El Vado Traditional Neighborhood

The inhabitants of this traditional neighborhood in Cuenca consider the place as a cultural relic, because it preserves many characteristics of the city of the past and is a source of inspiration for craftsmen and artists, due to the presence of the Tomebamba River Ravine, the typical climb and the Cross.

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The culture and memory of Cuenca are still alive in El Vado, aspects that can only be experienced when walking along its paths and entering its houses, to share with the people. The neighborhood is full of characters. El Vado is so named because it was and still is one of the most important access points to the Historic Center of Cuenca from the south, crossing the unpredictable Tomebamba River.

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The buildings in the sector preserve colonial and republican styles, which are complemented by its cobblestone streets. The "Casa de la Lira", birthplace of the musician José María Rodríguez, is famous. The main street is called La Condamine in homage to one of the scientists of the French Geodesic Mission of the 18th century. The hanging houses of the Ravine are also admired. The history of the site goes back to the first years of the Spanish colonization, when the conquerors were looking for a visible place to place the christian cross.

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The main activities that take place in El Vado are crafts and art. Among the craftsmen, there are master luthiers or instrument makers, tinsmiths, forge workers, saddlers, hairdressers, barbers, embroiderers, pyrotechnic, hat makers or bakers. An intense artistic activity revolves around the El Prohibido Cultural Center, which contains a museum of extreme art, a meeting place for cultural managers and actors of the city or for the activity of bohemian groups.

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Within the framework of the local culture, El Vado’s festivals are renowned and mentioned in poems and popular songs, such as "Por eso te quiero Cuenca" to the rhythm of "capizhca", as well as its athletic competitions in the month of May.