Tuesday, July 3, 2012

Cuenca - Spain

Cuenca is a city in the autonomous community of Castile–La Mancha in central Spain. I've never been there but i'd love too. The city is a popular day or weekend trip from Madrid, to which it is very well connected.
Historic Walled Town of Cuenca is an World Heritage Site since 1996.

 I've bought this card in a street fair the last time i've been to Madrid.
Built by the Moors in a defensive position at the heart of the Caliphate of Cordoba, Cuenca is an unusually well-preserved medieval fortified city. Conquered by the Castilians in the 12th century, it became a royal town and bishopric endowed with important buildings, such as Spain's first Gothic cathedral, and the famous casas colgadas (hanging houses), suspended from sheer cliffs overlooking the Huécar river. Taking full advantage of its location, the city towers above the magnificent countryside. - in: http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/781/
 © FISA - ESCUDO DE ORO, S. A. - Barcelona
On this card, sent by Luis, there's an example of how the hanging houses look like.
The Casas Colgadas (translated as Hanging Houses), is a complex of civil houses. In the past this kind of houses was frequent in the eastern border of the antique city, located near the ravine of the river Huécar. Today, however, there are only a few of them remaining. Of all of these structures, the most well-known is a group of three with wooden balconies.
Its origin remains uncertain. There is proof of their existence from the 15th century. Throughout their history they have been refurbished several times. The most recent took place during the 1920's.
They have been used as individual homes, council houses, and currently the host to a mesón, a type of restaurant, and the Museo de Arte Abstracto Español (Spanish Abstract Art Museum), in Cuenca. - in: wikipedia

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