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Scale the Hanging Houses of Cuenca, Spain
Published by Jeff McCreight, Writer
Country: Spain 
The Experience
A visit to the small Spanish town of Cuenca makes a great day trip from Madrid. Cuenca is famous for its “hanging houses,” and you will find in Cuenca an intact Medieval village hewn from stone and built onto a high bluff in the middle of a canyon. You can see traces of the Moorish culture that originally settled the area, and enough ruins, fortress walls and stone arches to ignite your imagination.
The modern part of the village is a charming seat of local culture. The downtown part offers sidewalk bars and cafés, and all the friendly ambiance and semi-nocturnal social life you would expect from a Castilian town. But up the hill in the old town you'll find the real reason for your visit - the hanging houses of Cuenca. Here, ancient medieval structures of yellow stone stand much as they always have, rising out of the pastoral landscape as though pushed up from the rocks themselves.
The hanging houses are narrow multi-storied dwellings that dramatically abut the cliff edge or even cantilever out over the edge. No one knows for sure who built them, and most people assume it was the Moors who ruled from 714 (the area was uninhabited during Roman times). All over Spain, the Moors brought revolution in the form of new techniques in irrigation and architecture, not to mention their dramatic visual style. People still marvel at the Arabian-looking hilltop fortress towns that dot the Spanish landscape. Along with the great Alhambra in Grenada, Cuenca is a shining example of the form.
As with other examples of the style, the old village at Cuenca reflects Christian changes or rebuilds on top of the Muslim styles, adding new layers of history. There are plentiful churches, a cathedral, ecclesiastical residences, nunneries, and other historical Christian sites to visit. The ruins of an ancient castle that stands at the peak of the hill was originally Moorish. Christian kings later took up residence, and it was a seat of the Spanish Inquisition in the 16th century. The French destroyed it centuries later during Napoleon's reign.
The whole town of Cuenca, Spain is built to interlock on the hilltop, as castle towns were back then. Stone arches connect buildings that flow into multi-levelled plazas where stone fountains and ancient stairways are seamlessly incorporated. Strolling around provides one surprise after another as you discover nooks for statuary, winding stone pathways along the ancient defensive wall with views over the river below, and worn stone benches where hundreds of generations of people have stopped to rest. The hanging houses at Cuenca is a wonderful place to explore on foot. You can see it all in a day, and each turn reveals some new historical tidbit that requires your attention.
Besides wandering around, there are several other worthwhile things to do in this small town. From the hanging houses, cross over the high pedestrian bridge that spans the gorge. This begins a switchback hiking trail that takes you about a mile up the hillside. You'll pass under huge hanging boulders as impressive as the hanging houses that were probably inspired by them. The easy but steep hike gives you a taste of the regional landscape, beautiful in spring when little grassy glens fill up with wild flowers. At the top you reach a huge statue of Jesus Christ, and from his feet is a postcard-worthy view of the whole town if Cuenca.
On your way back down, notice the tall hanging houses across the gorge. One of the most beautiful, with carved overhanging wooded beams, is a Modern Art museum. Circle back around and pay the small entrance fee. The collection of Spanish abstract paintings is quite complete, and the building has been excellently restored, with views that get increasingly better as you spiral up the narrow building.
You'll easily find other things to do and see in Cuenca. It's a great size for strolling, and you won't feel pressured to move fast. Any of a hundred tiny features or views deserves at least a moment to reflect upon and enjoy. Tourism in Cuenca is relatively light, and local food and drink are cheaply available. For a glimpse into a disappeared time and way of life, consider a visit to the hanging houses of Cuenca. This is the Europe of your imagination.
The modern part of the village is a charming seat of local culture. The downtown part offers sidewalk bars and cafés, and all the friendly ambiance and semi-nocturnal social life you would expect from a Castilian town. But up the hill in the old town you'll find the real reason for your visit - the hanging houses of Cuenca. Here, ancient medieval structures of yellow stone stand much as they always have, rising out of the pastoral landscape as though pushed up from the rocks themselves.
