of the diversity and splendour of its landscapes, which of thediversity andsplendourofitslandscapes, which unique interms oftheareaitcovers,butrather inview the greenheartofSpain. Chinche naturereserves,the province ofJaénisseenas Laguna Grandeandthe HondaandLagunadel of theUpperGuadalquivir, theCimbarraWaterfall and Sierra of Andújar andSierraMágina; thenaturespots of ,SeguraandLasVillas, Despeñaperros,the heritage. As aresultofthenatureparksSierras J Moreover, thenaturalheritage ofJaénisnotonly KHFWDUHVRIODQGFODVVLÀ inSpain,boasting morethan spaces largest surfaceareaofnaturalprotected aén isrenownedastheprovincewith HGDVQDWXUDO the green heart of of heart the green Segura and Segura andLasVillas Sierras of Cazorla, ofCazorla, Sierras point of ’s oldest romería [religious procession]. point ofSpain’s oldestromería[religious procession]. and theSanctuary oftheVirgen delaCabeza,thefocal Selladores, twoofSpain’smost importanthuntingareas, accompanied bythegamereserves ofLugarNuevoand of . These enchantingnatural spacesare of Mediterraneanvegetation withinthemountains boasts thebestconservedandmostextensiveclusters Park, lyingbeneaththegazeofSierraMorena, LQWHUPVRIÁ the mostvaluablecataloguesofendemicspecies,both deep ravinesandrockywalls,whicharehometooneof highest peaksintheprovinceandischaracterisedbyits enticing. The SierraMáginaNatureParktakesinthe collectively presentanoffer thatisassingularit RUDDQGIDXQD7KH6LHUUDRI$QGXMDU1DWXUH Nature Park, vol. 1(2)(2009),35M-42M ISSN: 1889-3066 Spain

35M 36M most important rivers in Spain. most importantriversinSpain. sources oftheSeguraand , twoofthe the mostcharacteristicfeatures ofthepark,suchas hang-gliding. Visitors canalsocontemplatethebeautyof surroundings, suchashikingorcyclingroutes,raftingand the possibilityoftakingpartinsportingactivitiesnatural and thehollytree.Furthermore,thisenclavealsooffers WKHJULIÀ species, suchasthebeardedvulture,goldeneagle, lizard ortheCazorlaviolet,andotherplantanimal of endemicspeciesitpossesses,suchastheValverde RILWVÁ that housesSpain’smostimportantecosystem,interms opportunity ofenjoyingauniqueenvironmentalparadise takes intwenty-sixmunicipalities,affording visitorsthe surface areaoftheprovinceJaén. The naturepark LQ(XURSHERDVWLQJKHFWDUHVDÀ protected naturalspaceinSpainandthesecondlargest in 1988. These threesierrascombinetoformthelargest in 1983andaSpecialProtection Area forBirds(ZEPA) and whichwasdeclaredaUNESCOBiosphereReserve importance thathasbequeathedarichnaturalheritage an areaofgreatbiological,geographicalandgeological Sierras ofCazorla,SeguraandLasVillas NaturePark, natural spacesintheprovinceofJaénisundoubtedly area isofgreatvalue,inviewitsruggedorography. Spain; however, despiteitssize,thelandscapeofthis amongst thesmallestnaturalspacesinsouthof impressive ravineandduetothefactthatitnumbers À In SantaElena,thegatewayinto Andalusia, visitorswill QGWKH'HVSHxDSHUURV1DWXUH3DUNQRWHZRUWK\IRULWV However, themostpreciousjewelamongst RUDDQGIDXQDQRWHZRUWK\IRUWKHODUJHQXPEHU QYXOWXUHDQGGHHUDORQJZLWKWKHVDYLQHWKH\HZ IWKRIWKHWRWDO Aleppo pines provide shelter for a wide Aleppo pines provideshelterforawide stony areas. climatic change,growinginthe heightsandin being thetreeswithgreatest resistanceto and evenjunipertrees,which arefamedas accompanied byelms,ashes, poplars,hazels metres, visitorswillbegreetedwithilexgroves, Moreover, ataltitudesunderathousand Peninsula, whereinpinewoodsdominate. contains thelargestexpanseofforestin as thesymbolofpark. This naturalspace herbivorous