Subbetica

Lucena: the gateway to the Subbética Geopark

Lucena: the gateway to the Subbética Geopark

Paisaje kárstico único con dolinas, cuevas y fósiles de ammonites. Ofrece historia geológica, biodiversidad y cultura mediterránea. Ideal para turismo natural.

Located in the south of the province of Córdoba, the UNESCO Global Geopark of the Sierras Subbéticas offers visitors the chance to walk on the seabed of an ancient sea of warm, crystal-clear waters – a sea teeming with life whose extraordinarily abundant and diverse fauna is now an essential part of the stratigraphic record and a benchmark on a global scale. The subsequent karstification of these rocks gave rise to a landscape of unique beauty, featuring sinkholes, lapiaz, poljes, canyons, waterfalls, springs, seepages and a myriad of caves and underground galleries. The Sierras Subbéticas is the realm of the ammonites. It is the realm of the Karst. But not only that; the Sierras Subbéticas is also home to Mediterranean woodland, iconic birds, a millennia-old culture, a wealth of monuments, its own cuisine, festivals and traditions.

The limestone, which has been shaped by water over thousands of years, presents an interesting karst landscape in the Sierras Subbéticas Natural Park, featuring a wide variety of features (poljes, lapiaz, sinkholes, chasms, and over 800 caves). Furthermore, these rocks hold a history dating back more than 200 million years. Important chapters in the complex history of the Tethys Sea have been recorded in the sediments, notably the ammonites, ancient animals with spiral shells, which, due to the abundance and diversity of their fossil forms, constitute the undisputed emblem of the Sierras Subbéticas Geopark.

The Sierras Subbéticas were declared a Natural Park in 1988, primarily for their geological features. In 2006, they became part of the European Geoparks Network and the Global Geoparks Network, endorsed by UNESCO. A mountainous region in the heart of Andalusia, with white villages and mountain olive groves. Here, the seabed of the ancient Tethys Sea emerges as grey limestone escarpments, shaped by rainwater. This is the realm of the ammonites. Discover a history spanning over 200 million years in this region. The UNESCO Sierras Subbéticas Global Geopark is situated in the south of the province of Córdoba, coinciding with the central part of the Baetic System. It covers an area of 32,560 hectares. Eight municipalities form part of it: Cabra, Carcabuey, Doña Mencía, Iznájar, Luque, Priego de Córdoba, Rute and Zuheros.

Text and photos: Website of the Regional Government of Andalusia and the Subbética Association of Municipalities

Roman Villa ‘El Ruedo’

Iberian settlement ‘El Cerro de La Cruz’

ST JOHN THE BAPTIST PARISH

Almedinilla History and Archaeology Museum

RAMÓN Y CAJAL STREET

The Plaza de los Cuatro Caños

“El Pingorote” Viewpoint

The Lion Fountain

“Cerro de la Cruz” Chapel and Viewpoint

‘El Zurreón’ Waterfall

‘El Huerto de San Juan’ Park

Almedinilla Amphitheatre

‘El Salto del Caballo’ Waterfall

Almedinilla Town Council

House of Culture

The ‘La Encantá’ Cave

Zurreón Waterfall

Hernán Ruiz II Renaissance Bridge

Façade of the former Convent of Our Lady of Los Remedios (of the Order of Discalced Carmelites)

The Gardens of the Poet Amparo Lara Fuentes

Paseo Reina Sofía (commonly known as ‘La grieta’)

Oratory of Our Lord of Mercy (18th to 20th centuries)

HINS BANI BASHIR ARAB FORTRESS

LOS CAÑOS NATURE RESERVE

THE DEHESILLA SPRING

UNDERSTORY OF THE GENIL RIVER

Shrine of Our Lady of Grace Crowned

Duchess of Benamejí Museum

Parish of the Immaculate Conception

Chapel of Saint Sebastian

River Genil valley

Greenway tourist hostel

Gaena – Galician Houses

Cerro de la Merced

La Beleña Cemetery

Main Parish Church of the Assumption

Chapel of Our Lady of the Mountains

Source of the River

CASTLE OF THE COUNTS OF CABRA

Church of St John of God

Church of the Augustinian Sisters

Church of San Juan del Cerro

Church of Santo Domingo

Church of Los Remedios

Birthplace of Juan Valera

Cerro neighbourhood

Friendship Circle

Alcántara Romero Promenade

DEFENSIVE WALLS

Cayetano Muriel's House

THE SWORD OF EL CID THE CHAMPION

Jurassic Goat Interpretation Centre. Currently being relocated

Archaeological Museum

Natural History Museum

“El Molino Viejo” Olive Oil Museum

Museum of the Passion

Museum of Sacred Art of the Brotherhood of the Buen Fin

La Viñuela Estate

Sierras Subbéticas Natural Park ‘Santa Rita’ Visitor Centre

Children's City

Picacho – The Sierra de Cabra mountain range

KARST LANDSCAPE

Carcabuey Castle

"The Stone Bridge (Caliphate Bridge). The Caliphate Route"