The hanging houses are narrow multi-storied dwellings that dramatically abut the cliff edge or even cantilever out over the edge. No one knows for sure who built them, and most people assume it was the Moors who ruled from 714 (the area was uninhabited during Roman times). All over Spain, the Moors brought revolution in the form of new techniques in irrigation and architecture, not to mention their dramatic visual style. People still marvel at the Arabian-looking hilltop fortress towns that dot the Spanish landscape. Along with the great Alhambra in Grenada, Cuenca is a shining example of the form.
As with other examples of the style, the old village at Cuenca reflects Christian changes or rebuilds on top of the Muslim styles, adding new layers of history. There are plentiful churches, a cathedral, ecclesiastical residences, nunneries, and other historical Christian sites to visit. The ruins of an ancient castle that stands at the peak of the hill was originally Moorish. Christian kings later took up residence, and it was a seat of the Spanish Inquisition in the 16th century. The French destroyed it centuries later during Napoleon's reign.
The whole town of Cuenca, Spain is built to interlock on the hilltop, as castle towns were back then. Stone arches connect buildings that flow into multi-levelled plazas where stone fountains and ancient stairways are seamlessly incorporated. Strolling around provides one surprise after another as you discover nooks for statuary, winding stone pathways along the ancient defensive wall with views over the river below, and worn stone benches where hundreds of generations of people have stopped to rest. The hanging houses at Cuenca is a wonderful place to explore on foot. You can see it all in a day, and each turn reveals some new historical tidbit that requires your attention.
Besides wandering around, there are several other worthwhile things to do in this small town. From the hanging houses, cross over the high pedestrian bridge that spans the gorge. This begins a switchback hiking trail that takes you about a mile up the hillside. You'll pass under huge hanging boulders as impressive as the hanging houses that were probably inspired by them. The easy but steep hike gives you a taste of the regional landscape, beautiful in spring when little grassy glens fill up with wild flowers. At the top you reach a huge statue of Jesus Christ, and from his feet is a postcard-worthy view of the whole town if Cuenca.
On your way back down, notice the tall hanging houses across the gorge. One of the most beautiful, with carved overhanging wooded beams, is a Modern Art museum. Circle back around and pay the small entrance fee. The collection of Spanish abstract paintings is quite complete, and the building has been excellently restored, with views that get increasingly better as you spiral up the narrow building.
You'll easily find other things to do and see in Cuenca. It's a great size for strolling, and you won't feel pressured to move fast. Any of a hundred tiny features or views deserves at least a moment to reflect upon and enjoy. Tourism in Cuenca is relatively light, and local food and drink are cheaply available. For a glimpse into a disappeared time and way of life, consider a visit to the hanging houses of Cuenca. This is the Europe of your imagination.
When to Go to Hanging Houses
This highland plateau region of central Spain gets pretty cold in the winter, and very, very hot in the summer. Bring appropriate clothing depending on what time of year you visit. The week before Easter is a fantastic time to visit this UNESCO world heritage site, as it's famous for grand Semana Santa celebrations. You can see the sights by day and watch the spectacle at night.
Odds n' Ends
This region of Spain is very dry, so the two rivers that meet at Cuenca can appear very appealing during the height of summer. Consider staying for an extra day in order to wander the riverside and to visit the man-made beach just up the way.
Places to Stay Nearby
Search over 900,000 global hotel deals from over 30 merchants. Book via Expedia, Travelocity, Hotels.com, Booking.com, Priceline and the websites of popular hotel chains.
Staying at this 16th century convent, which later became a labor home, and located in an exceptional place on the outskirts of the monumental city ... 0 miles away
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With its central location, Hostal Cortes is within easy reach of most tourist attractions and business addresses in Cuenca.All hotel's guestrooms have all the conveniences ... 0 miles away
$33 EUR+
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