routes round Úbeda

Situated in the geographical centre of Jaen province, to the west ofthe forested mountains of Cazorla, Segura and Las Villas and borde-ring the banks of the still young Guadalquivir River, Úbeda -citydeclared a World Heritage Site since the 3rd July 2003- stretches out.

Our city holds a pre-eminent position among the NationalRenaissance enclaves. Spain counts with not many Historical Centresof such a high quality and expanse. In every stone of its palaces, squa-res, churches and convents it is reflected Úbeda's inherited wealth,which reminds us the rich history of a particular population whohave known how to preserve its own past for the delight of theforthcoming generations.

Eugenio D'Ors, after visiting Úbeda, came to write that hefelt captivated to Ferrara or Brescia, -"cities in the North ofItaly, pure sanctuary of such a unique devotion"-. And, certainly,considering the urban beauty the wide full of monuments centreof Úbeda shows, we can only feel undoubtedly amazed. It isastounding the number of palaces reflecting the power andwealth of the Úbeda nobility and bourgeoisie in thosebygone times. These noble families proudly contracted thefinest architects to build their sumptuous residences follo-wing the new designs and styles of the 16th Century ItalianRenaissance.

11

Routes round Úbeda

Vázquez de Molina Square.

Albeit the notable Renaissance architecture, which elevates Úbedato such a refined degree -due to its magnificent and brilliant profusion-the city exhibits many other urban styles worthy of attention. Far frommodifying the perfect urban balance, superb Mudejar, Gothic orBaroque volumes contribute to enrich the vast monument heritage thiscity presents and in which diverging civilizations took place.

It is in this integration in which the prodigious appearance of Úbedahas its origins, where each square or neighbourhood behave asharmonious cells defining a perfect finish. In this unique citythere is a precious surprise round every corner.

Despite offering an uncanny similarity to the ItalianRenaissance cities, Úbeda has an intimate and deep Andalusianatmosphere. Its traditional fiestas, ancient crafts, rich gastro-nomy and idiosyncratic people, confirm its Andalusian lineage

which has always been the hallmark of the city-being. ItsMoorish heritage and frontier mentality, typical of towns and

cities throughout Andalusia, are reminders of bygonetimes. This cultural and historical atmosphere can be seenand felt in many of the city's quarters.

With this guide we would be able to find out Úbeda

22

Sacred Chapel of the Saviour.

through a Basic Itinerary (highlighted in black) and other five optionalitineraries. The Basic Itinerary considers the most outstanding pointsfrom the vast artistic heritage of the city. Nevertheless, if not visitingthe optional itineraries is your option, we would encourage you to visitthe essential four points of Úbeda:

1. Santiago Hospital, one of the best works by Andrés de Vandelvira(Spanish Renaissance).2. Torres' House. The best plateresque palace of the city.3. The lovely Gothic Church of San Nicolás.4. And last but not least the well known Barrio de los Alfareros(Potters Neighbourhood). This is also known as San MillánNeighbourhood where you could visit the potteries in ValenciaStreet.

San Juan de la Cruz lived in Úbeda his last two months and ahalf till he died on the 14th December 1591. San Juan de laCruz route means to be a more or less loyal reconstructionof the tour this saint and poet made in the evening of the28th September 1591. He was already sick once he arrivedin the city.

And now,... enjoy Úbeda!

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Basilica of Santa María de los Reales Alcázares.

BASIC ITINERARY

1st OPTIONAL ITINERARY

2nd OPTIONAL ITINERARY

3rd OPTIONAL ITINERARY

4th OPTIONAL ITINERARY

5th OPTIONAL ITINERARY

TOURIST OFFICE

basic itinerary

66

Basic ItineraryThe Heart of the Historical Centre

basic itinerary

77

Approximate duration: 2 hours.

1. PALACE OF JUAN VÁZQUEZ DE MOLINA (16th C.)2. RENAISSANCE FOUNTAIN (16th C.)3. PALACE OF DEÁN ORTEGA (16th C.)4. SACRED CHAPEL OF THE SAVIOUR OF THE WORLD(16th C.)5. OLD PEOPLE'S HOSPICE (16th C.)6. HOUSES OF ALTA DEL SALVADOR STREET (15th-17th C.)7. THE OLD CORN EXCHANGE (16th-18th C.)8. PALACE OF THE MARQUIS OF MANCERA (16th-17th C.)9. THE BISHOP'S PRISON (15th-20th C.)10. FAÇADE OF THE ALDERMAN HOUSE LUISDE MEDINA (16th C.)11. BASILICA OF SANTA MARÍA DE LOS REALESALCÁZARES (13th-19th C.)