MONUMENTS TO EMIGRANTS AND CENTRE FOR DESCENDANTS

CARCABUEY MUNICIPAL HISTORICAL MUSEUM

CAÑUELO PROMENADE

CARCABUEY MUNICIPAL PARK

LAS FUENTES DEL CASTILLEJO RECREATIONAL AREA

EL PALANCAR RECREATIONAL AREA

CALIPHATE BRIDGE

ALGAR VIEWPOINT

CERRO MORO VIEWPOINT

SANTA RITA VISITOR CENTRE

TRUFFLE MYCOLOGICAL GARDEN

VEHICLES AND HOUSING DEPARTMENT

Carcabuey Castle

Church of the Assumption

St Mark's Church

Hermitage of Saint Anne

Shrine of Our Lady of Sorrows

Fuente del Pilar

Carcabuey Municipal History Museum

SUBBETICA ASSOCIATION OF MUNICIPALITIES

MULTI-PURPOSE BUILDINGS

CARCABUEY TOWN COUNCIL

SUBBÉTIC MOUNTAINS NATURAL PARK

ALGAR (VILLAGE OF CARCABUEY)

Streets of Flowers

The Silver Tower

Mural: "The Lady of Fenghuang"

Frasquito Priego Shop

Manor houses on Granada Street

Pilar de Henazar

Source: Las Pilas

Menciano Wine Museum

Doña Mencía Castle

Chapel of the Holy Spirit

Calvario Chapel and Viewpoint

Doña Mencía Historical and Archaeological Museum

Menciano Wine Museum

GREENWAY AND SUBBÉTIC MOUNTAINS NATURAL PARK

Village of Vadofresno

The natural surroundings of Encinas Reales and the River Genil

Church of Our Lady of Hope

Chapel of Our Lady of Bethlehem, in Vadofresno

Chapel of Our Father Jesus of Sorrows, El Calvario

Lookout of the Canteruela

Cerro de la Mesa

"El Lucerico" Mill

Parish Church of Our Lady of the Rosary

Fuente Tójar Municipal History Museum

Cerro de las Cabezas

Fountain Square

Urban Knitting Museum

Valdearenas Nature Reserve and Beach

Corral de la Pacheca

Tajos and Barrio del Coso

Plaza de la Torre

Moltura Cultural Centre

Micla Museum Gallery

The Peñón Neighbourhood and the Cave House

Cruz de San Pedro Viewpoint

Cruz del Postigo Viewpoint

Villa Viewpoint

Las Peñas Viewpoint

The Three Crosses

Constitution Promenade

Tourist swing on the Paseo de las Canteras

Molinillo Bridge

Iznájar Castle

Iberian fortified settlement on Cerro del Castillejo (La Hoz)

Archaeological remains at Cerro del Hachuelo

The Iberian fortified settlement of La Torre

Iznájar Tourist Swing

Viewpoints in Iznájar

Julio Burell Municipal Public Library (Former Granary)

Shrine of Our Lady of Mercy

House of the Columns

Rafael Alberti Square

Church of St Joseph

St James the Apostle Parish

Las Comedias Courtyard and San Rafael Tower

San Rafael Tower

Iznájar Castle (Hisn-Ashar)

Museum of Arts and Crafts

Museum of Farming Implements

Antonio Cañizares ‘el Perlo’ Exhibition Hall

Iznájar Reservoir Visitor Centre

The ‘Juan Pérez’ Museum of Ironwork and Wooden Miniatures

Antonio Quintana Museum Gallery

Valdearenas (Iznájar)

The Iznájar Reservoir

Nature in Iznájar

Corona, Algaida and Gata

Hornets and Torches

Arroyo del Cerezo

Priego Stream, Córdoba

Jaramillo and Lorite

Ventorros de Balerma

Fuente del Conde

Cierzos and Cabreras

Valenzuela and Llanadas

Roman pottery workshop

González Palma Manor House

Sculpture by Luis Barahona de Soto

Sculpture by Luis Fernández de Córdoba

St Matthew's Parish

Chapel of the Tabernacle of Saint Matthew

Castillo del Moral – Archaeological and Ethnological Museum

Royal Shrine of Our Lady of Araceli

Palace of the Counts of Santa Ana – City Interpretation Centre

Parish of Santiago

Church of Saint Peter the Martyr of Verona and Chapel of Our Father Jesus of Nazareth

Parish of Saint Dominic of Guzmán

Jewish cemetery

The Abyss and Archaeological Site of Cueva del Ángel

Church of Our Lady and the Convent of the Franciscan Friars

St Carmen's Parish

Church of St John the Baptist and the former Hospital of St John of God

Convent Church of San Martín (San Agustín)

