Valdepeñas de Jaén: Difference between revisions

Valdepeñas de Jaén
Valdepeñas de Jaén
city
	Flag Seal
	Valdepeñas de Jaén Location in Spain.
	Coordinates: 37°35′N 3°49′W / 37.583°N 3.817°W
Country	Spain
Autonomous community	Andalusia
Province	Jaén
Comarca	Sierra Sur
Government
• Mayor	María de la Paz del Moral Milla
Area
• Total	183.80 km2 (70.97 sq mi)
Elevation	920 m (3,020 ft)
Population (2018)
• Total	3,799
• Density	21/km2 (54/sq mi)
Demonym	Valdepeñeros
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (CEST)
Website	Official website

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Revision as of 10:57, 26 November 2020

Valdepeñas de Jaén is a Spanish municipality in the south west of the province of Jaén, Andalusia in the Comarca Sierra Sur, of which it the second largest town after Alcalá la Real. According to INE data, in 2018 it had 3,799 inhabitants. Its surface area is 183 km² with a density of 20.75 inhabitants / km². Its geographical coordinates are 37 ° 35 ′ N, 3 ° 49 ′ W. It is located at an altitude of 920 meters and 31 kilometers from the provincial capital, Jaén. Valdepeñas is set in a landscape of great natural beauty within the mountain ranges of the Subbetic Zone. The area is thickly forested and boasts magnificent holm oak groves and with abundant springs and streams, is a centre for walking, cycling and other outdoor pursuits. Valdepeñas de Jaén has been the final stage of the Vuelta a España on three occasions and provides a very tough finish.

Climate

Valdepeñas has a typical mountain climate, with cold winters, (minimum temperature between 1 and 2 degrees Celsius) and pleasant summers, with maximum temperatures of 30 to 35 degrees Celsius.

https://www.worldweatheronline.com/valdepenas-de-jaen-weather-averages/andalucia/es.aspx

Geography

The town is surrounded by the peaks of the Pandera (1872 m), the Montesina (1380 m), La Morenilla (1368 m), Pico de Cornicabra (1604 m) and the Morrón de la Solana (1667 m). It is bordered by the Vadillo River and the Ranera River, which on its outskirts meet forming the Susana River which flows into the Guadajoz in the Province of Córdoba. The predominant terrain is of uneven topography, characteristic of the Subbetic Sierras, most of which belong to the secondary era, with an abundance of gypsum, limestone and marl. The town has two different orientations; to the north the Sierra de la Pandera and to the southwest-northeast the Sierra de Alta Coloma, which continues into the Noalejo and the province of Granada. Its borders are with Jaén, Los Villares, Fuensanta de Martos, Castillo de Locubín, Frailes, Noalejo, Campillo de Arenas, Alcalá la Real and Martos.

History

The remains of stone axes, burins and scrapers, found in Castellón, Palenque, Torcal and Palomares, date back to the Paleolithic and Neolithic eras. The Iberian, Roman and Arab cultures left evidence of their presence in Castellón, Navalengua, Chircales, La Ventilla and many other places. On the Camino de Chircales and on the banks of the Susana River, is the “Castellón” Place, where the Castle of Susana or Sasaña stood, conquered from the Moors by Fernando III the Saint and given by him to the Order of Calatrava. Though it was demolished and there are no ruins, remains of cultures such as Argarians, Iberians, Romans, Visigoths and Arabs have all been found.

The town we now call Valdepeñas de Jaen was founded in the place originally called “de los Osarios” in the year 1508, by the Royal Decree of Carlos I and his mother Queen Doña Juana, in order to populate the areas that had been left empty after the Reconquest of the Sierra de Jaén. Due to problems with the residents of the city of Jaén, Valdepeñas' repopulation did not begin until 1539. The first settlers were mainly farmers from the Jaen area, along with some infantrymen and cavaliers. The new town was built according to Renaissance principles, which are still apparent today in the grid layout of its streets.