Link with the 1st OPTIONAL ITINERARY

12. PALACE OF VELA DE LOS COBOS (16th C.)13. PALACE OF ANGUÍS MEDINILLA (16th C.)14. ROYAL CONVENT OF SANTA CLARA (13th-18th C.)15. PALACE OF OROZCO (19th C.)16. CHURCH OF SAN PEDRO (13th-17th C.)

Link with the 2nd OPTIONAL ITINERARY

17. PALACE OF THE COUNTS OF GUADIANA (16th-17th C.)18. HOUSES OF HERNÁN CRESPO STREET (16th-17th C.)19. MUDEJAR HOUSE - ARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUM(14th-15th C.)

Link with the 3rd OPTIONAL ITINERARY

20. CHURCH OF SAN PABLO (13th-16th C.)21. PALACE OF TORRENTE (16th C.)22. OBISPO CANASTERO'S HOUSE (17th C.)23. NOBLEMAN'S HOUSE IN CUESTA DEL LOSALSTREET (18th C.)24. LOSAL GATEWAY (14th C.)

Link with the 4th OPTIONAL ITINERARY

25. CONVENT OF SAN MIGUEL AND CHAPELOF SAN JUAN DE LA CRUZ (16th-19th C.)26. OLD CONVENT OF SAN ANDRÉS (15th-16th C.)27. PALACE OF THE MANUELES (17th C.)28. SAVAGES HOUSE (16th C.)29. OLD CONSISTORIAL HOUSES (17th C.)

basic itinerary

88

This within the walls route begins at Vázquez de Molina Square. It isconsidered as being among the most lovely squares in Europe and it isshown to us as one of the best examples of the Renaissance Urban Plans.In this square, buildings such as the Palace of Juan Vázquez de Molina arepresent. This palace was built in the middle of the 16th century by Andrésde Vandelvira, one of the best architects of the Spanish Renaissance. Withthis building, Vandelvira achieves the most classical work in his entirecareer and even in the whole Andalusian Reanissance. It is horizontallystructured in three floors and in seven different-width streets vertically inorder to achieve an optical illusion of symmetry and strength. In addition,Vandelvira, in a display of freedom, reverses the established architectural

orders. By doing this, he states the Corinthian order on the first floor, theIonic order on the second floor and, on the third floor, he places eightatlas and caryatids. The inner place is organized round a graciouspatio with columns. Thanks to the groin vault and the chromaticcontrast between the colour of the stone and the white of the limeand the marble, this patio is compared to the patios of Florencia inthe Renaissance.

In the central gardens of the square we find a majestic fountain-a present from the Senate of Venice to the Emperor Carlos V'ssecretary, Francisco de los Cobos. Next to it we find the Palace

of Deán Ortega -also built by Vandelvira in the middle of16th century. On its façade, the symmetry on the pace andsize of the openings, and the peculiar balconies on the cor-ners are outstanding. In the courtyard, as in the rest of thepalaces of the city, the columns are extraordinarily slender,

Palace of Juan Vázquez de Molina.

basic itinerary

99

one of the Andalusian Reanissance characteristics, taken out from theNazari Art of Granada.

Next to the palace the Sacred Chapel of the Saviour of The World iserected; it is, with no doubt, the most ambitious temple of the whole pri-vate architecture of the 16th century. We are dealing with the vault whichthe previously mentioned Francisco de los Cobos sent to built in his home-town, the Highest Dignitary of the Imperial Spain. We can discern Diegode Siloé's way; we find out its funerary feature on its floor, in a circulardomed header -which follows the classical model such as the Pantheon inRome-, and a longitudinal nave which maintains the human body sameproportions. The front façade -made by the great French sculptor EstebanJamete- is one of the richest façades of the Spanish Renaissance. Theimpressive cover follows a great triumphal arc structure, with theClassical world deities carved in its soffit, and over which it appearsa relief of the Transfiguration of Jesús. The lateral façade -designedby Vandelvira- shows an advanced and cultured plateresque. In theinside, a marvellous pale -attributed to Villalpando-, differentiatesthe circular header, where the crypt is, from the nave. It is also out-standing the altarpiece at the high altar with the impressive sculptureof Christ in the Transfiguration by Berruguete. And finally, thesacristy -designed by Vandelvira- with an innovative façade inangle and magnificent sculptural decorations.

Terraced to the header of the Chapel of the Saviour, the OldPeople's Hospice is located; it was completely rebuilt in the16th century. It shows an attractive façade -traced by

Sacred Chapel of the Saviour.

basic itinerary

1010

Vandelvira- following a model drawn from de Italian scholar Serlio and acourtyard which is considered as the most mannerist in the city -fromwhom just two wings are preserved. In this square we also find the Palaceof the Marquis of Mancera. Built in the end of the 16th and beginnings ofthe 17th century, it is one of the houses with a tower -which start again inthis period and in which it is recovered the tower as a representative ele-ment of the nobility as a regard from the ancient towers of the castles- inan urban context whose role as a defence is meaningless.

