Navas de San Juan

Navas de San Juan, Spain
Flag Seal
Country	Spain
Province	Jaén
Municipality	Navas de San Juan
Area
• Total	175 km2 (68 sq mi)
Elevation	654 m (2,146 ft)
Population  (2005)
• Total	5,083
• Density	29.0/km2 (75/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (CEST)
Website	www.navasdesanjuan.es

Navas de San Juan is a Spanish village of the province of province of Jaén, Spain. According to the 2005 census (INE), the city has a population of 5,030 inhabitants. It is the biggest village of the region of El Condado. The river called Guadalimar runs for its municipal area.

The patron saint of the village is Saint John Baptist whose festival is celebrated between the days 24th and 29th of June. The patron Virgin is the Virgen de la Estrella whose pilgrimage is celebrated in her shrine the days 1st, 2nd and 3rd of May.

History

Origin

In the middle of the 2nd millennium BC, the territory that now takes up Navas de San Juan had already human occupation, such as the settlements of Castellón and La Atalaya. But it isn´t until the Iberian stage, probably due to a colonization promoted by the big Iberian center of Cástulo, in about IV century BC, when the village was formed. In Roman times, the village became an important meeting point in the way between Cástulo and Ilugo, as showed by the appearance of the two milestones in the municipal area. In the surrounds of Navas de San Juan there was a mansion located, Ad Morum that was a stop in the Camino de Aníbal. In its territory there's a plentiful supply of agricultural villa-type exploitation, from which to the date seven have been recorded, for example El Acero or El Cerro Prior.

Middle Ages

In times of Al Ándalus, Navas de San Juan would be a little village (alquería) belonging to the administrative district the Sant Astiban. The Muslims built a castle, from which we only have some pictures, and subsequently it was reformed by the Christians. In its district there are remains of other fortified structures as the castle of Ero and the tower keep around which the actual shrine Santa María de la Estrella was built.

The lands of Navas de San Juan were conquered by Ferdinand III of Castile in 1226 and integrated in the royal lands, under the jurisdiction of Santisteban del Puerto. In 1254 the King Alfonso X “the Wise” donated Santisteban del Puerto to the city council of Úbeda. In 1285 the King Sancho IV of Castile and León turned Santisteban and its district again into royal lands.

In the 14th century, Navas de San Juan and Castellar formed, by royal appointment, the lordship of Santisteban, delivered by Henry II of Castile to Men Rodríguez Benavides. In 1473 Henry IV of Castile turns it into county, granting to Don Diego Sánchez de Benavides the title of Count of Santisteban.

Modern Age

In 1793 Philip V of Spain raises the title to dukedom and grants it to the House of Medinaceli .The engagement with Santisteban del Puerto during the Modern Age ended in 1802 with the concession of the privilege of royal charter on behalf of Charles IV of Spain.

20th century

In the middle of the century, like in the rest of Andalusia, the village suffers the effects of mass migration from the countryside to the big cities, losing a 25% of its population between 1940 and 1975.

Monuments and places of tourist interest

At the beginning of the 20th century the village was still crowned by a castle, but it was demolished and nothing from it survived. Some Roman remains of roads and settlements can still be found in the municipal district.

Saint John Baptist Church was built between the 16th and 18th centuries, and it has a façade in the mannerist style and a 17th-century tower. The chapel of the Virgen de la Estrella was also risen in the same period than the church of the village on a medieval fortification from which only the Tower Keep, declared of Tourist Interest, survives.

The Town Hall is dated at the end of the 19th century; it is worth mentioning its brick façade with clock and bell tower with belfry and its second floor balcony. Also at the end of the 19th century the Asilo de Santa Sara y San Fructuoso was built, in an eclectic style and of modernist decoration.

Folklore and Customs

Local holidays

1st, 2nd and 3rd May: Pilgrimage to the Virgen de la Estrella. Declared of Tourist Interest in 1984, it is carried out around the virgin´s chapel situated on 5 Km from the village.

23rd-29th June: Saint John’s Day Celebration. One week of festivities held since 1808 in honour to the patron saint of the village, Saint John Baptist.

First weekend of August: Emigrants Festival. Three days’ celebration originally created to be enjoyed by those who live out of the village and could not attend the Saint John’s Day Celebration. Due to it, everything about the patron saint’s celebration is represented at a smaller scale.

Economy

It is mainly based on the olive tree planting. The small livestock activity in the village is focused on cattle. Another important resource is based on the itinerant fairs that provide many jobs during the summer.

Gastronomy

It is influenced by the cooking of La Mancha due to its geographic proximity, so that porridge or ratatouille are usual traditional dishes in the village. Yet, there are recipes typically made in the village, especially sweets and desserts as the pericones (originated in Arquillos) the pollas en leche or gachas dulces. It is also worth highlighting the calandrajos and the pipirrana as well as its sausages.