Segura de la Sierra

Segura de la Sierra
Municipality

Coat of arms
Segura de la Sierra

Location in Spain

Coordinates: 38°18′N 02°39′W / 38.300°N 2.650°W / 38.300; -2.650Coordinates: 38°18′N 02°39′W / 38.300°N 2.650°W / 38.300; -2.650
Country  Spain
Autonomous community  Andalusia
Province Jaén
Comarca Sierra de Segura
Government
  Alcalde Jacinto Jesús Viedma Quesada (PSOE)
Area
  Total 224 km2 (86 sq mi)
Elevation 1,145 m (3,757 ft)
Population (2009)
  Total 2,054
  Density 9.2/km2 (24/sq mi)
Demonym(s) Segureño, ña
Time zone CET (UTC+1)
  Summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2)
Postal code 23379
Dialing code (+34) 953 48 XX XX
Official language(s) Spanish
Website Official website

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

According to data provided by Spain's national statistics agency, Instituto Nacional de Estadística de España (INE), in 2005 there were 1,771 people living in the town, all them located in the Sierras de Cazorla, Segura y Las Villas Natural Park that includes the following villages:

History

The most important period for Segura de la Sierra was during the Arab occupation, when the town was called Saqura. The village was conquered in 781 AD by Abul-Asvar who was responsible for building the several walls that surround the town. People were under the rule of the walíes serving the Córdoba kings.

After fighting between the Almohads, the Christians took the control and the king Alfonso VIII donated the village to the military Order of Santiago, many nobles and personalities were born or lived there in those days, including the 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 essence, the same physiognomy it had in the past, 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 has a nice painting of the Descendimiento by 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 the 11th century have also been restored and can now 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 had many 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. The party filled the night with much music and dancings that was typical Jotas and pasodobles.

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 12/18/2015. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.