The Basilica of Santa María de los Reales Alcázares is the chief churchof the city. This Christian church is placed in the former chief mosque of

the Muslim city. It is the result of a prolonged process of construc-tion which covers from the 13th to the 19th centuries. In the mayorfaçade, aged from the end of the Renaissance -as the lateral façadeis- it is prominent The Worship of the Shepherds relief which isbased on a drawing by the Italian mannerist painter Zuccaro. Bothfaçades lead to beautiful Gothic cloisters dated from the end of

15th century and beginnings of the 16th. The inner area of the tem-ple consists of five near-sightedly naves separated by pillars and

pointed arches, making way to a high number of chapels andwith some of the most outstanding examples of the Andalusian

Religious bars. Both spaces, cloisters and church respec-tively, correspond to the patio of ablutions and the innerspace of the former mayor mosque, which lead us long timeago because of its huge dimensions and the arrangement ofthe pillars along its five naves.

Palace of Deán Ortega.

basic itinerary

1111

At the neighbouring square where the city square is located, we find ata corner, the Palace of Vela de Los Cobos. It was built by Andrés deVandelvira in the second half of the 16th century and it would suppose amodel for numerous palaces from then onwards. The balcony in angle,very popular in the Spanish Renaissance, presents a small column -madeof marble in this case- which will give place to a different version of thiskind of balcony so frequent in Úbeda. Nearby, the Royal Convent of SantaClara also names the square it is placed. It was founded after the Christianconquest of the city in the XIIIth century; this building is a real mosaic ofstyles. The principal façade -dated from the 18th century- leads to the doorof the church (dated from the 13th century) with Muslim poly-lobed ar-ches and Christian pointed arches and it is, undoubtedly, the best exampleof the Mudejar Gothic style remaining in the city. The inner area ofthe monastery holds two cloisters: one in a Mudejar style; the otherin a Renaissance style.

In the adjoining San Pedro Square, a church equally named takesplace. This church was destroyed and rebuilt in the 14th century. ItsClassicist façade is dated from the beginnings of the 17th century byAlonso Barba, Vandelvira's disciple. It is another example of theRenaissance interest in changing the appearance of the city bymeans of the construction of façades on the previous Medieval tem-ples. Next to it we find the Palace of The Counts of Guadiana,built in the end of the 16th century. Its tower is considered asone of the most beautiful towers in Spain and it was conceivedas an extension just to be shown in the Real Street -the mainstreet of the city during the age. It consists of four sections pro-fusely decorated, balconies in angle and plenty of heraldry.

Royal Convent of Santa Clara. Palace of the Counts of Guadiana.

basic itinerary

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An interesting example of the Mudejar domestic architecture is the socalled 'Mudejar House', dated from the 14th and 15th centuries -today isthe seat of the Archaeological Museum of Úbeda. Very close to it, thePrimero de Mayo Square is located. It is popularly known as 'Paseo delMercado' due to it is here where the market of the city took place duringthe Middle Ages. The beautiful Church of San Pablo dominates thissquare. It was founded in the 12th century on the previous mosque. Theprincipal façade -Isabelian-styled- is dated from 1511. Los CarpinterosFaçade is one of the few examples of the Late-Romanesque architecture ofthe region. In the outer apse, beneath the plateresque tower, the best pu-blic fountain of the city is lent. The inner Late-Gothic-styled temple,appears surrounded by excellent Gothic or Renaissance chapels.

The walled enclosures of the city -built and rebuilt between the 9th and15th centuries- is almost completely preserved; it is visible or withsemi-detached houses. The Gateway of Losal -Mudejar styled- is themost artistic of the preserved gateways. A stone's throw distance, itis placed the Convent of San Miguel, where San Juan de la Cruzdied in 1591. For this reason, nearby the church of the convent, aprayer room was built in 1627 in order to house the Saint's sepul-chre, becoming this way, the first temple in the world built in his

honour. The convent also houses a fascinating museum devoted tothis exceptional mystic poet. This rout finishes in the time weface the Old Consistorial Houses. They were built in 1604 and

they show -as the model of the public civil buildings of theItalian Renaissance marks- one façade with a double porti-coed gallery. From the upper gallery, the members of theincumbents of the church attended to all the public events -such as bullfighting or executions- which always took placeat this square.

Church of San Pablo. Losal Gateway.

1st optional itinerary

1313

Approximate duration: 1,30 hours.

