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Rural parish · Cuenca, Ecuador

Llacao

Llacao is a rural parish northwest of Cuenca whose name is explained through Kichwa words associated with separating maize from its stalk at harvest. Its landscape combines rounded hills and quebradas with the Pachamama/El Tablón plateau, religious sites and archaeological traces linked to older Cañari and Inka routes.

From San Blas to an independent parish

The parish history places Llacao, Santa Rosa, Sidcay, Checa, Ricaurte and Chiquintad within the earlier jurisdiction of San Blas, then describes Llacao's long period as an anejo of Sidcay. The parish's first baptismal record dates to 1837, while the account also cites 29 May 1861 as a creation date, and notes that the records do not fully agree. 1 3

Pachamama, paths and archaeological memory

The parish tourism page describes Pachamama's plateau, an Inka-paved path, caves, a possible cemetery and archaeological structures documented through successive surveys. Cuenca's current rural proposal builds on that record by positioning Paccha Mama/El Tablón as a place for walking, ancestral routes and learning about archaeological remains. 2 4 3

Faith and a walking identity

Llacao's official tourism account pairs the central church and San Lucas devotion with the Gruta de Ripichala and broad views from the hills. The municipality has named Llacao “the parish of walking,” while a locally made video portrait offers a visual record of the parish's landscape and everyday atmosphere. 2 4 5

Videos

PDFs and documents

Government and further reading

  • Official source · 1

    Historia

    GAD Parroquial de Llacao

    Official history and toponymy of Llacao, including its former relationship to San Blas and Sidcay and its founding dates.

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  • Official source · 2

    Sitios Turísticos

    GAD Parroquial de Llacao

    Official descriptions of Ripichala, the central plaza and church, caves, the Inka cemetery tradition and Pachamama archaeological landscape.

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  • Official source · 4

    Llacao parroquia del senderismo

    GAD Municipal de Cuenca

    Municipal proposal to develop walking and recreation around Paccha Mama/El Tablón and its ancestral routes and archaeological remains.

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