Cuenca was founded in 1557, Gil Ramírez Dávalos, shaped the design of the city, assigning a block of four lots to the main church, on the east side of the central plaza. This block was crossed by a street that was called Santa Ana, to pass next to the Main Church, consecrated to Santa Ana, first patron of the city At first, this street was non-existent, being actually a water ditch that linked the neighborhoods of San Blas and San Sebastiá. In times of rain, the street caused flooding of nearby land, so in the year of 1566, it was subjected to a change of course to avoid further inconvenience. In the 18th century, the street became colloquially called "Callejón de la Soledad" The Provisional Church and the Major Church There are archaeological documents that show that by 1567 there was a small provisional church (also called a hermitage), to carry out ecclesiastical celebrations, even when the official construction of the Main Church had not begun. This Provisional Church had a main door, which was directed towards the now known Calle de Santa Ana. Thanks to the efforts of Diego de Solís to obtain the requirements for the construction of the Main Church in the Real Audiencia of Quito, walls were erected around the hermitage, which were made of adobe. Serving in this way, as choir of the New Temple. For the following year, the construction of the Church had been paralyzed, because those responsible for it (cabildos), returned to their haciendas to direct their harvests. In 1569, Juan de Bermeo was chosen as Observer of the Church, who in his period of command, witnessed the construction and completion of this. Francisco de San Miguel was responsible for said design and supervision, together with Diego Alonso Márquez he was assigned the construction of a brick enclosure, to prevent damage from flooding. First modification of the Major Church (1617) The first modifications to the church by order of the parish priest and observer Fr. Melchor Rojas was the one to raise the walls seven feet, then the mason Pedro Inga proceeded with the other modifications of the main chapel applying lime mixtures to its foundations. As a custom of the sixteenth century, the church sold tombs to citizens for a price of 25 or 30 pesos or one could also own one of these tombs through services provided to the church