1. CITY WALLS AND PANORAMIC VIEWS OF REDONDADE MIRADORES (9th-15th C.)2. SPRING OF THE SALUDEJA3. CARVAJALES HOUSE (15th C.)4. GRANADA GATEWAY (15th C.)5. TOWERS HOUSE (16th C.)6. CHURCH OF SAN LORENZO (13th-16th C.)7. CITY WALLS AND TOWERS OF CAVA STREET(14th-15th C.)8. OLD CONVENT OF SAN FRANCISCO (16th C.)9. TOWER OF SANTO CRISTO - ÚBEDA WALLSINTERPRETATION CENTRE (14th-15th C.)10. PALACE OF THE MEDINILLA (17th C.)11. CHURCH OF SANTO DOMINGO (14th-16th C.)12. MORALES HOUSE (17th C.)13. PALACE OF THE MARQUIS OF CONTADERO(18th C.)14. JUAN DE VALENCIA HOUSE (16th C.)

You can do it, if you start from monument nº 11 of the basic itinerary and at the end,

you join nº 12 from this route.

1st Optional ItineraryNeighbourhoods of El Alcázar, San Lorenzo

and Santo Domingo


1414

This route begins over the walls of the previous Hispanic-Moorishfortress which was ordered to be destroyed in the 16th century by theCatholic Kings. Facing this walls, an exceptional panoramic view of theRiver Guadalquivir Valley spreads out, with the Sierra de Cazorla to theEast and the Sierra Mágina to the South. Bordering the wall we find TheGateway of Granada -dated from the 15th century- through which it is saidthat Isabella the Catholic left when departing to the conquest of Baza.

At the close San Lorenzo Square is the first palatial mansion of the city:Las Torres' House. It was built during the two first decades of the 16th cen-tury. Its plateresque style reflects the transition between two periods -the

Middle Ages and the Renaissance- when keeping Gothic elementstogether with an incipient usage of a classical language. The façade-flanked by two large towers- is divided into three sections. In the

first one the door opens with a Castilian round arch. In the lean ofthe arch there are two busts -one is masculine and the other is afeminine one- rounded by a laurel wreath whose purpose waskeeping the evil spirits away, guarding this way the entrance to the

house. In the second section the founders' emblem is held by twochained savages symbolising the connection between the familylineage and the Human Being origins -the so called "The

Savages' Era"- as a proof of their seniority and nobility. Thethird section is chaired by a great triangular pediment withthe family's weaponry, and the façade is crowned with animpressive cresting over four gargoyles, which is a Gothicvice. The lovely inner courtyard keeps a double gallery of

Panoramic view of the River Guadalquivir Valley.


1515

round arches supported on svelte Corinthian columns in marble. On theupper floor, on the arches, they appear several tondos decorated withancient heroes, deities and wise men who represent the four cardinalvirtues: Justice, Temperance, Strength and Prudence. And over them eachone, there lay -in symbolic contraposition to it-, a hideous gargoyle as arepresentation of vice against virtue.

Next to it, over the walls, is the Church of San Lorenzo, dated from theend of the XIIIth century and totally rebuilt during the 16th century.Nowadays it is the subject of an ambitious restoration and it is open to thepublic with guided tours. Externally, its most outstanding elements are thefaçade -Renaissance decorated- and the bulrush. If we go on borderingthe wall we will find the Tower of Santo Cristo where we can visitÚbeda Walls Interpretation Centre also offering us some extraordi-nary views of the city.

A few meters away we find the Palace of The Medinilla. Built in1627, it represents the palace model which will go on being built inthe city till the 18th century, reiterating Renaissance and Manneristparameters. In the second section, triangular pediment windowsalternates with curved pediment balconies; all of them are divi-ded, which is a representative sample of late Renaissance withalready previewed protobaroque elements. Very close to thispalace, the Church of Santo Domingo is placed, a Mudejar-Gothic temple dated from the end of the 15th century, withtwo Renaissance façades dated from the 16th century and asplendid inner Mudejar coffered ceiling.

Towers House. Church of San Lorenzo.

1616

2nd optional itinerary


1. MANSION OF ANTONIO MEDINA STREET (19th C.)2. PALACE OF THE MARQUIS OF LA RAMBLA (16th C.)

3. THE BULLRING (19th C.)4. SANTIAGO HOSPITAL (16th C.)5. OLD CONVENT OF NTRA. SRA. DE LA VICTORIA(16th-17th C.)6. CHURCH OF SAN ISIDORO (16th-17th C.)

7. PLATERESQUE FAÇADE OF GRADAS STREET(16th C.)8. OLD ABATTOIR - TOURIST OFFICE (19th C.)

9. TOWER OF THE CLOCK (13th-16th C.)10. CHURCH AND CONVENT OF THE HOLYTRINITY (16th-18th C.)

11. COMPANY OF JESUS' OLD HOUSE (17th C.)

2nd Optional ItinerarySan Isidoro Neighbourhood

You can do it, if you start from monument nº 16 of the basic itinerary and at the

end, you join nº 17 from this route.