mammalsandwhichnowserves cliff facesandrockstoavoidtheattentionsof violet ofextraordinarybeautythatgrowson to theendemicspeciesvioletacarzolensis,a endemic. Particularattentionshouldbedrawn 2170 different plantspecies,ofwhich34are Á )]VQY]MÆ RUDOVSHFLHVIRXQGLQ6SDLQPRUHVSHFLÀ The dense clusters of black pines and The denseclusters ofblackpinesand 7KHSDUNҋVÁ RUDWDNHVLQWZHQW\SHUFHQWRIWKH WZI FDOO\ provides wonderful opportunities of viewing some of provides wonderful opportunitiesofviewing someof can besighted alongtheCoronel Tapiocca route,which griffon vulture,eagle-owlandthebeardedvulturethat the goldeneagle,imperial eagle, cinereousvulture, avian species.Particularattention shouldbedrawnto RI&D]RUOD6HJXUDDQG/DV9LOODVDUHÀ Protection Area forBirds,astheskiesaboveSierras natural spacehasalsobeendeclaredaSpecial a thousandmetres,isparticularlynoteworthy. This species discoveredin1958thatlivesataltitudesof lizards andsnakes. The Valverde lizard,anendemic attention shouldbedrawntotheterrapins,geckoes, joined bythepark’srepertoryofreptiles,amongstwhich Amphibians suchasnewts,toadsandsalamandersare of thetotalfaunapresentinIberianPeninsula. collectively accountforbetweentwentyandthirtypercent RIDPSKLELDQVDQGQLQHGLIIHUHQWVSHFLHVRIÀ 125 birdspecies,19familiesofreptiles,tenvarieties wealth ofanimallifetakesin36speciesmammals, goats, fallowdeerandwildboars. The NaturePark’s UDQJHRIPDPPDOVLQFOXGLQJGHHUPRXÁ OOHGZLWKPDQ\ RQVPRXQWDLQ VKZKLFK eagle captures a small kid, or the combats between eagle captures asmallkid,orthecombats between the naturalworld, suchasthescenewherein agolden offered viewerssomeofthemostspectacularscenes Las Villas. Histelevisionseries,“Elhombreylatierra”, beauty hiddenwithintheSierras ofCazorla,Seguraand conservationist andoneofthe greatestpublicistsofthe mentioning FélixRodríguezdelaFuente,atireless anglers. À WURXW À provide anidealsettingforhunters.Forthosewhoenjoy Spain, boastsmorethan70,000hectaresoflandthat PDJQLÀ Game ReserveofCazorlaandSegura,onethemost À DQG KXQWLQJ IRU LGHDO DUH WKDW and thewidevarietyofanimallifecreateecosystems interesting landscapes. the park’smostimportantavianspeciesand VKLQJWKHSURYLQFHRI-DpQRIIHUVHQYLDEOHORFDWLRQVIRU We cannot speak of Cazorla and its fauna without We cannotspeakofCazorlaanditsfaunawithout The environmentalcharacteristicsofthesesierras VLJ QPQHFDHRVQXDEDWIRU EHDXW\ VLQJXODU RI HQFODYHV PDQ\ DQG VKLQJ FQKQLJIUVDG RDLDUVUHLQ UHVHUYHV ERWDQLFDO DQG IRUHVW KXQWLQJ FHQW VLJ7H $QGDOXVLDQ 7KH VKLQJ

37M 38M placed on this area. placed onthisarea. importance thatthedeceasednaturalist that allowvisitorstogainasenseofthe by informationpanelsandviewpoints is markedbysignpostsandpunctuated amidst thesemountainranges. The route on totakeinthemostbeautifulareas remains ofaMoorishfortress,andgoes El Tranco reservoir, whichhousesthe overlooking theislandofBujaraizain Félix RodríguezdelaFuenteviewpoint, green area. The routesetsoutfromthe which runsthroughthecentreofthis park containsaroutebearinghisname, male mountaingoats.Inhishonour, the the “Traditional Woodland Arts and Trades” Visitors PDJQLÀ village lyingunderthepeak referred toasCambrón,a Albanchez, Génave, andOnsares,asmall north, aroadleadstothelocalities ofBenatae, Torres de façade thatdatesbacktothe 16th century. Furthertothe de la Anunciación [church],aNationalMonumentwith YLVLWRUVZLOOÀ mountain ranges.Ninekilometresfromthisentrancepoint, represents oneofthehistoricalentrancesinto Segura, dividedintwobythewatersofGuadalimar, there arelocalitiesofsingularcharm. The