Jódar - Jaén

Jódar is a town located under the hill of San Cristóbal; it is between the foothills of Sierra Mágina and the valley of the River Guadalquivir. It has more or less 12.600 inhabitants. The oil industry in Jódar exists from Arab Ages, because in that time Al- Himyari called Jódar, Gadir al- zayt (oil reserve). Its current production of extra virgin olive oil is controlled by the Guarantee of Origin Sierra Mágina.

Jódar municipal district is surrounded by the Rivers Guadalquivir (Reservoir of Pedro Marín) and Jandulilla. It has beautiful places such as the picnic areas of Los Pinares and El Pilar de la Dehesa. The Fountain García is a good place to go camping. In the Castle of Jódar, in its northern tower, we can find the Interpretation Centre of the Natural Park Sierra Mágina, a place of obliged visit for those who want to get information and go into the interior of the Parque. From here you can observe wonderful views of the province. Across its city centre crosses the local road from Úbeda to Iznalloz and to 8 kilometres we find the railway station that travels between Linares and Almería. It starts from the town a national road that goes to the station located in Quesada.

During the al-Andalus Period it was called Galdur and Xauda. Its castle is one of the oldest in the province because it is documented in 860. In the X century, its governor, the muladi called Jair Aben Xaquir, was declared independent and joined the rebellion of Omar Ben Hafsun but later he was betrayed. A lieutenant of Omar Ben Hafsun beheaded him and sent his head to the caliph of Córdoba.

In 1231 the Christian conquest was carried out by Sancho Martínez de la Torreby, by order of Fernando III, in order to conquest Úbeda.

In 1485, Díaz Sánchez de Carvajal established entailed state in Jódar, with the permission of the Catholic Monarchs, until the abolition of the lordships in the XIX century.

Monuments

Parish Church of Nuestra Señora de la Asunción, XVI century.  
Church of El Santo Cristo. 
Castle. 
 
Archaeological Sites 
 
Sites of Cerro de San Cristóbal. Iberian, Roman, Visigoth and Moslem remains.    
Railway Station.
Many houses-cave.  
Urban historic and artistic complex.

Gastronomy

The gastronomy in Jódar is varied where we can taste its fried breadcrumbs and gachamigas, the andrajos and the pipirranas (salad with peppers, tomatoes, onion, cucumber and tuna), cooked with the excellent farm produce. We cannot forget its alcaparrones (capers) and we have to mention its confectioney traditional with Arab roots, where we have the retarcíos and the roscos de vino (wine bread rolls). Finally we have to mention a traditional drink, the risol, made with sugar, cinnamon, rose petals, and brandy it was drunk by the peasants to get warm during the cold days in winter. The important esparto industry from other times was reduced to craftwork where you can buy craftsman products like the burritos and the miniatures.

How to get there

You have to exit Jaén towards Mancha Real - Baeza and Úbeda via the Motorway A-316. Then take the alleyway of Puente Nuevo - Mancha Real and Jimena. Continue until Jódar.

Distances

To Jaén 55 km
To A Mancha Real 35 km
To Baeza 29 km
To Úbeda 23 km;
To Bedmar 9,5 km
To Pegalajar 43 km