1717


One of the first stops in this route is the Palace of The Marquis of LaRambla, built in the 16th century. Above the classical façade, a windowwith a beautiful grate and guarded by two superb "tenants" with theemblems is placed. Next to it, there is an alcove with a Romanesque car-ving of the Virgin de la Luz. The inner area is distributed round a lovelycolumned courtyard. Next stop is The Bullring. It was opened in 1857 -itis one of the first five bullrings built in Spain- and here it took "the alter-native" one of the best bullfighters ever recorded, "El Lagartijo". The bullring joins the usage of cast iron in its grandstands, box seats and bal-conies.

Next, it is Santiago Hospital, built under Diego de los Cobos (bishopof Jaen) mandate between 1562 and 1575. But it would be outlined notjust as a mere work of assistance as a whole, but also as a genuinework of the own founder's personal exaltation, due to a great chapelwas joint in order to turn it into De los Cobos' pantheon. Andrés deVandelvira is the architect who builts this superb mannerist hospi-tal, being this work the one closing brilliantly the whole architec-tural cycle in Spain in the 16th century. The façade is a huge back-drop of two series of windows between two magnificent towerswithout any functionality but just a symbolic staging, due to theyare solid in their upper segment. In the inner area, Vandelvirabreaks radically out with the established kind of hospital tillthat moment -whose floor is in a cross-shaped layout- inorder to inaugurate a new kind of hospital-palace -basing onthe previous Vitrubian treatises- distributed around a largecentral courtyard, serving also as an entrance hall and beingdominated by the enormous chapel-pantheon. This chapel also

Santiago Hospital.

1818


amazes because of its innovative layout -shaped as an 'H' in a horizontalposition- placing the two towers in the central section of the church. Thelast palatial element is the enormous staircase. It is covered by an octa-gonal vault which is placed above a series of windows. The interplay oflight creates the effect of been suspended -effect Vandelvira took from theHispanomuslim architecture. Finally, similarly to other spaces in this hos-pital, the whole staircase is also decorated with fresco painting -a very fre-quent technique during the Italian Renaissance, but with scarce exampleduring the Spanish Renaissance.

The current Church of San Isidoro -being the primal medieval templedestroyed- is dated from the 16th and 17th centuries. Although the outside

presents two Gothic façades, the inside is already Renaissance. Thetransept covered with a vault is really highlighting; it is one of themost classical works of the city when referring to proportions andtreatment. It was built by Vandelvira's disciple, Alonso Barba. Inthe nearby Andalucía Square -next to the tourist office-, it is TheTower of the Clock, an old torret from the wall, screed and toppedduring the 16th century with a Renaissance bell tower. On its base,a niche protects the Gothic statue of the Virgin de los Remedios.Emperor Carlos V and King Felipe II swore under oath to keep the

laws and privileges of the city. On a corner of the square it isalso erected the Church of the Holy Trinity, one of the scarce

Baroque-styled buildings in Úbeda which preserves its twoprofusely decorated façades and a large mannerist tower. Inthe inside, a delicious oval semicircular dome andSalomonic columns stand out; it was here where they wereused for the first time in the entire province.

Palace of the Marquis of La Rambla. Santiago Hospital.

1919

3rd optional itinerary


1. CUEVA HOUSE (15th-17th C.)2. PALACE OF THE PORCELES (17th C.)3. OCTAGONAL TOWER (15th C.)4. LA TERCIA HOUSE - INTERPRETATION CENTRE"OLIVE GROVE & OIL" (17th C.)5. OLD CASINO (19th C.)6. POST OFFICE (20th C.)7. PALACE OF THE MARQUISES OF BUSSIANOS(16th C.)8. FAÇADE OF PALACE OF CABALLERIZO ORTEGA(16th C.)9. CHURCH OF SAN NICOLÁS DE BARI (14th-16th C.)10. LOCAL MARKET (20th C.)11. CONVENT OF LA CONCEPCIÓN (17th C.)

You can do it, if you start from monument nº 19 of the basic itinerary and at the

end, you join nº 20 from this route.

