Cuenca
[key], city, alt. c.8,000 ft (2,440 m), capital of Azuay prov., S central
Ecuador. Founded in 1557, Cuenca is in one of the richest agricultural
basins of the Ecuadorian Andes and is the commercial center of S Ecuador.
The chief industry is the weaving of Panama hats. Although isolated from the
north and the coast until roads were cut through the Andes in the 1950s, the
city has modernized in recent years and tourism is on the increase. Cuenca
is known as the “marble city” because of its many fine
buildings, including the cathedral, government palace, and two
universities.
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