Chapel of God the Father

Church of the Immaculate Conception

Church of St Philip Neri

Parish of the Holy Family (El Valle)

Early Christian Basilica of Coracho

The House Museum of Our Lady of Araceli

Brotherhood House & Museum of Christ of Love and Mary of Peace

Theme Centre on Romantic Banditry (Jauja)

El Alfoli Museum and Winery

Permanent exhibition of Lucena candle-making crafts – Casa de los Mora

Permanent exhibition ‘Our School’ – Casa de los Mora

Santiago neighbourhood

La Barrera neighbourhood

Paseo del Coso, ‘Plaza de España’

The Station - Nature Classroom

Palace of the Counts of Hust – Municipal Library

The area around Lake Andalucía

Lucena: the gateway to the Subbética Geopark

The River Anzur

The Sierra de Aras, a Natural Monument

Olive Oil Greenway

The Wetlands of Lucena

Navas del Selpillar

Jauja, the Bandit

Four Corners Square

Viewpoint on the Paseo de las Fuentes

Viewpoint at the Cueva de la Encantada

The Cave Paintings of Castillarejos

The Enchanted Cave

Luque Castle (Hisn Lukk)

Parish of Our Lady of the Assumption

The Alamillo bunkers

Dolmen of La Lastra

Chapel of Our Lady of the Rosary

Chapel of St Bartholomew

Convent Church of Our Lady of Grace

Jesús Nazareno Hospital

Civil clock tower

Luque Municipal Museum: Land of Frontiers

Luque Olive Oil Interpretation Centre

Laguna del Salobral

Discover the Greenway

19th-century houses in Plaza del Carmen

Parish of Saint Michael

Chapel of St Luke

Natural Landscape Theme Centre (Palenciana)

Vegetation of Palenciana

Lime kiln (1st–2nd centuries)

Ceramic kiln (12th–13th centuries)

Santo Cristo Square

Priego de Córdoba Bullring

Church of St Francis

Church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel

Public Washhouse on Calle Loja

Chapel of Bethlehem

Church of Las Mercedes

San Juan de Dios Hospital and Church

Church of Our Lady of Sorrows

St Peter's Church

Calvary Chapel (Priego de Córdoba)

The Bridge It Was Raining

D. Adolfo Lozano Sidro Museum

Francisco Morales Almond Museum

Truffle Mycological Garden

“Antonio Povedano” Centre for Contemporary Spanish Landscape Art

The Civil War (1936–1939) Archaeological Trail in Priego de Córdoba

Rock art in Priego de Córdoba

PRIEGO DE CÓRDOBA TEXTILE INDUSTRY INTERPRETATION CENTRE

The Zamorano Banner

Las Angosturas in Priego de Córdoba

CENTRO DE LA IMAGEN, PRIEGO DE CÓRDOBA

Climbing in Las Angosturas

Priego de Córdoba Town Council

Recreo de Castilla or Huerta de las Infantas

Priego de Córdoba Cemetery

Children's City

Priego de Córdoba Castle

Road to Priego de Córdoba Castle

The Villa District and the Adarve Balcony

Fuente de la Salud Spring

Church of Our Lady of the Dawn

Church of Our Lady of the Assumption

House of D. Niceto Alcalá-Zamora

Colombia Promenade

The Little Ponds

Colour. Earth and air. Sun and water in Priego de Córdoba

Priego de Córdoba Municipal History Museum

Castil de Campos Museum of Folk Arts and Traditions

Castile of Campos

The Navas and La Poyata

The Birth of Zambra

Aurora Sánchez Courtyard

Carmen's Corner

El Chorraero Corner

Monument to Aniseed

Parish of Saint Catherine the Martyr

St Francis of Assisi Parish

Shrine of Our Lady of Carmen

Chapel of St Peter

Chapel of La Vera Cruz

Chapel of Saint Sebastian

Museum of Nougat, Mantecado and Marzipan

Chocolate Nativity Scene

La Chacina Museum

A charming courtyard

Machaquito Aniseed Museum Distillery

Our Lady of Carmen Park

Anise Altamirano

Iznájar Reservoir

Millennial Holm Oak

The Gorge of the River La Hoz

Route Mountain Range

Fuente Alta and Old Rute

Las Piedras - Palomares

The Plains of Don Juan

“Juan Fernández Cruz” Museum of Folk Customs and Arts

Peri-urban Park

Zuheros Castle-Palace

Zuheros Municipal Museum of History and Archaeology

The Cueva de los Murciélagos Ecomuseum

Francisco Poyato Museum-Studio

THE SUBBÉTICA MURAL ROUTE

Underwater Route

THE OLIVE OIL GREENWAY