Puertade Amongst themunicipalitiesthatlieamidstthesepeaks, The SierraofSeguraisthelargestthreeregions. one ofthemostfascinatingandbeautifulareasSpain. in threedifferent regions,convertingtheselandsinto Three different regions Three different regions One of the unique features of the park is that is takes One oftheuniquefeaturesparkisthattakes 6HWWLQJRXWIURPWKHYLOODJHRI6LOHVZKHUHZHÀQG FHQWDUHDIRUKLNLQJDQGKRUVHULGLQJ QG2UFHUDZKLFKLVGRPLQDWHGE\WKH,JOHVLD Pyrenean oaks, black pines, ilexes and gall oaks. Further Pyrenean oaks, blackpines,ilexesandgalloaks. Further PDJQLÀ WKH E\ GRPLQDWHG areas ofgreat environmentalimportance, whichare concerts andculturalactivities. implements forhang-gliding andacrobaticexhibitions, and aerialsportsalongwith afairthatoffers thebest YLVLWRUVFDQHQMR\WKHVFUHHQLQJRIÀOPVUHODWLQJWRÁLJKW important competitionofthisnatureinSpain,wherein the settingforInternational Air Festival, themost of El Yelmo. The areaatthefootofEl Yelmo provides Ciudad Realand Albacete andcontemplatethepeak its keep:visitorsareabletodistinguishthelandsof most impressiveviewsoftheprovinceJaénfrom Sierra, whichhousesacastlethataffords someofthe then forkstowardstheRiverMaderaorSeguradela tract linedbyathickforestofblackpines. The road Acebeas road,wecomeacrossanextremelybeautiful Centre, andcontinuingalongtheCaminodelas The road that leads to the River Madera traverses The roadthatleadstotheRiver Maderatraverses FQZROQV DH S RI XS PDGH ZRRGODQGV FHQW Segura boasts several noteworthy artistic features, such Segura boastsseveral noteworthyartistic features, such in viewofitshistory, monumentsand traditions.Beasde the park,hasalways beenlinkedtothismountain area FRQÀ WKH RXWVLGH ZKLOVW ZKLFK 6HJXUD GH %HDV of CañadaCatenaandCuevas del Ambrosio, towards From here,theitinerarymoves onthroughthevillages this areaisamongstthemost acclaimedintheregion. on thesteepslopessurroundingvillage. The oilfrom where Jaén’smostcharacteristictree,theolive,grows QHDUIXWXUH&ORVHWR+RUQRVZHÀ be convertedintoanastronomicalobservatoryinthe Segura, Hornosisdominatedbyacastle,whichwill complex, asisthecasewithSeguradelaSierra.Like DEHDXWLIXOYLOODJHFODVVLÀ available, visitorswillcomeacrossHornosdeSegura, Tranco reservoir, where boat excursionswillsoonbe towards Murcia. the RiverMaderaandZumeta,itmakesitsway extraordinary beautyandthen,swelledbythewatersof small streamfallsovergulliesandnarrowpassesof ZLGHFOHDUODQGVFDSHÀ The sourceoftheRiverSeguraliesnearby, amidsta extraordinary beauty:Pontón Alto andPontónBajo. À ZLOO YLVLWRUV 6DQWLDJR3RQWRQHV de laEspadaandformingapartofthemunicipality walls andthewhite-washedfaçades.ClosetoSantiago pine timbreusedforwindowsanddoors,thethickstone drawn totheMoorishslatesusedtileroofs,black traditional architecture.Particularattentionshouldbe can contemplateinterestingexamplesoftheregion’s La Matea,ElCerezoandPatronato,wheretourists through hamletssuchasLos Atascaderos, Los Teatinos, Espada, thestartingpointofaroutethatwindsitsway along theroad,visitorswillcometoSantiagodela Perched aloft a rock overlooking the waters of the Perched aloftarockoverlookingthewatersof OOHGZLWKOLJKW,QLWVLQIDQF\WKH HGDVDQDUWLVWLFDQGKLVWRULFDO QWR DOWRI KDPOHWV WZR QG QG&RUWLMRV1XHYRV QV RI QHV

