Hanging Houses Building

The Hanging Houses (Casas Colgadas) are a group of medieval cliff-edge dwellings in the historic centre of Cuenca, Castilla-La Mancha, Spain, noted for their façades that project over the Huécar River gorge. Their current visible form dates mainly from the late medieval period, especially the 15th century.

The houses are best seen from the bridge across the gorge and from the opposing rim where the suspended balconies and timber elements are most obvious. One of the cliff houses contains the Museo de Arte Abstracto Español, making the site both an architectural landmark and a small cultural venue for 20th-century Spanish art.

Originally built as private residences in the medieval town, the structures were altered and repaired over centuries and underwent restorations in the 20th century to stabilise the façades and convert interior spaces for public use. The buildings have repeatedly required conservation because of their exposed position over the gorge.

They stand in Cuenca’s historic centre above the Huécar river gorge, within walking distance of the town’s main plazas and cathedral. The site is a central element of Cuenca’s old town landscape and is easily reached from the town’s pedestrian streets.

• Best viewpoints: Best viewing is from the bridge and the opposite gorge rim where the façades project directly over the Huécar River; light in late afternoon accentuates the drop.
• On-site museum: One of the original houses contains the Museo de Arte Abstracto Español, which occupies interior space of the cliff-hanging structure.

What to See#

• Museum of Spanish Abstract Art: Housed in one of the cliff-facing structures, this museum holds a notable collection of Spanish abstract art with 20th-century works and rotating exhibitions.

Cuenca’s old town is compact. From Cuenca railway station (Estación Fernando Zóbel) it is a 20-25 minute walk uphill to the historic centre; local buses and taxis are available. The Casas Colgadas sit at the edge of the Huécar gorge near Calle San Pablo and the Puente de San Pablo (San Pablo Bridge), a five-minute walk from Plaza Mayor.

• Go at golden hour and stand on the Mirador de San Pablo (the bridge) for the classic view-the light slants into the Huécar gorge and picks out the deep reds of the facades.
• Enter the Museo de Arte Abstracto Español inside one of the houses if it is open; the building is the point of the whole composition.
• Walk the narrow streets above the gorge rather than only photographing from the bridge-wearers of worn soles left shiny grooves on the stone steps that map centuries of local foot traffic.