Segura de la Sierra

Spanish city
native_name = Segura de la Sierra
spanish_name = Segura de la Sierra
image_coat_of_arms =
image_coat_of_arms_size = 80px| lat_long = coord|38|18|N|2|39|W
time_zone = CET (GMT +1)
time_zone_summer = CEST (GMT +2)
native_language = Spanish
community = Andalusia
community_link = Andalusia
province = Jaén
province_link = Jaén
comarca = Sierra de Segura
comarca_link = Sierra de Segura
mayor = Manuel Cerdán Sánchez
political_party = PSOE
political_party_link = PSOE
area = 224
altitude = 1145
population = 1771
date-population = 2005
density =
date-density =
postal_code = 23379
area_code = 953 48 XX XX

Segura de la Sierra is a small village in the province of Jaén (Spain), that belongs to the State of Sierra de Segura in the East of Andalusia.

Following the data provided by the Instituto Nacional de Estadística de España (INE), in 2005 there were 1,771 people living in the town, all them located into the Parque Natural de la Sierra de Cazorla, Segura y Las Villas that includes the villages:

* Cortijos Nuevos
* El Ojuelo
* Carrasco
* La Alberquilla
* El Robledo
* Rihornos
* Trujala
* Arroyo frío
* Río Madera and Arroyo Canales
* Catena
* El Tobazo
* El Puerto

History

Placed on top of the mountain called by the Greeks Orospeda, the village was founded by the fenicios coming from Tiro, who called it by the name of Tavara.

After that, the Greeks and Romans moved there as it appears in several old writtings in which the town is referred with several names, all them in relation with the rivers Segura and Guadalquivir.

The most important period for Segura de la Sierra took place during the Arab occupation who called the town Saqura. The village was achieved in 781 AC by Abul-Asvar, who was responsible of the several walls that surrounds the town. People were under the govern of the walíes pending directly to the Córdoba kings.

After some fightings between the almohades, the Christians took the control and the king Alfonso VIII donated the village to the military Orden de Santiago, many nobles and personalities were born or lived there in those days, including the Spanish poet Jorge Manrique.

With the invasion of Napoleon's troops, the town was set on fire and most of its Archive was destroyed, losing a great part of the history of the village that will never be recovered.

Monuments

Segura de la Sierra was designated in 1972 Conjunto Histórico-Artístico.

The village offers, in esence, the same physiognomy it had in the past, which is reflected in its silent and beautiful streets.

The most important monument is the Mudéjar Castle, placed on top of the town and surrounded by the ancient walls.

The Fountain of Carlos V decorated with its shield is close to the Church of Nuestra Señora del Collado that gathers a nice painting of the Descendimiento from Gregorio Hernández and a Romanic sculpture of the Virgen de la Peña.

The old School of the Jesuitas with its plateresca façade, was restored and now holds the town Council.

Finally the Arabian baths from XI AC have been restored too and can be visited.

Local festivities

The major local celebration is the festivity of the Virgen del Rosario between the 4th and the 8th of October that mixes religion and culture, those days the town is full of people coming from other close villages.

During the day people enjoy the bull fightings in the Arabian square placed down the Castle and the competition of Bolos serranos. During the night the party is full of music and dancings such as the typical Jotas and pasodobles.

Image Gallery

External links

* [http://www.sierrasegura.com Portal de la Sierra de Segura]
* [http://www.ayuntamiento-seguradelasierra.com/ Web site of Segura de la Sierra's Council]