In 1550, the town was fully populated under the jurisdiction of the City of Jaén, and following a request to King Felipe II by the municipal council was awarded the privileges of an independent town within the kingdom of Castile in 1558. The decree was signed by the King's sister, Juana of Portugal, who in the King's absence acted as lieutenant and governor of their kingdoms. The concessions that Valdepeñas obtained were: The right to add the description 'Villa to the name Valdepeñas de Jaén. Jurisdiction over all civil and criminal cases, and the right of the town to prosecute and punish offences The right of mayors to maintain a "rod of justice" and a gallows, pillory, knife, jail and stocks. In respect of these rights and privileges, the 170 residents of Valdepeñas paid 1,370,000 maravedíes. However, the residents of Jaén did not initially agree to these new benefits for Valdepeñas and resisted the changes until 1579, when, with the signing of "Execution of the Council, Justice and Regiment of the Villa de Valdepeñas, against the Justice and Regiment of Jaén", Valdepeñas finally became fully independent.

In 1629, in the reign of Felipe IV, the jurisdictional lordship of Valdepeñas was sold to Antonio Álvarez de Bohorques, Marquesado de los Trujillos, Major Ensign of the City of Granada, who in turn sold it to Dalmau de Queralt, Count of Santa Coloma, in 1643. The municipal council did not recognise the jurisdiction of the "Lords of Valdepeñas", and opposed seigneurial authority throughout the seventeenth century until the matter was resolved in the council's favour in 1785.

Valdepeñas took an active part in the War of Independence against the French occupation (1792-1808), encouraged by Don Diego de Melo of Portugal, who at that time occupied the Bishop's House in Valdepeñas. On June 20, 1808 the people mutinied against the French-backed Governor of Jaen and near the "La Chirina" farm, shot and killed him and his French military escort. The army returned and took their revenge in a massacre which lived on for many generations in the memories of Valdepeñeros.

Valdepeñas de Jaén obtained the title of "city" in the year 1917, thanks to the efforts of the deputy to the Cortes for the Martos district, Mr. Virgilio Anguita.

Heritage and places of interest

Valdepeñas' Parish Church of Santiago Apóstol (ss. XVI-XVII) was designed by the architect and sculptor Juan de Reolid in 1539 and completed by the end of the 16th century. Several stonemason-architects worked on the building, including Cristóbal del Castillo. Further work was carried out in the seventeenth century by Juan de Aranda Salazar. The church suffered significant damage in the Spanish Civil War and was restored by the architect Ramón Pajares Pardo in 1952. The altarpiece in the main chapel, completed by Sebastián de Solís In 1597, disappeared in the Civil War and was replaced in 1962 by a new version, designed by the sculptor Julio Pajares Vilches and the cabinetmaker Felipe Cobo Campos, with paintings by Francisco Cerezo Moreno. The Parish Archive, the silverware collection, a carving of San José (18th century, the work of Francisco Calvo Bustamante), the images of Nuestro Padre Jesús Nazareno, and of the Christ of Medinaceli or of the Sentencia (both by the sculptor Francisco Malo Guerrero) and that of the Immaculate Conception (19th-20th century, by Pío Mollar Franch) are among the artefacts kept in the church.

Near Castellón is the site of Chircales, about 5 kilometers from Valdepeñas, where the Hermitage of Santo Cristo de Chircales is located, “the great devotion of the Valdepeñero group”, which has been venerated since ancient times. Recent studies place it in the Visigoth or Mozarabic times. The Sanctuary of Cristo de Chircales dates back to the Middle Ages, and is first mentioned in the in the Book of the hunting of Alfonso XI of Castilla. In 1566, a Valdepeñas resident, Juan Ruiz Castellano, donated land for the construction of a gathering place for hermits "next to some old cave-dwellings'." This endowment gave rise to a religious foundation based on the influence of the spirituality spread by Juan de Ávila and his disciples trained at the University of Baeza. Secular and religious hermits lived in the hermitage, presided over by a priest as chaplain and patron of the foundation. Between 1590 and 1609 the church was built, which since at least 1606 housed the painting of Christ of Chircales, by an anonymous author, an oil on canvas measuring 203 by 145 centimeters, by an anonymous author. The painting, which represents Christ on the Cross accompanied by the Virgin, Saint John and another figure is, without a doubt, the most loved by all the people of Valdepeñas. A document from 1781 claimed of its origins that "there being some hermits living in caves, a muleteer came to rest on the aforementioned cliff who brought cloth for sale, and accidentally let a bundle drop. Between the folds of cloth was the said Image, which was so admired that expressing his gratitude, he donated it to the hermits." Since then, devotion to the Christ of Chircales has increased, and after Church property was confiscated in the 19th century, various brotherhoods emerged, of which two currently survive, currently two surviving, that of Jaén and that of Valdepeñas de Jaén. The Christ of Chircales has been the focus of religious observance in Valdepeñas de Jaén since the sixteenth century, and is celebrated from September 1 to 5 of each year. Since 1940, a pilgrimage has been held at the shrine of Chircales on the first Sunday in May. The pilgrimage was recently declared part of the Intangible Heritage of Andalucía. The surroundings of the church of the Sanctuary there are up to twelve rock hermitages, of different size and interest, the largest being adjacent to the main building.

