LA IRUELA

by Saskia Mier

La Iruela is a small and pretty town situated at the foot of a rock, with an impressive panoramic view of the countryside and the surrounding lands. The hamlet (town) extends along the slope of the Sierras de Cazorla, Segura y las Villas, under the rock crowned by the remains of the castle and the Monasterio de los Templarios (Monastery of the Templars). It has approximately 2,000 inhabitants.

HISTORY

The first signs of human life in La Iruela area date from the Copper Age until the Bronze Age, when the area was densely populated. From 1500 BC, there was an unexplained decrease in the population; however, from 200 BC, the settlements began to repopulate. One of these was Nubla, an active settlement from the Iberian period until medieval times, with remains of its fortifications still visible. More>

THINGS TO SEE

Castillo de La Iruela
The Castillo de La Iruela (Castle of La Iruela) is of Almohad origin (an Islamic empire in North Africa and Spain (1130–1269)), built on pre-Berber (descendants of the pre-Arab inhabitants of North Africa) foundations. When Muslims came to the Iberian Peninsula in the 8th century, they occupied La Iruela, setting out to cultivate the lands, creating farmhouses and a defensive wall to protect them from enemy attacks. In the 12th century, the Almohads came to the Iberian Peninsula, and where these farmhouses were located, they created the first of three enclosures of the fortress. The second enclosure, also created by the Almohads, consists of a parade ground surrounded by a series of towers linked by a wall. Inside the parade ground, there are the remains of a cistern. The castle, together with the rest of the municipality, was conquered by the Christians in the 13th century, in the time of King Fernando III ‘El Santo’, with the Archbishop of Toledo Rodrigo Ximénez de Rada troops, to whom jurisdiction of the lands was handed over within the Adelantamiento de Cazorla (a collection of lands and villages gathered for political or historical reasons). The Christians carried out a series of reforms in the castle, including creating a keep (a refuge or a last resort should the rest of the castle fall to enemies). Today, between the castle and the keep, an auditorium, styled like a classical theatre, hosts many artistic activities, such as the firework display for the August festivities. It was declared a Historic Monument in 1985.

Ruinas de la Iglesia de Santo Domingo de Silos
The primitive foundations of the Iglesia de Santo Domingo de Silos (church of Santo Domingo) were laid shortly after the conquest of the city in the first third of the 13th century. However, most of the construction occurred during the 16th century under the auspices of Don Francisco de los Cobos, Marquis of Camarasa. The choice of location posed architectural problems as it was a place with old buildings and a rugged landscape. However, this challenge was in tune with the Renaissance spirit and was faithfully embodied in the Vandelvirian model (Andrés de Vandelvira 1509–1575, Spanish architect). The Iglesia de Santo Domingo de Silos is divided into three naves, the central one being taller and wider, with a flat front wall and a set of chapels on both sides. On June 4th 1810, it was set on fire by French troops in revenge for the inhospitality shown towards the invaders. Today, some of its noble areas still stand. Its ruins are integrated into the superb monumental landscape of the castle and the mountains.

Ayuntamiento
The Ayuntamiento (Town Hall) was previously the municipal grain store. It was built in 1572 by local stonemasons according to the guidelines of the famous architect Andrés de Vandelvira, and in the 19th century, it was reinstated as the Town Hall. The ground floor remains from the original construction, made of masonry and ashlars that symmetrically intersperse five openings under semi-circular arches.

NATURAL AREAS

Sierras de Cazorla, Segura y Las Villas
With a total surface area of 209,920ha and covering almost a fifth of Jaén province, this is Spain’s largest protected area and one its most extensive forested zones. Located in eastern Jaén province, it connects the Sierra Morena and the Subbética mountain ranges. The highest peak in this immense park is Pico Empanada at 2,107m and the entire park is higher than 600m.
Recognising its exceptional ecological importance, the area was designated a UNESCO biosphere reserve in 1983 and created as a Natural Park in 1989. First impressions of the park may be of barren rocky crests and vast pine forests, but the area’s botanical importance within Andalucía is matched only by the Sierra Nevada Natural Park, with a fifth of the vascular plants in the Iberian peninsula found in the Sierra de Cazorla Natural Park. It is also home to 51 species of mammals, 185 birds, 21 reptiles (including an endemic lizard), 12 amphibians, 11 fish, and one of the highest numbers of butterfly species in the Iberian Peninsula, with 112 varieties found here.

COUNTRYSIDE WALKS

The landscape of the Natural Park provides ample opportunity for adventurous hikes or family walks. There is a range of hiking routes of various difficulty levels available to explore:
GR-247 - Etapa 10 This stage of the GR-247 passes from La Iruela to Refugio Casa Forestal La Zarza. The route is approximately 20km and is considered an easy route for either walking or cycling.
Central Eléctrica del Borosa 40km route. Medium level.
Cerrada de Elías 35km route. Medium level.
El Cantalar 26km route. Medium level.
Puente de Hacha 24km route. Medium level.
Prado Redondo y La Mocha 5-6km route. Low level.
Nacimiento del Rechita 4-5km route. Low-Medium level.
Puerto del Tejo y Laguna de La Iruela 13-14km route. Medium level.

HANDICRAFTS

Crafts in La Iruela traditionally used esparto grass (a fibre produced from two types of perennial grasses) typically used to produce crafts such as cords, wickerwork, and espadrilles (originally peasant footwear with soles made from esparto grass). Today esparto grass is still cultivated mainly for construction purposes, used to assemble, and hold plaster.

BUS SERVICE

There are bus services from nearby Cazorla to Jaén. More>

GASTRONOMY

Visitors to La Iruela can try traditional dishes such as gachas (like polenta), ajoharina (gachas served with anchovies and clams), bacalao (cod, either stewed or fried), huevos serranos (egg and pork stew) and talarines (pasta stew served with wild hare, partridge, or wild ceps). Sweet treats include leche frita (fried custard) and roscos fritos (doughnuts).

FESTIVALS

Popular festivals in La Iruela are San Antón, San Blas, Romería de San Martín, Romería de la Virgen del Rosario, and Fiestas de San Julián. More>

WEATHER FORECAST

The weather forecast for the next few days for La Iruela. More>

TOURIST OFFICE

The tourist office of La Iruela is in the Town Hall. More>

NEARBY PLACES

The neighbouring villages to La Iruela are Cazorla and Santo Tomé.