By Jo Williams
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Cazalla Monastery
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Ninety
kilometres north of Seville is the second largest town in the Sierra
Norte Natural Park, the pretty Cazalla de la Sierra. It boasts
one of the best churches in the Sierra Morena, grand mansions, beautiful
churches and, out of town, a 15th-century monastery that has been
converted into a hotel.
The
Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de la Consolación, on the
attractive Plaza de los Mártires, is an intriguing architectural
mishmash of styles. Building began in the 14th century, but it remains
unfinished today. Its best features are the Mudéjar tower
and fine Renaissance interior with a 16th-century altarpiece and
16th-century paintings by the Sevillan architect and sculptor Juan
de Oviedo who designed Seville's Convento de la Merced, which now
houses the city's fine arts museum.
Next
to the church are 13th-century defensive walls built by the Almohads.
On the same square is the former ayuntamiento (town hall), with
an ornate Baroque façade and a Mudéjar-style house.
 Other
noteworthy buildings in the town centre include the Iglesia de San
Benito, which has been converted into a hotel (see below), and has
an ornate belfry and a Renaissance façade. Also worth a look
are the Baroque former convents of San Agustín (home to the
town hall) and San Francisco (now a warehouse belonging to the anisette
producer, Miura).
Archaeolgical
finds from the Cuevas de Santiago show that Cazalla was the site
of human settlement since Neolithic times. Under the Romans, Cazalla
was called Callentum and became renowned for its vineyards and wines.
Known as Kazala (fortified town in Arabic) when the Moors occupied
it, their architectural legacy can be seen in the castle, the Azahín
part of town and remains of the defensive walls.
It
was also an important defensive centre for the Castilians fighting
the Portuguese. It underwent a boom period in the 16th and 17th
centuries due to its status as the chief exporter of wines to the
New World, as well as its sales of aniseed liquors.
Felipe
V and his court gave Cazalla the royal seal of approval when they
spent summer here in 1730. Today, Cazalla still bears the imprint
of this wealthy heyday in its well-preserved mansions dating from
the 16th and 18th centuries.
Cazalla
is famous for its aniseed-based liqueur (anís) and its rich-tasting
cherry brandy (guinda). Try it at any of the local bars, accompanied
by one of the area's specialities, spicy or cured sausages (chorizo
or salchichón).
Outside
Cazalla is the best place to stay in the Sierra, La Cartuja de
Cazalla, housed in a magnificent former monastery with an art
gallery. In Cazalla itself, the most luxurious place to stay is
El Palacio San Benito, 954 883 336, a sumptiously furnished 17th-century
mansion and church, and the Posada del Moro, 954 884 858, with a
pool and a good restaurant serving local dishes. On Calle La Plazuela
are a few tapas options, at the Casino and Bar Los Mellis.
For
more information, you can contact the turismo (tourist office) in
Paseo del Moro, 954 883 562.
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