Valdepeñas de Jaén

Valdepeñas de Jaén is located in the south-west area of Jaén and belongs to the agrarian region of “Sierra Sur”.

Valdepeñas de Jaén is situated between 3º 31’ 10” and 3º 51’ 10” west longitude and 37º 30’ 04” and 37 40’ 04” north latitude, with an area of 18.146 hectares.

Valdepeñas is the second municipal district in expansion of the agrarian region of Sierra Sur, and only exceeded by Alcalá la Real.

It borders on Jaén, Los Villares, Fuensanta de Martos, Castillo de Locubín, Frailes, Noalejo, Campillo de Arenas, Alcalá la Real and Martos.

This town is 922 metres above sea level, what makes possible to enjoy a good climate in the mountains; its winters are cold (without being harsh) and its delightful summer temperatures range from 1 to 2 degrees centigrade, in winter, from 30 to 35 degrees centigrade, in summer.

The oldest documented remains in Valdepeñas go back to the Bronze Age and were located in the spot called like "El Castellón". The main archaeological discovery comes from the Roman Age, a treasure formed by one hundred and thirty ases de plata in the time of Caracalla. During this age it was carried out a proliferation of small houses linked with the peasants, like the remains that appeared in Ventilla, Navalengua, Torcal, Solana, Pitillos and others testify.
 
During the Islamic Age the castle of Susana was erected, that was mentioned in different moments in the Arab and Christian chronicles. It had a busy existence conquered several times by each of the sides.
 
What nowadays is Valdepeñas was founded by the emperor Carlos V in 1539, responding to his mother’s intentions, Juana, in 1508. The foundation act of Valdepeñas was caused by the vast repopulating process that lived those lands after the conquest of Granada in 1492. 
 
The foundation of the town was carried out in the spot between Susana and Ranera, in the place of Los Osarios, and it was taken into account the abundance of waters, the possible cultivations, the kind of land, etc.. The initial forecasts were the ones of a town with 100 inhabitants. 
 
In Valdepeñas was implanted a colonial grid town planning, heritage of the "castros romanos" (Roman hill forts) and that thanks to the peculiarities of its floor it has not suffered changes. This town planning model that was also implanted in the rest of the towns founded in the XVI century in La Sierra de Jaén was the immediate precedent of the Spanish colonial implantation in Latinoamérica. 
 
In 1579, and thanks to the donation of 1.370.000 maravedíes (an old Spanish coin) by its 170 inhabitants, Felipe II gave to Valdepeñas the title of Villa, separating it from the town of Jaén. 
 
Valdepeñas took part in the Independence War encouraged by the bishop of Jaén, Diego Melo de Portugal, who lived in the palace that he had in this town. 
 
In 1917 Valdepeñas obtained the title of town, thanks to the managements carried out by Virgilio Anguita, parliamentary deputy by the district of Martos.

Monuments

Parish Church of Santiago Apóstol 
Church of San Sebastián 
Hermitage of El Santo Cristo de Chircales  
Casas Señoriales

Archaeological Sites

Sites of El Castellón, sites of Carboneros, caves of El charco in Utrera, site of El Torcal, site of Chircales.

Quejigo del Amo 
Pitillos 
Reservoir of El Quiebrajano 
Viewpoint of Navalayegua 
Spot of Chircales 
Nature Reserve "Las Chorreras"

Gastronomy

The gastronomy of Valdepeñas is linked to stockbreeding. You can taste stew young goat and lamb, with almonds sauce, tomato and pepper, all thickened wit fried brains. The local recipe book also includes wild asparagus and setas de cardo (king oyster mushroom), that are abundant in autumn, and aromatic herbs which are used like additives in many dishes.

Among its dishes we have to emphasize “choto a la caldereta” (stew young goat), “el carnerote” (sheep), “las cachorreñas” (pepper, toasts, garlic, water, vinegar, salt and olive oil), “migas con patatas”, “pan moreno” (brown bread).

We can say that the most famous sweets are its “ochíos”, “nochebuenos”, “sinsales”, “rosquetas”, “roscos de vino”, “bollos de higo”, etc.

The most typical drinks are the resol and leche vieja, a traditional Christmas drink that mixes milk, brandy, coffee, cinnamon and lemon rind.

How to get there

You have to exit Jaén and continue in the Motorway A-6050. Alleyway Los Villares and continue until you get Valdepeñas de Jaén.

Distances

To Jaén 30 km
To Frailes 23 km
To Alcaudete 34 km
To Los Villares 20 km
To Baños de Martos 30 km
To Alcalá la Real 29 km
To Benalúa de las Villas 46 km
To Fuensanta de Martos 18 km
To Castillo de Locubín 17 km
To Campillo de Arenas 65 km