Jaén Capital City

The rolling foothills of the Sierra Morena, one of the most beautifully preserved natural areas in Spain, if not in Europe surround the capital city of the province of Jaén.

The city is surprisingly lacking in monuments but those it does have are constructed on a large scale.

The cathedral rears over the surrounding white houses as if competing with the mountains that frame the distance for a dominating place on the skyline.

The recorded history of the city spans many centuries with evidence of human habitation dating from Palaeolithic times. The climate and the natural protection afforded from the mountain range of the Sierra Morena to the south made it an attractive location for all the various marauders that criss-crossed the land. In 207 B.C. roman troops entered the city and it remained part of the roman territory until the empire collapsed in the 3rd and 4th centuries A.D.

After the historically brief reign of the Visigoths the Arabs entered into the city and so began a period of Muslim dominance that lasted from the year 712 A.D. until Fernando III and his Christian allies captured the city in 1246 A.D. From then until the 19th century the city became relegated to the second division in strategic importance as its remote location in a predominantly agricultural province ensured that there was more than sufficient time to contemplate its solitude.

In 1833 Jaén was nominated capital city of the province that bears its name and it became an important administrative and commercial centre for its burgeoning agricultural industry.

Even though there appears to be a lack of monuments to visit in Jaén, there are many sites worth seeing and flavours worth tasting. The city extends to the feet of the Castillo de Santa Catalina, an Arabic castle that was reinforced and expanded after the reconquest by Fernando III, as the city was then considered to be an important part of the defensive frontier between Christian and Muslim held territories.

The Cathedral is built in the centre of the city over the foundations of an ancient Arabic mosque and dates from the 14th century. There are other buildings worth seeing such as the Archbishops palace that dates from the 17th century, and the monastery of Santa Teresa, part of which extends from the 15th century and which still acts as the headquarters of a community of Carmelites.

One of the most memorable constructions is the Arabic baths, los baños árabes. Located in the Palacio de Villadompardo, the baths were constructed in the 11th century and provide a unique insight into the way of life of the Moorish rulers of the 7th to 15th centuries.

More information: http://www.promojaen.es/

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