Cuenca Spain Hanging Houses
by Joan Carroll
Title
Cuenca Spain Hanging Houses
Artist
Joan Carroll
Medium
Photograph - Photography And Digital Art
Description
Cuenca Spain has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1996 and is most famous for Las Casas Colgadas or ‘hanging houses’ whose balconies hang out over the cliffs of the Huecar Gorge. The entire Huecar Gorge was originally lined with ‘hanging houses’ of which only 3 remain today. Their origin remains uncertain, though there is proof of their existence in the 15th century when a topographical artist included them in his panoramic view of Cuenca. They are built on and over a rock formation. One interpretation as to why the houses were built out over the cliffside is that it was “the absolute maximization of available space that the 15th through 18th centuries could provide… the City of Cuenca lacked the option to spread out as population grew, so they did the next best: they expanded upwards, and outwards.” Also, “the houses reach a height of three or four floors, but some have up to 10 storys (sic) inside, where they are built into the side of the ravine.” Truly an architectural wonder! They were restored in the 20th century and in an irony of ironies, they now house, in part, an art museum sporting an interior with clean lines and featuring abstract and modern art!
FEATURED PHOTO, No Place Like Home group, 3/9/19
FEATURED PHOTO, Pin Me - Daily group, 3/8/19
FEATURED PHOTO< Mind Blowing Photography group, 3/5/19
FEATURED PHOTO, UNESCO World Heritage Sites group, 3/4/19
FEATURED PHOTO, IMAGINATION-ARTISTRY-CREATIVITY, 2/25/19
FEATURED PHOTO, Arts Fantastic World group, 2/17/19
FEATURED PHOTO, Picturesque Neighborhoods Of The World group, 2/12/19
FEATURED PHOTO, The Road To Self Promotion group, 2/11/19
joan carroll, culture, wooden, precipice, cliffside, architecture, village, travel, landmark, ancient, tourism, cliff, city, town, famous, old, medieval, rural
Protected with PIXSY
Uploaded
February 11th, 2019
Embed
Share