3rd Optional ItinerarySan Pablo and San Nicolás Neighbourhoods


20202020

This route begins in The Cueva House, a manor house rebuilt in the 17thcentury on a 15th century construction. The household is distributed rounda central courtyard in a double straight gallery, Mudejar like, because ofthe reuse of previous components such as octagonal pillars -they all differ-ent. The façade contains a fully keystoned rounded arch with a boxed bal-cony above. Very close we find the Octagonal Tower, the only watchtowerof the fortress, and next to it, we find House of La Tercia, which hosts theinteresting interpretation centre "Olive Grove & Oil", where the culture ofthis product is fostered by means of diverse activities such as tastings,training courses, olive oil extractions, gastronomy, seminars and work-shops on olive oil which also has a children's area available. Finally, out-

side the walls it is the Palace of the Marquises of Bussianos -built dur-ing the last quarter of the 16th century. It exhibits a symmetrical two-story façade, flanked by an unfinished tower on the left. The façade

and the balconies are topped with triangular pediments -the bal-conies pediments are on large and overhanged corbels. On theinside, a great Renaissance courtyard and a beautiful staircase co-vered by a dome are highlighting.

The Church of San Nicolas De Bari is perhaps the most out-standing example of the Andalusian Gothic style in the entireprovince. It was built during the second half of the 14th centu-

ry. During the 16th century all the Renaissance elementswould be joined. The principal façade -flamboyant Gothicstyled- is also dated from the beginnings of the 16th century.Its tower was the tallest of the city till the 19th century, being

Church of San Nicolás de Bari.


2121

demolished halfway ruined and closed with the current bell tower. Thewest façade -built in the middle of the 16th century by Vandelvira- is oneof the most vigorous mannerist piece of the whole Andalusian architecture.On a rounded arch, with coupled columns to the sides, there are three archesin interesting sculptural decorations by Lorenzo Brogio. In the central archSan Nicholás is portrayed. Above the small arches, two sitting "tenants"hold with their heads the upper entablature. The last section consists of amixtilinear pediment with the representation of the Eternal Father on itstympanum and a small triangular pediment above it. The inside of the tem-ple consists of three naves and a polygonal chancel covered by ribbedvaults on thick pillars with column bundles. They are highlighted theRenaissance interventions: the Chapel of Deán Ortega whose façade isa great triumphal arch decorated with funerary themes and closed bya magnificent polychromatic fence. The sacristy, by Vandelvira too,with lowered barrel vault and an interesting mannerist façade; or theBaptismal Chapel which symbolises an original semielliptical floor.

The Convent of La Concepción -built during the 17th century-locates its own church in the Church of Santa Teresa de Jesús. It pre-sents a kind of façade -Carmelite- which imposes in Spain duringthis century. In this kind of façade its prominent the lack of orna-mentation according to the austerity the order promulgates.The temple has a Latin cross plan and also has a beautifulpolychrome decoration also dated from the end of the 17thcentury. The rest of the convent is structured round a centralcloister with double porticoed gallery.

Convent of La Concepción.Palace of the Marquises of Bussianos.

4th optional itinerary

22222222

Approximate duration: 1 hour.

Valencia Street1. CONVENT RUINS OF NUESTRA SEÑORADE LA MERCED (16th C.)2. CHURCH OF SAN MILLÁN (13th-16th C.)

3. CITY WALLS AND CARMEN PARK (13th-15th C.)4. SANTA LUCÍA GATEWAY5. PALACE OF FRANCISCO DE LOS COBOS(16th C.)6. JEWISH HOUSES (15th-16th C.)7. BLANQUILLO HOUSE (15th-16th C.)

4th Optional ItinerarySan Millán and Santo Tomás Neighbourhoods

You can do it, if you start from monument nº 24 of the basic itinerary

and at the end, you join nº 25 from this route.


2323

This route begins in Valencia Street. Úbeda has been historically con-sidered as one of the main points of pottery manufacture in Andalusia. Upuntil the 1970's practically this entire street was given over to potteries dueto the abundance of natural water sources and also to the convenience ofthe smoky chimneys being sited on the outskirts. The still functioning pot-teries constitute a superb testimony of popular constructions linked to anartisan production, where they are combined the family house with theworkroom, making a great first-rate combination from the ethnologicalpoint of view. Maybe the most special point is the use of the Moorishovens, where firewood and olive marc were used as fuel. The ba-king of the pieces -which lasts for 24 and 30 hours- is the most cri-tical point of the whole process just because it determines all theproduction. A wide range of pieces has not changed significantlyneither in the production techniques nor in the shapes from theMiddle Ages. It is outstanding the glazed-pottery production ingreen or brown, decorated with openwork, incisions and embroi-dery, which are filigrees made in the clay. From plates, vessels inclay and bowls to other figures whose names reveal theirancient Arabian origins such as zaidas, zumbres or alcuzas,we will find an entire world of Mediterranean cultures whichhave opted for being present in potter workshops of Úbeda.

Pieces of pottery and potter. Virgin de la Soledad.