39M 40M Church ofNuestra Señoradela Asunción, attributedto À ZH ÔEHGD WRZDUGV to thechoirstallsandBaroque chapels.Heading la Asunción, whereinparticularattentionshould bedrawn 16th and17thcentury:theChurch ofNuestraSeñorade HGLÀ DQ KRXVLQJ is anenclavethattracesitsroots backtotheMoorishera, thousand metresamidstanimmenseforestofolivetrees, of ,whichstandsonahillatanaltitudeover be foundintheareasurroundingthislocality. The town Virgen deFuensanta,foundedinthe13thcentury, can century: theChurchofSan Andrés. The Sanctuaryofthe of themountains,boastsachurchdatingbackto17th , another municipalityinthisarea FODVVLÀ EHHQ KDV ZKLFK the ChurchofSantaÁguedaandMoorishcastle, features suchasthestatelyhomesinPlazaMayor, del Guadalimar, whichboastsinterestingarchitectural visitors willalsocomeacrossthelocalityofSorihuela and theCathedralinBaeza. of ElSalvadorinÚbeda,orthePalaciodeJabalquinto Spain, suchastheHospitaldeSantiagoandChapel HGLÀ Baeza, whichhousethemostimportantbuildingsand are inscribedontheWorld HeritageList:Úbedaand À ZH ZKHUH /RPD /D RI UHJLRQ Guadalquivir changescourseandheadstowardsthe Villas. Itishere,atEl Tranco reservoir, thattheRiver area oftheNatureParkCazorla,SeguraandLas centre focusingonmysticism. Santa Teresa deJesúsin1575,whichhousesavisitors as theConventofCarmelitasDescalzas,foundedby In this area of the largest nature park in Spain, In thisareaofthelargestnatureparkinSpain, The SierraofLasVillas isperhapstheleastknown FDWLRQVIURPWKH5HQDLVVDQFHSHULRGLQWKHVRXWKRI FWRWDGWV DN R HZHWKH EHWZHHQ WR EDFN GDWHV WKDW FDWLRQ Q9ODDUORZLK RVV WKH KRXVHV ZKLFK 9LOODFDUULOOR QG HDD DLQO 0RQXPHQW 1DWLRQDO D DV HG QWH ZFWHWKDW FLWLHV WZR WKH QG areas of the park, whilst the River Borosa Information areas ofthepark, whilsttheRiverBorosa Information varied in Andalusia, containsspecimens takenfromall PDJQLÀ PRVW WKH DPRQJVW JDUGHQV ERWDQLFDO won sincethenationalgame reservewasfounded. The and housesahuntingmuseum thatdisplaysthetrophies provides informationonthenatural featuresofthepark the SierrasofSeguraandCazorla. The visitorscentre Visitors Centre,whichmarkstheboundarybetween Almendral gamereserveandthe Torre delVinagre À ZLOO YLVLWRUV UHVHUYRLU WKH WR &ORVH YROXPHRIÁ by severalsmalltributaries,subsequentlyincreasingits Á In itsinfancy, theGuadalquivirisasmallstreamthat,asit to as Aguas FríaswithinthemunicipaldistrictofQuesada. river, onthehillnamedNavahondona,inanareareferred starting pointofaroutethatleadstothesource Cazorla. The PuentedelasHerrerías[bridge]marksthe important riverin Andalusia, islocatedintheSierraof El Trancoreservoir. road thatrunsbetweenVillanueva del Arzobispo andthe Charco delaPringuebeautyspot,whichliesnexttothe for approximatelysixtykilometresbeforeitreachesthe road leadsusintotheSierraofLasVillas. The roadruns the natureparkcanbefound.FromMogón,awinding waterfalls wheresomeofthemostimportantplantswithin spot ofextraordinarybeautythatconsistsaseries district ofVillacarrillo, visitorswillcomeacrossOsera,a noteworthy. Alonso deBarba,adiscipleofVandelvira, areparticularly Cruz, patronofthetown,andsacristy, theworkof Vandelvira, wheretheChapelofCristodela Vera RZVWKURXJKWKH6LHUUDRI6HJXUDEHFRPHVDULYHUIHG The sourceoftheRiverGuadalquivir, themost Close toMogón,whichformsapartofthemunicipal RZDVLWSDVVHVWKURXJK(O7UDQFRUHVHUYRLU QWH ROGGHO &ROODGR WKH QG FQDQG FHQW ever discovered: the Toya funeral chamber. There are houses oneof themostimportantIberian mausoleums WR&D]RUODZHÀ important nationalandinternational bluesartists.Close each July, featuringperformances bysomeofthemost Blues Festival,whichhasbeen runningforovertenyears Emperor CharlesV, visitorscantakeintheCazorla the ruinsofSantaMaríaandimperialfountain which housesanartandpopularcustomsmuseum, to monumentssuchastheimposingCastleofLa Yedra, of touristattractionsintheprovinceJaén.Inaddition