The Santa Ana Mill Museum is housed in a watermill that began functioning in 1540, though it has medieval origins. From 1566, it was linked to the estate of the Arceo-Gamboa family, who had the right to use the water for the mills, in exchange for the payment of an annual income of seventy bushels of wheat to Valdepeñas Council. The mill was restored in 2001 and now houses an ethnological museum. It also hosts cultural, artistic and gastronomic activities.

The Hermitage of San Sebastián is situated on the former Common, adjacent to the exit to Jaén. Founded in the seventeenth century, it was dedicated to Saint Sebastian, a traditional intercessor against epidemics, and in times of plague and other infections may have served as a checkpoint for travellers entering the town. In 1693, Don Juan Ibáñez de Robles, a canon of Jaén Cathedral, arranged for masses to be celebrated there during the harvest. The chapel was rebuilt at his own expense by Bishop Fray Diego Melo of Portugal in 1807, with an adjoining cemetery, one of the oldest in the province of Jaén. The hermitage, which was designed by the architects Gregorio Manuel López and Miguel de Landeras in a neoclassical style, has a Latin cross plan, following the architectural models of the Iglesia del Sagrario (Jaén) of the Cathedral of Jaén.

The Bridge of Santa Ana, probably medieval in origin, is also called Dehesa or del Hundidero. It is located a few meters from the town on the medieval road between Jaén and Alcalá la Real and connects the town with the Chircales Sanctuary. Constructed in blocks of volcanic rock from local quarries, its single arch spans the Ranera, a tributary of the River Víboras. The first documentary reference to the Bridge appears in the Chapter Accounts of 1580, after its repair for storm damage. In 1751 it was repaired again, since when it has remained intact.

Events and festivals

Valdepeñas celebrates a number of religious and secular festivals throughout the year, some of which have persisted from historical times and some of which have been revived in the present era.

La Candelaria (Candlemas) on Feb 2nd, which celebrates the official presentation of Jesus to the Temple of Jerusalem, 40 days after Christmas, was revived by the Lugia Cultural Association. Celebrations begin with a procession, after which a large bonfire brings together hundreds of Valdepeñeros to taste "rosettes", roasted pumpkins, or migas, and to drink wine, after which the traditional "correnderos" are sung and danced.

Carnival is usually celebrated in February to mark the beginning of Lent and is marked by processions and musical performances.

Holy Week in Valdepeñas begins on the Friday before Easter week, when the Virgin parades from the parish Church to the Chaparral neighbourhood, and continues with more processions on Palm Sunday, Good Friday and Easter Sunday. On Holy Thursday 'The Passage of Abraham', a series of dramatised biblical episodes, is performed on the Plaza de la Constitution. This event was revived in 1994 after a gap of more than 60 years, thanks to the Cultural Association "Lugia" and the Ticana Theatre Group. It is possible that the tradition has its origins in the foundation of Valdepeñas de Jaén in the 16th century.

On the first Sunday in May, the pilgrimage in honour of the Christ of Chiricales is celebrated in the Hermitage. Valdepeñeros follow the procession of the image of Christ. The event is a mix of spirituality and recreation in the fresh Spring air.

The holy day of Corpus Christi, first established in the Christian world to mark the passing of the plague, is celebrated in June according to the Christian calendar. On this day of procession, the streets are adorned with fresh foliage and altars are created in different parts of the town.

The summer solstice is celebrated by the San Juan Fair, from June 24 to 26, with musical performances, festivals and various events for the amusement of residents and visitors. Neighborhood festivals continue throughout July and August.

The Valdepeñas summer ends with the September fair, which is held from the 1st to the 5th of the month, also in honour of the Christ of Chircales. On the first day, the entire town receives the image of Christ, which is brought to the parish church, where it will remain until the last Sunday in October. A more recent tradition is the "Fiestas Realengas", celebrated in mid-August, which celebrates the town's Renaissance origins with a season of cultural and recreational activities.

