Pumapungo
Cuenca has a fascinating history, the site of the 3,000 year-old Cañari city of Guapondeleg, the "land as big as heaven." In the late 15th century, Guapondeleg was transformed into the Inca city of Tomebamba. Pumapungo, which means "door of the puma" in Quechua, was the center of Tomebamba. It played a critical role in the struggle for succession between the brothers Atahualpa and Huáscar, after the death of their father Huayna Capac. When the local Cañari tribal leaders decided to side with Huáscar in 1531, Atahualpa took his revenge by destroying the city.

The ruins here are not as extensive as Ingapirca, but they are situated right in the middle of a large city. What remains of Pumapungo are extensive walls that line terraces along the hillside, with sweeping views of the colonial city in the distance. Below the terraces lined with stone walls are botanical gardens, with informational signs detailing the medicinal, spiritual, and nutritional uses of native Andean plants.