La Carolina

La Carolina is located to the north-west of the North area, crossed by the Motorway of Andalucía E-05. Its territory belongs to Sierra Morena because of the cultivated fields are only the 10% of its area, dedicated in the main to the olive grove.

The main agricultural activities are the olive grove, the stockbreeding and the big and small game. The industry and hotel and catering trade have a major socioeconomic importance. The small villages are abundant in its municipal district just as the nature reserves, and this turns La Carolina into a place with a special human and natural attraction for those who love the risk.

La Carolina was founded in 1767 by Carlos III, at the proposal of the Treasury supervisor Miguel Muzquiz, with the Jurisdiction of the Nuevas Poblaciones de Sierra Morena. Olavide would see to carry out the settlement of colonists who came from France and Germany.

These towns, established by the King, obeyed the intention of Carlos III to finish with the refuge that the bandits found in Sierra Morena.

La Carolina was influenced by the ideas of the Enlightenment, the town shows a squared street plan with its parallel and perpendicular streets.

Monuments

Church of Inmaculada Concepción, XVIII century. Neoclassic Style. It was built over the convent of Peñuela, where San Juan de la Cruz lived. Inside we can observe an image of the Virgin de los Dolores from XV century and a painting of Martirio de Santo Domingo attributed to Ribera school. 

Palace of Intendente Olavide. Neoclassic Style. Inside it is shown the royal shield. It belonged to Pablo de Olavide, who runs the colonization in the region.

Churches of San Carlos Borromeo and San Juan de la Cruz. 

Castle of Navas de Tolosa. 

Historic Site of Navas de Tolosa. 

The Prison. Neoclassic Style. In it the general Riego was imprisoned before being executed in Madrid (1823).

Archaeological Sites 
 
Industrial Archaeology.

Town Planning 
 
Rectilinear design (rational). 
 
Squares of Entrada and Circular. 
 
Plazas Mayor o de los Espectáculos, Principal y de la Iglesia. 
 
Small villages la Fernandina e Isabela. 
 
Mining Villages of Los Guindos and El Centenillo. 
 
Torres de la Aduana. It was the ancient entrance of the city. 
 
Monument to San Juan de la Cruz. 
 
Monument to the Batalla de las Navas de Tolosa. 
 
Navas de Tolosa. A village near to La Carolina.  
Museums 
Archaeological Museum. It has an important collection of prehistoric remains.

Gastronomy

We can mention the wild animal meat that is cured and seasoned with spices, pickled partridge, and partridge with onion. Beans with partridge, chorizos and black pudding.

How to get there

From Andalucía: If you want to get La Carolina from Andalucía you have to take the A- road A-4 towards Sevilla - Madrid. Once you have passed the towns of Jaén, Linares and Bailén the municipalities of Guarromán and Carboneros we have reached the kilometric point 266 of the A-road IV where we find the exit of La Carolina.

From Ciudad Real: We have to take the A-road A-4 but direction Madrid - Sevilla. We have to passed the towns of Valdepeñas and Almuradiel and then we cross the pass of Despeñaperros, the municipality of Correderas, Santa Elena and Las Navas de Tolosa reaching the kilometric point 269 of the A-road IV where you are going to find an exit towards La Carolina.

Distances

To Jaén 69 km 
To Úbeda 50 km  
To Bailén 27 km  
To Andújar 53 km  
To Linares 25 km 
To Vilches 15 km  
To Arquillos 22 km  
To Guarromán 14 km  
To Villacarrillo 65 km 
To Venta de Cárdenas 22 km  
To Navas de San Juan 33 km 
To Las Navas de Tolosa 3,5 km  
To Santisteban del Puerto 47 km