Song and Dance

One of the defining characteristics of Valdepeñas is its musical richness. Throughout the town's history, weddings, carnivals, fairs and other events have supplied the people of Valdepeñas with opportunities to perform in the traditions that have been handed down through the generations. In respect of the musical folklore of Valdepeñas, its version of the Fandangos style is the most prominent. The Valdepeñas version is described as 'freestyle' to differentiate it from other, more structured dances like mazurcas, waltzes, pasodobles and jotas. This dance accompanies moments of popular recreation and family gatherings. The music incorporates scope for improvisation, so the melodies are as many as the people who interpret them and the lyrics embrace a wide variety of topics, from lovers and their trials to the tribulations of the wandering life. Fandangos are performed by violins or flutes, and sometimes with the accordion. This form may have originated with the first settlers from Extremadura, but as a danceable Fandangos, it has much in common with the flamboyant Verdiales of Malaga, from which all Fandangos are descended. Valdepeñas also has its own version of the Jota, the Aragonese folk-dance which influenced many Flamenco palos, the well-known "Jota Valdepeñera" which was once also very popular, with musical preludes and interludes and sung verses and choruses. With its liveliness and cheerful style, the Jota lends itself to the type of humorous, satirical song that was traditionally very popular in the town. Another popular dance was the Correndero, a circular dance in which the participants, singing lovesongs, dance hand-in-hand around the lights at the feasts of San Antón and La Candelaria.

Inspired by popular music, Alejandro Martínez Moutón composed the very popular 'Valdepeñeras' at the beginning of the 20th century, with an air of fandango, which praise the beauty and character of the Valdepeñera woman. This composition was so successful that it is now considered one of the more popular musical pieces of the town.

Gastronomy

Valdepeñas has its own gastronomy, closely linked to local livestock production. Kid and lamb, for example, are prepared a la caldereta, with an almond, tomato and pepper sauce, all thickened with a sesada. The local cuisine also makes use of the fruits of the surrounding mountains to incorporate light asparagus and thistle mushrooms, very abundant in autumn, and the aromatic herbs that are used as additives in many dishes. As for local desserts, the "ochíos", "sinsales", "rosquetas", "wine donuts" and "fig buns" are famous. Typical of the area are drinks such as resol and old milk, a typical Christmas drink that mixes milk, brandy, coffee, cinnamon and lemon peel.

Sports and recreation

Valdepeñas' sports centre provides facilities for padel, football, basketball, handball, volleyball, badminton and tennis.

The town is a centre for hiking and walking in the surrounding mountains of the Sierra del Sur. The GR 7 footpath, part of the E4 route from Tarifa to Athens, passes 23 kms from Valdepeñas at Frailes, or 29kms at Alcalá la Real. Details of local walks and cycling routes are available online from the Ayuntamiento.

Stage finals of the Spanish Vuelta cycling race have been held three times in Valdepeñas. Details of cycling routes are available online from the Ayuntamiento.

Several companies arrange adventure and outdoor holidays in the region.

The Centro Hípico Beata, located on the C-3221 road to Jaen, provides world class facilities for equestrian training and competition.

Economy

The economy of the area is dominated by the olive oil industry, since the little land available for agriculture is mainly used for the cultivation of olive trees. Goats are also raised for the dairy industry. An abundance of game, including partridge, rabbits, pigeons, hares, wild boar and deer is available for hunting activities, some of which are organised on a commercial basis. There is also an industrial estate which offers workshops, warehouses and small factories. Valdepeñas has two public primary schools an Institute of Secondary Education and an Adult Education Centre.

Administration

The Ayuntamiento of Valdepeñas de Jaen is dominated by representatives of the PSOE, which, with very few interruptions, has been the case since 1978. The town has a public library and a municipal swimming pool which is open during the summer months. There is a market on Calle Ánimas and a Post Office.

Access'

Road access to Valdepeñas de Jaen is provided via the A-6050 (Jaén - Los Villares - Valdepeñas de Jaén - Castillo de Locubín). The town is connected to the city of Jaen by the M17-2 bus service:

https://siu.ctja.es/es/horarios_lineas_tabla.php?linea=56