Villanueva del Arzobispo

Villanueva del Arzobispo

Villanueva del Arzobispo is located in La Sierra de la Cuatro Villas, to the east of the Jaén province, surrounded with a landscape full of olive trees and cereal fields. The municipality limits with Sorihuela del Guadalimar, Beas de Segura, Villacarrillo, Santiago-Pontones e Iznatoraf.

In its city centre we can observe monuments such as the Church of S. Andrés, Church of La Vera Cruz, Church of the Convent of Santa Ana, the Bullring and the Sanctuary of El Calvario. In the outskirts it is located the Sanctuary of La Virgen de la Fuensanta, patron saint of this mountain range.

Part of its municipal district belongs to Cazorla, Segura and 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.

During the Arab Age Villanueva was one of the fortresses that tightened the town of Iznatoraf, called La Moraleja.

After the conquest carried out by Fernando III el Santo de Iznatoraf, this town called La Moraleja was given to the Adelantamiento de Cazorla by the king. In 1396, the archbishop of Toledo, Pedro Tenorio, gave it the title of Villa, acquiring jurisdiction itself and becoming the most important business core in the lordship of Cazorla. This town stood out for its flour production, with many flour mills that marked the passing of the River Guadalquivir. Miguel de Cervantes lived in this town for a period of time like wheat tax collector.

In 1576 Felipe II gave it the criminal jurisdiction.

In 1920 Villanueva del Arzobispo received the title of town by Alfonso XIII.

Villanueva del Arzobispo Monuments

Church of San Andrés, XII century. It was built on top of an Arab fortress.
Church of La Vera Cruz. In it we can find a Christ by Mariano Benlliure.
Bullring, from 1928. It is a Neomudejar building.
Sanctuary of La Virgen de la Fuensanta, XIII century.
Convent of Las Hermanitas del Asilo de Ancianos Desamparados.
Sanctuary of El Calvario, from1576. It was founded by San Juan de la Cruz.

Archaeological Remains

Caves.

Villanueva del Arzobispo Gastronomy

Typical dishes:

Encebollado de Bacalao (A cod stew and potatoes with onion)
Ajoharina (Lightly fried onions and garlic, potatoes and aubergines with red pepper, cummins and water. It is added flour until it is thickened)
Blanquillas (Crunchy pies with tomato and raw broad beans)
Ajo de Morcilla (Onion, rice with chopped onion, pork’s blood, lard and seasonings)

Confectionery

Borrachuelos (Flour pastry, toasted olive oil, brandy, grated lemon peel, cinnamon and sugar)

How to get there

You have to exit Jaén towards Mancha Real – Baeza – Úbeda. Cross Baeza and on leaving turn left in the Motorway A-316. Alleyway of Úbeda. In the roundabout, take the exit 3 and continue in the Motorway A-301. Then turn right in N-322. Alleyways of El Campillo and Villacarrillo. Then follow the signs until you get Villanueva del Arzobispo.

Distances from Villanueva del Arzobispo

Jaén 98 km
Gutar 15 km
Benatae 49 km
Sardinas 11 km
Barbero 11 km
Villacarrillo 11 km
Beas de Segura 21 km
Fuente de la Torre 11 km
Castellar de Santisteban 21 km

Villanueva del Arzobispo Town Hall