Destination
Cuenca Town Hall: Arched Gateway to Plaza Mayor
Cuenca, Spain
FAQ
Why was the town hall built over open arches?
Due to the severe lack of building space along Cuenca's narrow clifftop promontory, architect Jaime Bort y Meliá designed the town hall to bridge directly over Calle Alfonso VIII, allowing the Plaza Mayor to be enclosed without blocking the primary route for traffic.
Can the public enter the Cuenca Town Hall?
Interior access to the offices and council chamber is restricted to official government functions, but the exterior facade and the covered vaulted passage beneath the arches are freely accessible to the public at all times.
Why are the flanking arches pointed on a Baroque building?
The two lateral arches were given a pointed profile rather than a rounded one as an engineering measure to maximize vertical clearance for vehicles moving along the sloped roadway.
