Universidad de Castilla~La Mancha

Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha

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Introduction

Cuenca: An academic and cultural destination | The university of castilla-la mancha

Cuenca: An academic and cultural destination

Cuenca is a city which touches all your senses. On December 7th 1996 Cuenca was declared by UNESCO as World Heritage City, for its wonderful preservation of the original urban setting with its mediaeval fortress, its rich civil and religious architecture dating from the 12th to the 18th Centuries, and for the exceptional way the city is embraced by its beautiful natural surroundings.

Cuenca is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful cities in Spain, where history, art, culture, urban and natural landscapes can all be found in one place. Its friendly people and welcoming customs will make your stay in Cuenca one to remember. It is the ideal place in which to study Spanish; its cultural heritage includes rich folklore and a wealth of monuments, and the city also boasts numerous art galleries and museums (The Museum of Spanish Abstract Art, The Torner Space, The Antonio Perez Foundation and the Saura Foundation), and a Fine Arts Faculty which channels the young artistic talent of today.

Cuenca is situated in the heart of Spain, just 167 km. from Madrid and 196 km. from Valencia. With a population of about 55,000 inhabitants, the city of Cuenca is the capital of an extensive and varied province which includes La Mancha, La Sierra and La Alcarria and whose economy is largely derived from agriculture. It is a medium sized city in constant growth, whose natural surroundings and urban modernity allow history to combine with contemporary progress. Having grown as a service industry city it draws together a wide range of attractive cultural and tourist aspects in its unique way, making it into a centre with all that a university city should offer: culture, dynamic human interaction and an outward looking range of full services.

Another key feature is the city’s convenient location which takes advantage of the most up-date communications network in Spain. By 2010 Cuenca will be at only 30 minutes from Madrid and 40 minutes from Valencia, thanks to the high speed train connection (AVE), and the new highways which link Cuenca, Albacete, Madrid and Valencia will also be completed by the same year.