The Catedral de Cuenca, begun in the 12th century, is the only Anglo-Norman style cathedral in Spain. Part of the building collapsed in the 20th century, but it has since been restored. A large series of steps leads over the Jucar River to San Miguel Church, begun in the 13th century. Today, the church has a Renaissance facade and hosts cultural events. The Virgen de la Luz Church was begun in the 16th century and finished in the 18th century. It has a Rococo interior and two facades, one of which is Plateresque.
The Convent of the Carmelitas Descalzas Nuns is the current home of Menendez Pelayo International University. The nuns bought the complex in 1622 and had to rebuild it twice during the next 80 years. The former convent is in the highest part of the city, overlooking the Huecar River valley. The San Pablo Convent, now home to the Parador Hotel, is a massive Gothic structure constructed during the 16th century. The convent offers sweeping views of Cuenca, including the San Pablo Bridge suspended over Huecar Canyon.
Nuestra Senora de la Angustias Shrine is a small Baroque building dating to the 17th century. Visitors at the popular shrine usually kiss the Madonna's cloak. San Julian Seminary was built in 1745 on the site of a former palace. The building has a Baroque facade and a Gothic altarpiece. San Felipe de Nero Oratory has a plain exterior that hides an elaborate Rococo interior. The oratory was built in the early 18th century, and its interior was completely restored in 1989.
Cuenca Town Hall has a Baroque facade facing the Plaza Mayor. The two-story structure, built in the 18th century, has an interior that features a square Rococo-style staircase. Cuenca Castle is what remains of the city's original Arab and Christian walls. The fragments feature two turrets and an entrance arch to the city. The Casas Colgadas, or Hanging Houses, are wooden balconies that extend out over the Huecar River canyon. While houses with these balconies were once common in Cuenca, only three remain.
