Things to see
Iglesia de San Francisco
The Iglesia de San Francisco (Church of St Francis) is one of the best known in Cazorla, built in the 17th century on a site previously occupied by an old Franciscan Order convent. The church has a rectangular plan with three naves laterally divided into three planes. At its head, on the same transept, a dome rises on pendentives with paintings reminiscent of the Four Evangelists with the choir at their feet. It has a rich altarpiece, which dates from the middle of the 12th century. The altarpiece, covered with thin sheets of gold sheets, has in its central part an image of Santísimo Cristo del Consuelo, Patron Saint of the town, and on each side, paintings by Alfonso Grosso. The upper body is crowned by three paintings by Juan Miguel Sánchez, alluding to the founder of the Order.
Located on Calle San Francisco.
Ruinas de Santa María
The ruins of the Iglesia de Santa María, is the most important monument of the Adelantamiento de Cazorla (a collection of lands and villages gathered for political or historical reasons). Though the exact date of its construction is unknown, it seems almost certain that it was carried out in the 16th century. Its style is Renaissance and possibly by the Renaissance architect Andrés de Vandelvira, as many of its elements are similar to other notable churches designed by him in Úbeda. The facade doorway, looking towards Calle de la Hoz, is an almost exact replica of that in the Iglesia de San Miguel in Jaén. It is unclear if the church was commissioned by the Episcopal Church of Toledo or by the Marquises of Camarasa, who were Adelantados (nobles) in those times. It is built on the Cerezuelo River, which flows across the entire church through a large vault under the main altar, continuing its course to underneath the Plaza de Santa María. On 2nd June 1694, a storm caused the Cerezuelo River to overflow, collapsing the church vaults and turning it into a dam. The deluge destroyed the altarpieces, along with many sacred images and ornaments. In 1903, the church was burnt down, and with damage caused during the Spanish Civil War it is now in poor condition. In the seventies and eighties, it was used as an auditorium for concerts and theatrical performances, offering a magnificent setting. During 2009 and 2010, a major restoration was undertaken; the structure was fixed, the stone cleaned, and interior and exterior lighting was installed to showcase this monument. Today, a Municipal Office of Information and Tourism and a Multicultural Space for concerts and performances is based within the Town Hall.
Located on Calle Hoz.
Bóveda del Río Cerezuelo
The bóveda (vault) that covers the Cerezuelo River was designed to enable the building of the Iglesia de Santa María. Half-barrelled (a form of half a cylinder) and very compact, the vault adapts to the unevenness of the river along the entire Plaza de Santa María. Its construction solved the separation of the two Cazorla River banks, allowing the design of an extensive urban planned space, with a great church presiding over the new public offices. The vault may have been closed long before the dates were carved on the walls of Santa María (1580-83-89), probably around 1536. Guided tours are available.
Located on Camino Ángel.
Opening Hours
Tuesday to Friday: 17.30 hrs, 18.30 hrs and 19.30 hrs.
Saturday, Sunday, and Holidays: 10.30 hrs, 11.30 hrs, 12.30 hrs, 17.30 hrs, 18.30 hrs, and 19.30 hrs.
Tours leave from Centro Temático Frondoso Naturaleza.
Tel: 953 721 330.
Iglesia de San José
The Iglesia de San José (Church of St Joseph) is the only remaining part of the Convento de Las Agustinas; the rest of the convent was absorbed into the building of a neighbouring hotel. The church is undergoing continuous restorations, altering its original appearance. The church and its original enclosure align with the traditional foundations for monasteries built in Cazorla throughout the 17th century and the beginning of the 18th century. The only decorative elements are the pillars Ionic order capitals (scroll-like ornaments on the sides). The interior walls were decorated in the middle of this century with copies of religious scenes from paintings by El Greco. Inside, next to the altar, the Sagrario chapel stands out. The church was impacted by the Spanish confiscation laws, (government seizure and sale of property including church property) and the looting and destruction from the Spanish Civil War. As a result, its altarpiece and interior aspect are from this century, with the main altarpiece the work of Valeriano Martínez from Burgos.
Located in Plaza Corredera.
Castillo de la Yedra
The Castillo de la Yedra (Castle of the Ivy) is a fortification whose construction dates back to the Berber period and completed by the Castilians. The castle’s origin is Muslim, possibly from the Almohad period (12th century). However, throughout the 13th, 14th, and 15th centuries the structure and design were completed by Christians, which explains why the Gothic style dominates the majority of its interior rooms. The castle consists of two very different parts: the Historical Section and the Arts and Customs Section. The Historical Section comprises three rooms, and its construction was conceived exclusively for military use in the palace of a feudal Lord or a medieval Monarch’s small court. The second section, the Arts and Customs Section, is known as the Museum of Arts and Popular Customs of Alto Guadalquivir and is a state museum managed by the Ministry of Culture of the Junta de Andalucía. Amongst many rooms of interest, a Weapons Room has been installed on the second floor, decorated with panoplies in the shape of a shield and furnished with different weapons: swords, crossbows, cutlasses, axes, etc. There are also two suits of armour, carved chests and various furniture and furnishings from the 16th and 17th centuries. In another room, there are oil mill models display from different periods, and in the third room, a reconstruction of a typical and spacious kitchen from Cazorla with all its furnishings and utensils. Located on Camino Ángel.
Opening Hours
September to June. Tuesday to Saturday: 10.00 - 13.15 and 16.00 - 19.15 hrs. Sunday and Holidays: 10.00 - 13.15 hrs.
July and August. Tuesday- Saturday, 09.00 - 13.15 hrs. Sunday and Holidays: 09.00 - 13.15 hrs.
Tel: 953 101 402.
Iglesia del Carmen
This 17th century church was part of the Compañía de Jesús College complex, which later became the chapel of the old hospital. Its decline began with the expulsion of the Jesuits and then with the confiscation laws (government seizure and sale of property including church property). It is in a dilapidated state; its roof was restored in the latter part of the 20th century, and there is currently a study to consider its total restoration. The layout is rectangular, with a choir and an upper and lower gallery. The portal is framed with Corinthian columns and a Bourbon coat of arms. Finally, its tower stands out, due to its proportions and design, as the best built in Cazorla.
Located on Calle Carmen.