm, 22 to 25 km per hour of average speed. It takes 35 minutes to cover 10.7 km, from the first station in the south to the last station in the north. During peak hours, a tram passes every 6 minutes. A special roadway was built to protect the Historical Centre from vibrations and the energy is transmitted by a third underground rail. Today, thousands of reasons abound to justify the operation of a city train. The main ones highlight the use of advanced technologies, which make it an accessible, silent, fast, comfortable and environmentally friendly means of transport. Being a public company, it is also an alternative to transport in the hands of private monopolies. In Ecuador during the first half of the 20th century, similar experiences of public transport were implemented in the cities of Quito and Guayaquil. But the development of more modern infrastructure and the massive use of buses ended up bankrupting them. They stopped working around 1950.

0.11 Km.

Blacksmith's & Traditional Food District

Interest : Culture Type: Historic Neighborhood Friendly to: children, families, seniors, handicapped, pets Relevant categories: Cuenca's Historic District World Cultural Site by UNESCO - Within Cajas Massif Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO - Cultural National Heritage by the Ecuadorian Government Hours: Open all days 09:00 - 20:00 Las Herrerías. Special area of the World Cultural Heritage of Cuenca. Historically this street was part of the Qhapaq Ñan, later renamed Camino Real during the colonial period. According to the testimony of the German sage Humboldt, who walked the small street at the beginning of the 19th century, the vestiges of the famous Inca road between Ingachaca and Chaguarchimbana could be seen. It was one of the roads leading to the south. It passed through San Juan del Valle towards Loja and Peru. The other was the Loja Avenue. These two spaces concentrated the activities of blacksmithing and forging. The location of the blacksmith's trade concluded by giving it the name. In 1974 it was renamed Las Herrerías. Its previous name was Antonio Valdivieso. Part of its urban landscape are the old houses, most of them single-storey, the Casa de Chaguarchimbana and the Plaza del Herrero. The "blacksmiths" are the characteristic of the sector. The tradition of Las Herrerías was founded on the work of iron or metalworking. Individuals and families have dedicated themselves to this craft for several generations. The activity of blacksmithing disappeared and the craftsmen now make decorative objects for homes: ridge crosses, doors, grilles, locks, horseshoes, hinges, chisels, hoes, lamps, bars. The limit is creativity. Initially a man's trade, now the women keep it. Necessity obliges. The same families that were dedicated to blacksmithing, have turned their business around, opening food stores along the way, with a lot of tradition. 15 women have different options for a good breakfast, a mid-morning snack or for the reunion with friends and family in the evening. Mainly humitas or chumales, tamales, quimbolitos (all wrapped in a corn base), empanadas, tigrillos and bolones de verde with chicharon or cheese, corn and yucca tortillas, coffee, chocolate, melcocha, and ice cream. La Herrerías, another point in Cuenca that invites you to connect with the past, the calm and peaceful life of an Andean town. Source: Fundación Municipal Turismo para Cuenca

0.11 Km.

10 de Agosto Market

Interest : Culture Type: Food and Supply Market Class : Urban Friendly with: children, families, seniors Relevant categories : Historic Center of Cuenca, Cultural Heritage of Humanity UNESCO - Within the Macizo del Cajas Biosphere Reserve UNESCO - Within Cuenca, National Cultural Heritage of Ecuador Hours : Monday to Sunday 07:00 - 18:00. The Historic Center of the city of Cuenca has three popular markets: August 10, October 9 and November 3, which curiously represent the three main dates of the Ecuadorian Independence process. Of these, the Mercado 10 de Agosto is the most central; a total mix of people, smells, colors and tastes. Visiting it may seem like a bizarre experience, but soon after being on the site this feeling disappears and despite its modernist structure, inside it preserves the characteristics of a popular Andean market intact. It was inaugurated on November 3, 1954. Years ago they remodeled it, placing two escalators to access the second floor, the food court. And on its façade, local artists painted three enormous murals in which they represented the symbols of Cuencanity: The Cathedral, the Plaza de los Flores, the Chola Cuencana and the Barranco. Tourists are surprised to find escalators in such a popular place. It has become a gastronomic custom for visitors to go to the food stalls on the upper floor, due to their cheap prices and because there they can consume a variety of traditional and typical dishes of Cuencan and Ecuadorian food: pork hornado, potatoes with leather or "crazy potatoes", corn or "mote" in its different preparations, potato tortilla or "llapingacho", lunches, smoothies and much more. The 10 de Agosto Market is also famous for its section of medicinal plants where it is possible to access an ancient healing method known as "clean", a process that has been inherited from generation to generation of herbalists and herbalists, vendors who know the properties plant healing. Vegetables, meats, handicrafts, fruits, sweets, all kinds of supplies and above all the spontaneous affection of people for foreigners, are part of this small world. Source: Fundación Municipal Turismo para Cuenca

