I have many wonderful memories of living in Spain and visiting over my life, and Cuenca has a strong case to be one of the most memorable. My family followed me here and my dear late wife Martine really enjoy it so much. We had many memorable moments in Cuenca, Provincia de Cuenca, Autonomous Region of Castilla La Mancha, Kingdom of Spain, I like to tell you more about it.
One of those memorable moments was climbing to the Torre Mangana tower; it has steep steps and rolling street. I was on point and the rest of the family follow begging to slow down lol! We always had a joke about this walk. Let me share it with you, the Torre Mangana of Cuenca. We came looking for the Torre Mangana tower and we did! This is a huge tower on the upper part of the city. The tower is from 1565 and the clock and Cross were added in 1532. This clock mark the official time of Cuenca even today! There is ongoing excavations below it closed to the public, as the base of the tower on the plaza de Mangana,was where the neighoborhood of Arabs and later the Jewish quarter in medieval times and finally the Christian area of Santa María(Saint Mary). Today it is a symbol of the city of Cuenca.
During the second half of the 19C, it was decided to change the top of the Mongana tower as it was in not the best shape by 1862 . In 1926, the appearance of the tower will change considerably. The walls were covered with a rich and colorful decoration in plaster, inspired by Islamic motifs, mainly North African; while the staggered battlements that finished off the tower refer us like the mosque of Cordoba. But this picturesque and exotic neo-Mudejar tower would not be the definitive one, the Torre Mangana was once again remodelled in 1970. With this restoration, it was intended to dignify the tower that had great importance for Cuenca, as it had become one of city’s symbols. This project encase the tower and give it a fortified and defensive character that, as part of the old wall, it had originally had ; it provided the construction with a very powerful corbel, and finished it without a roof.
By starting in Plaza de la Merced, you can already see the Torre Mangana tower looming before going to the Plaza de Mangana. You will do good to stop to contemplate the façade that is carved in stone that is just before reaching the tower, which belongs to an entry from the Cuenca Seminary: Mangana means machine in Arabic. It is known that in the 16C this 28-meter-high tower was remodeled or perhaps was built, in which a cross, a weather vane and a spire crowned this tower, and in which the clock was installed giving the time to the residents of the city. or more surely is that the Mangana Tower was part of the wall of this Arab fortification. The great Alcazar of Cuenca, was built here. A great building of which little is known and of which little remains today, which are the archaeological remains that are in the same square and the wall cloths in the streets that surround this area of the old town of the city. There is still the part of the ruins of the old alcazar and the old Church of Santa Maria. When the city of Cuenca was reconquered by king Alfonso VIII, the Muslims who remained in the city and the Jewish community settled in the neighborhood where the tower is today. In this space a Synagogue was built and in the 15C the Church of Santa María, a one-story church with a tower with two bells, the only thing that remains of that church is the Montemayor tomb, transferred to the Cathedral. The church was demolished at the beginning of the 20C. In the archaeological excavations of the Plaza de Mangana , we can see remains of this church.
You have wonderful viewpoints from the Mangana square or Plaza de Mangana where the tower is also: The new city area, the Hoz del Júcar river and the old town of Cuenca in different perspectives. You can look out or you can also sit on one of the banks of the Plaza de Mangana to contemplate the beautiful landscape of Cuenca.
The city of Cuenca on tourism : https://ayuntamiento.cuenca.es/turismo
The Cultural Center of the Instituto Cervantes on the Torre Mangana : https://cvc.cervantes.es/artes/ciudades_patrimonio/cuenca/paseo/torre_mangana.htm
The Castilla La Mancha region Cultural/Heritage sites on the Torre Mangana : https://cultura.castillalamancha.es/patrimonio/catalogo-patrimonio-cultural/torre-mangana
There you go folks, a symbol of Cuenca and worth the climb to see it and see the city from there, the Torre Mangana is worth the detour indeed. Hope you enjoy the post and will surely enjoy the walk and tower.
And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!
Paris1972-Versailles2003 