Villarrodrigo
Villarrodrigo is home to the well-known bullfighting cattle ranch of Samuel Flores. Furthermore, in the area of Las Higuericas, rock inscriptions have been found that have been identified with a Roman necropolis. It has about 400 inhabitants.
HISTORY
The first vestiges of settlements in the town date back to the Bronze Age and are found in the place known as Piedras de la Ermita. Later in the Iron Age, human presence was located in the Atalayon area. Continuing with this chronology, remains of Celtiberian culture appeared in the nearby area of Bayonas. There the sculptural group known as “The Lion of Bienservida” was found and taken to a museum in Albacete, a sample of Greek funerary influence and dated to the end of the fourth century BC. The Romanization of these lands also bequeathed their culture in the form of a necropolis in Las Higuericas, where funerary inscriptions can be seen chiseled on the rocks. More>
THINGS TO SEE
Torreón Medieval
The tower dates to the end of the fourteenth century, with a square floor plan and good masonry, whose main façade measuring 13.60m presents a door with an arch made up of striking carved voussoirs. Its interior is covered with a shell vault and the whole fits the lexicography of Gothic military architecture. Despite the fact that its upper part was demolished in the 1960s and that it suffers from the servitude of terraced houses, it arouses great interest not only for its own architectural typology but also for the medieval urban scenery that it reproduces in the centre of the municipality. The tower was the possession of the Council of Villarrodrigo by virtue of a provision by Master Don Vasco Rodríguez given by him. Declared an Asset of Cultural Interest in 1985. Located in Plaza Nuestra Señora de Albánchez.
Iglesia de San Bartolomé
The parish church of San Bartolomé was built between the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries with construction schemes that respond to both the Renaissance and the Baroque. Its basilica plan presents a large, open space structured in three naves covered with a flat roof. The naves are separated by five semicircular arches that rest on pillars of unequal size, the boundaries with the central nave being larger. The architectural element that stands out volumetrically over the whole is the presbytery, covered by a half-orange vault on pendentives ornamented with trapezoidal geometric elements which is accessed through a large central semicircular arch. At the foot of the temple and raised on pillars is the choir. From an artistic point of view, the most valuable element is the altarpiece, inspired by the Italian model of Vignola, more specifically in his masterpiece, “the Gesú” from Rome. It is of great interest not only for its structure and the colossal use of classical orders, but also for the richness and complexity of the iconography, both sculptural and pictorial, that it houses. Located on Calle Iglesia.
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 of its most extensive forested zones. Located in eastern Jaen 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, it was designated a UNESCO biosphere reserve in 1983 and it was deemed a natural park in 1989. First impressions of the park may consist of barren rocky crests and vast pine forests, but the area’s botanical importance within Andalusia is matched only by the Sierra Nevada, with a fifth of the vascular plants in the Iberian peninsula being 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 number of butterfly species in the Iberian peninsula, with 112 varieties found here.
COUNTRYSIDE WALKS
Puerto de Onsares
The entire route from Villarrodrigo to Onsares (10km) is notable due to the presence of numerous picturesque places both on its left bank, such as Alto del Morrón (1,284 m) or Peña de los Enamorados (1,398 m), as well as in its right bank, where the Cerro de la Atalaya rises (1,293 m). Located 5km south of the town.
GASTRONOMY
Visitors to Villarrodrigo can try traditional dishes such as ajo de harina con guiscanos (savoury porridge made with potato and wild ceps), migas de harina (fried breadcrumbs with sardines), andrajos (pasta stew), potaje de garbanzos y bacalao (chickpea and cod stew) and ajo atao (mashed potato). Sweet treats include hornazos (sweet pastry), flores (aniseed pastries) and panetes (sweet dumplings served with syrup).
BUS SERVICE
There is a bus service from Villarrodrigo to Jaén. More>
FESTIVALS
Popular festivals in Villarrodrigo are Día de San Marcos, Romería de la Virgen de Fátima, Romería de la Virgen Milagrosa, Día de San Antón and Fiestas Patronales. More>
WEATHER FORECAST
The weather forecast for the next few days for Villarrodrigo. More>
TOURIST OFFICE
The tourist office of Villarrodrigo is located in the Town Hall. More>
NEARBY PLACES
The neighbouring villages to Villarrodrigo are Torres de Albánchez, Génave and Siles.