Churches

Churches in Cuenca Ecuador

Cathedral of the Inmaculada Concepción (Immaculate Conception)

It is the biggest structure in the historical center of Cuenca. Its façade stands out since it is built in red marble, completed with brick, looking classy. In its construction style the Renaissance eclectics are blended for their form in "H", very evident, and with Gothic touches which stand out mainly by the circular window works that adorn its enormous façade.

Its great size prevails and it stands out visible, in the pleasant atmosphere of the "Abdón Calderón" Park. It has three domes which almost reach 50 meters high. The three pavilions inside its structure can hold more than 10.000 people.

Inside the church some attractive objects can be admired such as "the Rosette" that is an enormous window work, in round form, in the front of the church; the baldachin that constitutes the main attractiveness inside the church is constituted of wooden art bathed on gold leaves.

The main imposing altar is covered with an enormous marble work, of 4 meters long, which rests on 12 columns worked in brass. This church was completed in 1967, as part of the "New Cathedral" as people recognizes it. The Cathedral is located on Benigno Malo and Mariscal Sucre Streets.

Church of San Sebastián

This church served as a reference to establish the western limit of the city in times of the colony. The beautiful door worked in wood stands out in its facade. Inside it is constituted by three pavilions separated with towers and wooden pillars. In front of this church is the Cross of San Sebastián which served as a limit of the city.

Inside this temple you can appreciate a single body of construction of Neoclassicist style that contrasts with the Gothic style of the arch on the main door. Its sui generic style is defined by the external superior structure dominated by a single tower of Baroque Gothic style, due to the shape of its steeple. This church was restored in recent years. It is located on Simón Bolívar and Coronel Talbot Street.

Church of San Alfonso

Its construction dates from 1875. In its construction style the Gothic style in the tip of its towers can be observed. Inside the temple, its columns with a finish work of Corinthian style stand out. It has three front access doors with carved wooden doors. Also oil based paintings are shown which are still framed in their original framings. It is located on Simón Bolívar and Antonio Borrero Streets.

San Blas Church

As well as San Sebastian was the western limit of the city, in a time, at the same time, and for almost 20 years, San Blas' church was considered the east limit of Cuenca, inside the "Neighborhoods of Below", like people knowns this populous area.

Their construction dates from XVI century. It presents a quite complex facade in comparison to the modest church that was before they reconstructed it, by the middle of the XX century.
A group of columns, recovered facades of tiles, red marble and brick complete this structure that was constituted in form of a Latin cross. It is in the street Bolívar and Manuel Vega.

Church of Carmen of Asunción

Carmen's monastery dates of 1682. The temple was built later, in the XVIII century, with renacentism touches where it highlights the Baroque thing. It stands out to simple her dressed armed facade of carved stone and in recovered parts of marble, that are the difference feature who separate from other Cuenca’s churches. It also stands out the carved image of the Virgin of Asunción and the shield of the order. In their interior we find an only ship, with a recovered altar of bread of gold and in their interior they highlight the ornament details in form of flowers, be colored or carved. In front of this temple is Flores' traditional Square. It is located in the street Sucre and Father Aguirre.

Church of Conceptas

This temple was conceived in a beginning as convent and not as a church for what its structure is rather simple, without many decorations. It dates of the year 1686. Externally it doesn't present a main door as it is common in the other churches, rather just has 2 lateral accesses with wooden doors with an exquisite decoration. Steeple presents a peculiarity, since it is not located in the traditional tower, but rather in a wider structure, made up of three small steeples, compactly united. In their interior it highlights their enormous altarpiece, in the biggest altar, recovered of bread of gold that is furnitured by their several columns of diverse styles, appropriate with mirrors. It is located in the street Borrero and President Córdova

Church of Todos los Santos

Well-known as San Marcos in the colonial old Cuenca, it was constituted in the first church built in Cuenca. It is in the proximities of El Barranco and form part important inside the old neighborhood All Santos. Their facade conjugates Renaissance, eclectic and neoclassical details, inclusive with details of Gothic in the one finishes off in form of tip of its tower. The original pattern included a straw roof on a floor ballasted with a very simple altar. The walls of the temple are made of adobe. Nowadays alone it can visit her on Sundays, at 18h00 o'clock, when he/she takes place the sacred mass. It is located in the Calle Larga and Todos los Santos.

Church of Santo Domingo

This temple was finished in the year of 1926, after two decades of work, to transform it in the second bigger church of the city. In their facade stands out immediate their enormous twin towers. In the interior, the three ships with those that it counts escort the biggest altar that is made of marble. The details with worked wood stand out inside the finishes of the church. Inside their facilities it is preserved an impressive collection of paintings that conserve their original marks that date of the XVIII century.

Church of San Francisco

This church dates of the end of the Nineteenth Century. A great tower is appreciated on its exterior façade; and 3 pavilions make room for the faithful people inside and at the same time they become the place from where the altarpieces are appreciated. These are carved in wood and covered of gold leaves, in which some sculptures from great art masters of the Colonial time are seated. The temple was restored in 1920 and 1970.

Cathedral Del Sagrario (The Sacrarium)

This church was built in 1557. The construction of the temple began almost 10 years after the foundation. It consists of 3 internal pavilions separated by walls and wooden columns. It has a main altar at the back of the main pavilion and it has 7 lateral pavilions. The construction style stays even though it was reconstructed in the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries. Religious events no longer take place in this church because it is in the process of becoming a museum of religious art. It is located on Luis Cordero and Mariscal Sucre Streets.

Church of Turi

The distric of Turi is in a privileged position and it is considered as the vantage point of the city. Its church with dates of the 20s can be admired; it is composed of 3 pavilions built on top of the hill. The materials that were used for this construction are: wood for the doors, eaves and columns, tile for the floor and walls and roof made of tile, adobe and brick.

Church of the Sacred Cenacle

The main objective for the creation of this temple was to "perpetuate the ritual of the Sacred Sacrament" by the initiative of Bishop Matovelle in 1892. His efforts bore fruit in 1894 when the "first stone" was placed in a land that belonged to President Luis Cordero and some private donations were offered. The church was opened in December 31, 1900 and it has been used for new century celebrations. The original plan includes columns, capitals and cornices of Roman style. A single altar with an enormous stone extracted from the Tomebamba River stand out inside the temple.

Church of La Merced

After several years of the construction of the Church of La Merced in Quito, a request was lifted by the congregation of Cuenca for a similar temple in the city. The temple of La Merced was a home for the Lazarous Mission Priests as well as for the Oblatos.
Julio Matovelle´s body was veiled in this temple. As part of its art, it has paintings of the Sleeping Virgin to which a divine appearance is attributed as it is believed her image appeared carved in a rock in the area of the thermal waters of Baños. The same sculpture is inside this church.

Church of Vergel

This small temple is besides the Tomebamba River, it has 2 medium sized pavilions and its construction structure is modern since it was rebuilt in 1951 due to a flood that destroyed the first structure.