24242424

Very close and naming the neighbourhood, the popular Church of SanMillán is erected. Of its current building, the most primitive element is theLate-Romanesque bell tower, built in the end of the 13th century. In the16th century the church was entirely refurbished following an extremesimplicity. This place is dedicated to the Virgin de la Soledad -who is takenout in processions in the afternoon of Good Friday. The quick ascendantpageantry of Her throne along the overcrowded Slope of La Merced cons-

titutes one of the most emotional moments of Easter in Úbeda -which isdeclared National Tourist Interest as a whole.

Bordering the walls we access to the Palace of Francisco de LosCobos (Secretary to the Emperor Carlos V) -currently in restora-tion and internally connected to the Sacred Chapel of Our Saviour.The building was designed in 1531 by the architect Luis de Vega,who had already designed the stateman another palace in Valladolid.Its impressive ashlar façade is an enormous plan which predomi-

nates on the scarce spaces. On the façade they appear the crossand the shells -attributes of the Order of Santiago, to whom

Cobos belonged. The inside is structured round a delightfulcourtyard with two porticoed galleries; the lower is roundedarched and the upper one is Tuscan arched on svelte columnsof heraldry themed capitals. The aristocratic original fountainof this courtyard dominates, nowadays, Vázquez de Molina

Square.

Palace of Francisco de los Cobos and fountain.


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1. OLD ERMITE OF LA VERACRUZ2. NEW TOWER3. TOLEDO SQUARE4. ARCH OF LA CORONADA5. MARKET SQUARE6. CHAPEL OF JESÚS NAZARENO (CONVENT OF SANANDRÉS)7. SLOPE OF LOSAL8. EL CARMEN STREET9. CONVENT OF SAN MIGUEL10. CHAPEL OF SAN JUAN DE LA CRUZ11. CONVENTUAL DOOR

Friar Juan de la Cruz -who had undertaken, together withTeresa of Ávila, the task of remodelling El Carmelo- came intoÚbeda the afternoon of the 28th of September 1591 with fever

5th Optional ItinerarySan Juan de la Cruz Route

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blisters. He would never get out of this city; he would die in here someweeks later -on Saturday, 14th of December. He finished off the autumn ofhis life in Úbeda, an autumn where, in the same way, there walked downthe city as the Royal Galleys tax collector Miguel de Cervantes, who gotwind of, undoubtedly, the news of a faultless friar being near death in theConvent of El Carmen Descalzo. The later robbery of San Juan's corpsewould inspire the adventure narrated by Cervantes on chapter 19 of thefirst part of El Quijote.

The historical place where the Ermite of la Veracruz is located was theplace Friar Juan de la Cruz came into Úbeda in the afternoon of the 28th

of September in 1591. He came from the Convent of La Peñuela "toheal some cold sores" in El Carmen of Úbeda where he died on the14th of December. Later he went through the place where the New

Tower of the outskirt wall of San Nicolás was erected. After arri-ving to Toledo Square, two were the paths San Juan could havetaken to reach the Convent of San Miguel. If coming throughToledo Gateway, he could take El Real, daydreaming in the celebra-tion of San Miguel Fair in the evening of the 28th of September. Iftaking Corredera of San Fernando, the way to the convent was

about quieter and less annoying to the ill friar.

At the end of this street, through the Arch of La Coronada,placed opposite the Convent of Las Dominicas -erectedwhere the current market is- Friar Juan de la Cruz went intothe walled enclosure of the city. When arriving to the histori-cal Market Square, he should have found it buzzing with ener-

Andalucía Square, old Toledo Square.


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gy, because on this square, San Miguel Fair had opened this very sameafternoon. At a corner of this square, the Chapel of Jesús Nazareno in theConvent of San Andrés -from the Dominican Friars' order- there was asteel-bar gate facing the open square which allowed worshipping theimage permanently. The devotion Friar Juan de la Cruz felt to the image ofJesús with His Cross on His Shoulder -who worked the miracle of talkingto him in the Convent of Segovia-, should have done the sick stand facingthis chapel to mutter a prayer.

Through the Slope of Losal, Friar Juan set out for the Convent of SanMiguel, trying to run away from the activity of the fair in the MarketSquare and in El Toril Street, which was taken by the bulls; bulls thatwould be moved in honour of the patron saint of the city. El CarmenStreet was the last stretch he made, mounted on a donkey -Mrs.María Barcaller's property, the Marquis of Santa Cruz's sister-before reaching the convent in which he would finally die.

The Convent of San Miguel was inaugurated in 1587 by FatherJerónimo Gracián. The convent received San Miguel's advocacy-patron saint of the city- just for being erected where the her-mitage dedicated to the Archangel was placed. In the autumn of1591 the convent was under construction, in poverty andscarcity, till the point of lacking the conventual church -beingFriar Juan de la Cruz's corpse buried in the vestibule whichoperated as a chapel, where the current Chapel is- with adonated habit and a poor coffin. Father Francisco Crisóstomowas the prior of the convent during in the autumn of 1591. He

Chapel of San Juan de la Cruz.

