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La Iruela

La Iruela, Jaen province

This town is situated in the northeast of the Sierra de Cazorla region. In the far west is the worked land, leaving the remainder of this mountainous district forested with pines belonging to Sierras de Cazorla Natural Park, Segura y Las Villas. With this areas abundant nature, take time to enjoy the picturesque landscape and richness of flora and fauna.

El Cazorla, Segura y Las Villas Natural Park is the most extensive park in Spain and second in Europe. It has more than 200,000 hectares and about 3,000km of mountain roads. The heart of this park cherishes exceptional narrow passes, ravines, waterfalls, rivers and flora and fauna.

The economic activity of the district emphasizes two things: olive cultivation and outdoor tourism. The diversity in outdoor tourism includes activities such as hiking (View the trails in Iruela), repelling, rock climbing, photographic routes, horseback riding, biking...and much more!

The village (930 meter elevation) is the entrance to Sierra de Cazorla y Segura and the region of Alto Guadalquivir. Enjoy the scenic highway that goes through the entire Sierra from Cazorla to Embalse del Tranco de Beas, located 1 km. from the village ofCazorla

The Cartaginenses founded the city that was called Curris. Under the Muslim rule it received its current name. This village was reconquered in 1231 by the archbishop of Toledo, Rodrigo Ximénez de Rada. In 1294 it became the village of Cazorla until, in 1405, it was granted independence. In 1812 it ceased being part of a lordship of the archbishop of Toledo and instead belonged to the Courts of Cádiz. It still depended on the spirituality of the archbishop of Toledo until, in 1958, it became part of Jaén.

La Iruela is charming and unique village. Above all, it is a place which invites rest and contact with nature: stroll in the mountain streets among the whitewashed houses, stop at a natural lookout to admire the landscape and see the far horizon, marvel at the rugged Sierra, watch goats skip among the rocks, and enjoy the hospitality of the locals.

This precious village has been declared Conjunto Histórico Artístico for its artistic, historical noble buildings.

The village consist of one steep street known as La Corredera, which leads to the famousCastle of Iruela, now in mysterious ruins that tell stories of the past. The climb is tiring but the view from the top is well worth it. The fortress has a classical legend of one of the Moorish queens ( la Tragantía) that appears in the night of San Juan. Like all of the mountain villages, the real beauty of La Iruela is shown at sunset. A good place to enjoy this is, apart from the castle and natural lookout points, is the Jerez bar.

Map of La Iruela

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(37.92084, -2.99364)

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(Foto A.Conde)

La Corredera presents rock houses with balconies adorned with flowers, conserving their Moorish and medieval history. Another great monument in La Iruela is Iglesia de Santo Domingo de Silos. The best panoramic view is from three natural lookouts in the outskirts of the village, known as Virgen de la Cabeza since the route was made by a hermitage.

In the district of La Iruela there are wonderful villages to discover. El Palomar is a village of approximately 40 people. The village of Burunchel has a population of 1,200 people and an agricultural-based economy. Lastly, is the village of Arroyo Frío which is tucked in the hills of Sierra De Cazaorla. This village during the winter only has 70 people, but during the summer the number of people rises to 500. The principal revenue of Arroyo Frío is tourism.

About 16 kilometers from La Iruela, very close to Arroyo Frío, is theEl Cantalar forest. The predominate tree species are the holm oak, portuguese oak and maple. Also is found aleppo pine and maritime pine.

Linarejos Cascade, in cerrada de Utrero footpath, Cazorla

The outskirts of the village treasure natural corners of paradise such as the waterfalls Cascada de la Escaleruela and Cascada de Linarejos and also the narrow river chasms of Cerrada de Elías and Cerrada de Utrero (View trails of Cazorla). Not very far from here is the nacimiento del Río Guadalquivir (Headwaters of the Guadalquivir River)[/b, Salto de los Órganos (waterfall) , cascada del Chorrogi (waterfall) l and the reservoirs of Valdeazores and [b]Aguas Negras , among many other natural retreats.