Noalejo
by Saskia Mier
Noalejo is a small city in the province of Jaén. Visitors can wander the streets and observe traditional Andalusian architecture, or explore the natural environment beyond; situated 6km from the town is Navalcán, a series of caves renowned for their Neolithic paintings. Noalejo itself has around 2,100 inhabitants.
HISTORY
The oldest evidence of human presence locally is the cave paintings of the Navalcán enclave, dated to the Copper Age. Between the end of the War of Granada in 1492 and the early sixteenth century, the lands surrounding today’s Noalejo were “entredichos”, or intermediate territorial bands not belonging to any specific municipality. The delineation of boundaries and ownership was therefore hotly disputed by the Councils of Granada and Jaén. In 1559, Mencía de Salcedo, servant of the Empress Isabel of Portugal and Felipe II, bought the civil and criminal jurisdiction of these lands from the Crown, obtaining the royal license to till 1,500 bushels of land. The intervention of both councils led to the founding of Noalejo as an independent municipality in the early sixteenth century. More>
THINGS TO SEE
Ayuntamiento
The Town Hall was built between the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. It was first founded as a convent dedicated to Nuestra Señora de la Asunción, whose image still presides over the façade. The building was repurposed as the Town Hall in the eighteenth century. The three-story structure is built around a central patio and topped with a belfry. It has undergone a series of refurbishments; first in 1845, and then in 1985, when the façade was replastered with lime. The tower was dismantled and reconstructed with the same stones. A passageway used to connect the Town Hall and church, through which the Mayor could escape in case of sieges, but this tunnel was buried due to fears of collapse. Located in Plaza de España.
Ermita de Nuestra Señora de Belén
Local devotion to the Virgen de Belén is demonstrated through the painting inside this chapel. According to legend, a shepherd found a roll of cloth in the trunk of an oak, revealing a beautiful portrait of the Holy Family, Jesus, Mary and Joseph. He took it to the church for everyone to see, but the next morning the portrait had disappeared, and was found nestled back in the oak’s trunk. This sequence was repeated for several days, until the community understood the Virgin’s wish to remain in that spot. This divine occurrence inspired the construction of a chapel inside the cemetery, called San Marcos, which was demolished in 1899. Fundraising efforts by the Town Hall allowed the construction of a new chapel, which was opened in 1910. It is made up of a rectangular nave with a small bell tower on its main façade, occupied by three bells that were installed in its last remodeling, around 1980. A fountain on the site is thought to have healing properties, so residents drink from it when they come to visit the Virgin. Located in the Municipal Cemetery.
Iglesia Nuestra Señora de la Asunción
The church was commissioned by the founder of the municipality, Doña Mencía de Salcedo, and was erected in 1536, with its blessing taking place the following year. The construction was overseen by Juan de Lizarza Vizcaíno, a master mason of Basque origin who lived in Alcalá la Real and Noalejo. He also contributed to the construction of the Casa-Palacio and the Convento de Nuestra Señora de la Victoria. The monastery, inhabited by Friars of the Orden de los Mínimos, who, like most of Noalejo’s first settlers, came from Valladolid, is connected to the church by an underground passage located in front of the main altar. The founder's remains were originally interred in this convent before being transferred later. Both the Casa-Palacio and the Convent are now residential homes for families in Noalejo. The church features a rectangular nave with a Latin cross floor plan and a prominent square head where the main altar is situated. Notably, it houses a remarkable relic: a copy of the Shroud of Turin, which was acquired by the founder along with a painting. This relic is one of only three copies in Spain and has attracted attention from authors like Julio Marvizón and Dr. Jiménez del Oso, as well as the Jaén newspaper, all of whom have written about it. The relic is currently being studied in the department of anthropology of death at the University of Jaén. The church is located on Calle 18 de Julio.
THINGS TO SEE OUTSIDE THE TOWN
Pinturas Rupestres Abrigo de Navalcán
These cave paintings date from the Copper Age (third millennium BC). Attributed to the Mediterranean arc of cave art, they reflect similar discoveries at Otíñar and Moclín. The images seem to depict three groups of figures staging a group dance led by a large anthropomorph. Despite their poor state of preservation, the paintings are of great anthropological interest and have been declared an Asset of Cultural Interest since 06/29/1985.
NATURAL AREAS
Navalcán
The “Paraje de Navalcán” valley is like a small oasis, which becomes gradually more rugged as it enters Alcalá la Real. Several livestock routes pass through the area, such as the Colada del Portillo del Espinarillo, which comes from La Hoya del Salobral. The limestone walls feature numerous shelters and caves, some of which are decorated with Copper-Age cave paintings. Unfortunately, visitors over the years have applied water to these images in order to highlight them better, unaware that this accelerates the progressive degradation of the markings. Navalcán is the starting point for several hiking and bicycle routes. Located 6km west of the town.
La Piedra Granaina
This mountainous limestone rock formation is also known as “El Porrón” because of its structural likeness to the traditional Spanish jug. The peak offers striking views of Noalejo and neighbouring towns including Campillo de Arenas, Campillo and Campotéjar.
Torre de Gallarín
Situated 1,334m above sea level, the Rey Gallarín watchtower is the inheritance of the area’s medieval past. The tower once held great strategic importance, due to overlooking the Via Romana “Acci-Castulo”, which today is known as Cordel del “Salado”. It also stood equidistant between the fortresses of Huelma and Montejicar, making it a point of communication between the two. However, following the conquest of the Kingdom of Granada, the tower lost its value. Of its 9m diameter, only the foundations can still be seen today.
BUS SERVICE
There are bus services from Noalejo to Granada, Punta Arenas, Campillo de Arenas, Jaén, Carchelejo, Madrid and Sevilla. More>
GASTRONOMY
Visitors to Noalejo can try traditional dishes such as tarta de boniato (sweet potato pie), huevos rellenos (stuffed eggs), migas (fried breadcrumbs with pork) and costillas (pork ribs). Sweet treats include nochebuenos (brioche), empanadillas (sweet pasties) and magdalenas (muffins).
FESTIVALS
Popular festivals in Noalejo are Fiestas de San Antón, La Candelaria, Fiestas Patronales de la Virgen de Belén and Feria Real.
WEATHER FORECAST
The weather forecast for the next few days for Noalejo. More>
TOURIST OFFICE
The tourist office of Noalejo is located in the Town Hall. More>
NEARBY PLACES
The neighbouring villages to Noalejo are Campillo de Arenas, Montillana and Campotéjar.