Museo de Arte Abstracto Español, Modern art museum in the medieval Hanging Houses, Cuenca, Spain
The Museo de Arte Abstracto Español contains over 500 paintings and sculptures arranged in a restored complex built into limestone cliffs above the Huécar River. The exhibition spaces flow across multiple levels, carved directly into the rock, creating an immersive setting for viewing contemporary Spanish artworks.
Fernando Zobel founded this museum in 1966, selecting the centuries-old Hanging Houses to display his collection of Spanish abstract artworks from the 1950s and 1960s. By pairing historical architecture with modern art, he created an unexpected home for a collection that might otherwise have remained scattered or less accessible.
The museum displays works by Spanish artists like Antonio Saura and Eduardo Chillida, whose pieces reflect the shift from representational to abstract art. These artworks shape how people understand modern Spanish creativity and remain central to the nation's artistic identity.
The museum is open Tuesday through Sunday, and visitors climb stairs between different levels to view the entire collection. Guided tours are available in multiple languages, and combined tickets for other cultural sites in Cuenca can be purchased for added convenience.
A large mural painted directly onto the wall by Fernando Zóbel remains permanently on display, showing his experimental approach to abstract expression. This work reveals how the museum's founder pushed artistic boundaries within this unusual exhibition space.
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