Cazorla, oneofthelocalitieswithgreatestnumber historical building]. the Paradorof“El Adelantado” [astate-ownedhotelina waterfall ofLinarejosorthePoyosdelaMesa,closeto the SierraofCazorla,suchasCerradadelUtrero, to someofthemostfamousandacclaimedspotswithin by theKnights Templar. Another oftheroutesleadsus artistic importancethatisdominatedbyacastleerected Iruela, amunicipalitythatisnotedforitshistoricaland Burunchel, apointofentryintothenaturepark,andLa Guadalquivir, beforedescendingtowardsthevillagesof affords aspectacularpanoramaoftheuppervalley us tothePuertodelasPalomas,whereviewpoint which dividesintoseveralroutes.Oneoftheroutesleads $UUR\R)UtRZHÀ beauty. HeadingtowardsCazorla,intheareasurrounding Valdeazores, wherewaterformssettingsofextraordinary lake], the Arroyo dela Truchas [stream]orthelakesof evident inareassuchastheCharcodelaCuna[asmall impressive beautyspotswithintheSierraofCazorla. &HQWUHKRXVHVDWURXWÀ QNOPWH UP D UHDYVWUZOÀ ZLOO YLVLWRUV ,UXHOD /D IURP NLORPHWUH 2QH The protagonismofwaterinthismountainrangeis QG3HDOGH%HFHUURDPXQLFLSDOLW\WKDW QGDURDGNQRZQDV(PSDOPHGHO9DOOH VKIDFWRU\DQGRQHRIWKHPRVW QG

41M 42M shepherds, traders and woodsmen, which are currently shepherds, traders andwoodsmen,which are currently hiking routesthat traversetheoldwalkways usedby awareness oftheterritory, alongwithmorethanthirty traditional routesthatallowvisitors toacquireagreater enclave. The parkalsoincludesadense networkof important peaksandmunicipalities withinthisnatural the parkincludessixcyclingroutes thattakeinthemost services focusingonvarioussportingactivities. Thus, the NatureParkalsooffers awidevarietyoftourist view ofitsexcellentacousticproperties. nearby, andprovidestheperfectsettingforconcertsin del Agua, anaturallyformedlimestone cave,isfound Gothic door, datingbacktothe14thcentury. The Cueva of theVirgen de Tíscar, whichstillconservesitsoriginal À ZLOO YLVLWRUV 4XHVDGD WR FORVH YHU\ inscribed ontheWorld HeritageList.Inthe Tíscar pass, caves containingprehistoricpaintings,whichhavebeen main attractionsinQuesada,amunicipalitywithmany and thechurchesofSanPedroPabloare new museumthathousestheworksofRafaelZabaleta archaeological siteontheruinsofaRomantown. The other historicalremainsinthearea:Bruñelhousesan In addition to its charm as a privileged natural setting, In additiontoitscharmasaprivilegednaturalsetting, QWH 6DQFWXDU\ WKH QG within you”. within you”. visit Jaén,“You arestillyou,butsomething haschanged new promotionalsloganofthe provincesays,onceyou of Jaén,producesaninternal changeinvisitors:asthe park, asisthecasewith remainderoftheterritory are incompleteharmonywith anidyllicenclave. The H[SHULHQFLQJDQDWXUDOSDUDGLVHZKHUHLQWKHLUÀ ethnographical heritage,offering touriststhepossibilityof catalogue ofartisticandhistoricalfeaturesasingular and zoologicaltreasureinitsinterior, alongwitharich Villas NatureParkhousesanincrediblebotanical these typesofactivities. province thatprovideoptimalconditionsforengagingin the peakofEl Yelmo, atvariouslocationsthroughoutthe RIDHULDOVSRUWVDUHDIIRUGHGIRXUÁ Guadalquivir andonEl Tranco reservoir. Practitioners rafting, canoeingandhydrospeeding,alongtheRiver as rockclimbingandcanyoninginmountainareas PDJQLÀ D UHSUHVHQWV destination forseveraladventureandnaturesports,such SDUWLFXODU LQ SDUN WKH DQG the threesierraswithinpark. The provinceofJaén, being linkedtoformasinglehikingroutethatwilltakein In short, the Sierras of Cazorla, Segura and Las In short,theSierrasofCazorla,SeguraandLas \LQJDUHDVLQFOXGLQJ YHVHQVH FHQW