Muralla Ciclópea
Cyclopes were mythological beings with one eye, members of a race of giants, strong and of tempestuous temperament. Legend says they were great builders and craftsmen; this is why, during the Middle Ages, walls of large worked blocks such as this one began to be discovered, and were then known as “cyclopean structures”, with it widely accepted that only Cyclopes had the skill and strength to build them. It was Professor of Universal History and Inspector of Antiquities, Manuel de Góngora who, on his trip through the province of Jaén around 1860, discovered this magnificent wall, affirming for the first time that it was made from an Iberian factory. He was a pioneer in identifying the Iberian settlements of the Alto Guadalquivir. In more recent studies, this type of cyclopean structure has been identified with fortified towers and enclosures covering a chronology between the second and first centuries BC. In those late moments of the Iberian culture, the Romans were already in the Guadalquivir area and new models of landscape occupation were imposed, in which these large defensive structures likely corresponded to strategic sites to delimit and control territories, roads, water sources and even farm fields.
The cyclopean wall of Ibros, which today we see integrated into the town, has endured to this day as an important architectural element of Iberian culture. It is one of the most famous prehistoric monuments in the province of Jaén, originally formed by a quadrangular enclosure that surrounded the perimeter of the town. Today, only a corner of 12-13m remains.
Location
Located on Calle Pilar.