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San Francisco Square, Market & Church

San Francisco Square is located in the Historical Center of Cuenca and contains three spaces of very dynamic social relations: The Square, the Church, and the Little Square. The Plaza of San Francisco is important for the history of Cuenca, since 1558, one year after the Foundation, Gil Ramírez Dávalos destined this site as a public space for the exchange and sale of agricultural products or "Plaza de la Feria". Therefore, the use given to this Plaza was never changed over the centuries. For 60 years, stalls selling all kinds of clothing have been located here. The artisans of Otavalo are very popular in San Francisco. They come from an aboriginal ethnic group from the province of Imbabura in the north of Ecuador. They for sale in the portals products such as ponchos, scarves, hats and shawls, articles woven with alpaca or llama wool. It is a unique place, full of color and interculturality, where it is possible to resort to an ancient custom, the "bargaining". The current commercial use is mainly for non-perishable products: clothes, shoes, household items, etc. In 2019 the Square was reopened, after undergoing modernization works, with the expansion of public space and the relocation of the stalls of 120 vendors in the side areas. A water fountain, new lighting, street furniture and obstacles to the view were removed in order to improve security. Visitors to the Plaza San Francisco can now move around more comfortably for cultural, religious or craft tourism. The Pasaje León, the Casa de la Mujer and the Centro Municipal Artesanal (CEMUART) were integrated into the Plaza. Next to the Square, the neoclassical San Francisco Church was completed in 1789. During the 20th century and the first years of the 21st century the chruch underwent several readjustments and remodeling. It was the seat of the Franciscan religious community until the 19th century, hence the origin of its name. Its most valuable asset is the high altar covered in gold leaf and important works of religious art. The Plazoleta (a piazza), which is integrated as a single complex to the church, is currently used for public performances, social and cultural events in the city.

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Casa de la Mujer (Woman's House) craft center

The Centro Municipal Artesanal (CEMUART)-Casa de la Mujer, promotes the fair commercialization of Cuenca's artisan products, since 1998. CEMUART is located in an old patrimonial house, in front of San Francisco Square, in the Historical Center. Inside, there are more than a hundred commercial premises with all kinds of handicrafts. Tourists can find almost the entire range of souvenirs to take home to family and friends. Toquilla straw hats, silver and gold filigree jewelry, textiles, wood carvings, ceramics, basketry, tagua, Andean musical instruments, glass, leather objects such as belts, bags and wallets, etc. A special place to find a gift, all under the same roof. The name Casa de la Mujer has its origin in the need to emphasize the important role of women in the artisan trades and their ability to perform them as a life option and to maintain their homes. Although the site is very well located and easily accessible, organized craftsmen and women take advantage of holidays and important dates in the city to hold outdoor fairs in much more central locations such as the block of the Cathedral, Sucre Street and Benigno Malo. CEMUART is an encounter with design, color, variety and cultural influence from all over the world. Its craftsmen and women are duly qualified. The cultural richness of Cuenca exhibited in these small stands puts something for all tastes within reach. The interior courtyard and its premises are covered. Buying handicrafts has this comfort even on rainy days. A nice feature is the dialogue that the visitor can initiate with the artisans, while watching their work and products. When people visit Cuenca, they want to know where they can find a souvenir. Bring a little culture. If there is no time to shop, you should go to the Casa de la Mujer. It's an option that could save a long walk around the city.

0.26 Km.