IGLESIA SAN BLAS. Located on the corner of Calles Manuel Vega y Simon Bolivar.
The early church was erected on May 3, 1557, as indicated by a stone uncovered while digging the new foundations. Stones from the Pumapungo Inca and Canari ruins area had been used in the early construction. During the Colonial Period (16th-19th centuries) the indigenous peoples lived on the outskirts of the city, in the present day districts of San Blas and San Sebastian. For almost four hundred years Iglesia San Blas formed the city’s eastern boundary. Reconstruction works commenced in 1938, using the original construction as the base. The front façade is clad in pink travertine marble extracted from the nearby mines of Sayusi. A recent renovation was completed in 2018.
During the Colonial period Pumapungo was declared a “public quarry” providing stone for the foundations of colonial churches and houses.
In 1970 a belfry was added to the lateral bell-tower.
A GUIDE TO CUENCA ARCHITECTURE 