Beas de Segura

Beas de Segura, Sierras de Cazorla, Segura y Las Villas Natural Park

Beas de Segura is located to the North-East of Jaén, between Sierra Morena and Sierra de Segura, in a landscape surrounded by expanses of olive groves and areas of mountains. Part of its township belongs to the Sierras de Cazorla, Segura y Las Villas Natural Park, that is the biggest protected space in Spain: an orographical labyrinth of valleys, limestone quarries, cuts, mountains and high plateaus with a great hydrologic importance (because of the huge quantity of rivers and streams that flow from it); botanical (European Black Pine, Aleppo Pine and many endemic species); the wealth of the fauna, hunting and the landscape. From it we can observe that it is one of the most visited open spaces in the country. In its township we can find the Tranco de Beas Dam & Reservoir, one of the most beautiful places in all the Reserve.

Beas de Segura limits with the municipalities of Arroyo del Ojanco, Puente de Génave, La Puerta de Segura, Orcera, Segura de la Sierra, Hornos, Villanueva del Arzobispo, Sorihuela del Guadalimar and Chiclana de Segura.

The city centre is a quiet, White and harmonious place, in which we can observe elements such as the Convento de las Carmelitas, the Puente Mocho, the Parroquia de Nuestra Señora de la Asunción and the Palacio de los Sandovales.

Beas de Segura is located in a strategic area and whose occupation goes back to the lower Palaeolithic. It is during the Roman Age when the city centre starts to consolidate.

After a brilliant Islamic period, in 1235 Beas de Segura was in the hands of Fernando III, passing into the possession of the Orden de Santiago in 1239. In the XVI century Beas de Segura was one of the most important economic centres in the area of Segura with a strong renewal of the olive-producer. Its people and culture suffered a strong attack during the War of Independence. The village was set on fire seven consecutive times, causing a huge documentary and hereditary disaster.

Like most of the villages in the Eastern mountain ranges of the jiennense province, Beas de Segura had a complex defensive system. But the time and the historical circumstances did not help it. The village increased invading it and nowadays we hardly had remains of it. The fortress was in the top of the cliff and had a broad enclosure, it had at least 4 towers and in one of its extremes it had a second enclosure like a fortress.

Beas de Segura Monuments

Iglesia Convento de Carmelitas Descalzas. Relics of Santa Teresa and San Juan de la Cruz are preserved.

Palacio de los Sandovales, XV century. In the façade we can observe a shield of the village.

Parroquia de Nuestra Señora de la Asunción. We can emphasize the bell tower with a square base with a pinnacle of tile.

Archaeological Remains

Remains of the Palaeolithic Age.

Puente Mocho. A Roman bridge from the I century B.C. There were found some tools from the Palaeolithic Age.

Town Planning

Cuevas de Ambrosio and Cañada Catena. They are villages located to 13 kilometres from Beas de Segura.

Paseo del Albaicín.

Gastronomy

The gastronomy in this area is related to the olive oil, which has Guarantee of Origin, Sierra Segura. All the traditional dishes from this area are cooked with olive oil. It is the basis of any fried, stew or salad and it is part of our culture and a form of understanding the cookery.

We have to emphasize the hard and voluminous character of its stews that are in its traditional food, just like in the products derived from the slaughter.

How to get there

You have to exit Jaén towards: Mancha Real – Baeza – Ubeda. Cross Baeza. Alleyway of Úbeda. In the roundabout you have to take the Exit 3 and continue through the Motorway A-301. Then turn right in N-322. Alleyway El Campillo and later Villacarrillo. Turn right in the Motorway A-6301 and then you have got Beas de Segura.

Distances from the town

Jaén 119 km
Gutar 14 km
Murcia 227 km
Sardinas 25 km
Almería 260 km
Villacarrillo 31 km
Navas de San Juan 47 km
Castellar de Santisteban 26 km
Villanueva del Arzobispo 21 km