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was Friar Juan's enemy and he treated him harshly during his disease, buthe regretted when seeing him die in a saintly way.

The tradition says that San Juan de la Cruz's Chapel is erected in thesame conventual cell where he died -in the early hours on Saturday, 14thof December 1591- being this temple the first one built in the CarmelitaSaint's honour. The construction of the Chapel was demanded by ReverendGeneral of El Carmen Descalzo, Friar Juan del Espíritu Santo, between1627 and 1631, many years before Friar Juan de la Cruz were elevated tothe altars.

The current conventual door of the entrance to the Museum of San Juande la Cruz (the only one in the world) corresponds to the garage gate-way in the houses Mr. Diego Segura granted to the new Convent ofLos Descalzos in Úbeda. The tradition says that through it, San Juande la Cruz -already ill- came into Úbeda in the evening of the 28thSeptember 1591, getting in and never leaving the spaces in cons-truction of the Convent of San Miguel. Through this same gatewaySan Juan's corpse was taken out by some Segovian people sent byMrs. Ana de Peñalosa. The robbery of the Holy Corpse took place at

the quieter time of the summer of 1593, because this Segovianpeople intuited the disrupt Úbeda's inhabitants would create

when knowing they were been deprived from that treasure.The city officials managed to Rome the restitutions of thecorpse, but the Segovians did not follow the Papal Order andjust in 1607 they returned Úbeda an arm and a leg of theSaint, today venerated in the Chapel.

Museum of San Juan de la Cruz.

Tourist InformationHotel María de Molina ***Plaza del Ayuntamiento, s/nTel. 953 795 [email protected]

Hotel Nueve Leyendas ***Plaza de López Almagro, 3Tel. 953 792 [email protected]

Hotel Afán de Rivera **Afán de Rivera, 4Tel. 953 791 987 / 679 993 [email protected]

Hotel Las Casas del Cónsul **Plaza del Carmen, 1Tel. 953 795 [email protected]

Hotel Palacio de la Rambla **Plaza Marqués de la Rambla, 1Tel. 953 750 [email protected]

Hotel La Paz **Andalucía, 1Tel. 953 750 [email protected]

Hotel Álvaro de Torres AT *Plaza de Álvaro de Torres, 2Tel. 953 756 [email protected]

Hospedería Yamaríes *Plaza 1º de Mayo, 31Tel. 953 751 439 / 625 649 [email protected]

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Tourist OficcePlaza de Andalucía, 5Tel. 953 769 450, ext. [email protected]

Junta of AndaluciaTourist OficceBaja del Marqués, s/nTel. 953 779 204

HOTELSHotel Palacio de Úbeda *****Juan Pasquau, [email protected]

Parador Nacional CondestableDávalos ****Plaza Vázquez de Molina, 1Tel. 953 750 [email protected]

Hotel Álvar Fáñez ****Juan Pasquau, 5Tel. 953 752 386 [email protected]

Hotel RL Ciudad de Úbeda****Cronista Juan de la Torre, s/nTel. 953 791 [email protected]

Hotel El Postigo ***Postigo, 5Tel. 953 750 [email protected]

Hotel Rosaleda de D. Pedro***Obispo Toral, 2Tel. 953 796 [email protected]

HOSTELS

Hostel Los Cerros *Peñarroya, 1Tel. 953 751 [email protected]

Hostel Santa María de Úbeda*Prior Monteagudo, 1Tel. 953 752 711 / 609 952 [email protected]

PENSIONS

Pension San MiguelAvda. de la Libertad, 69Tel. 695 938 [email protected]

Pension SevillaAvda. Ramón y Cajal, 7Tel. 953 750 612

Pension VictoriaAlaminos, 5Tel. 953 791 [email protected]

COUNTRY HOUSES

Country House Lodge“La Casería de Tito”Plaza de la Ermita, 1Hamlet of San BartoloméTel. 953 776 [email protected]

Country House Lodge“Cortijo Spiritu Santo”Polígono 83, parcela 343. T.M.ÚbedaTel. 619 011 032 / 953 127 [email protected]

TOURISTAPARTMENTS

Tourist Apartments“Architettura” (1 key)Juan Montilla, 5Tel. 953 79 15 71 /691 392 [email protected]

Tourist Apartments“Fuente Redonda” (1 key)San Nicolás, 4Tel. 953 046 021www.apartamentosfuenteredon-da.comreservas@apartamentosfuentere-donda.com

Tourist Apartments“Ibiut” (1 key)Juan Ruiz González, 22Tel. 953 755 723 /690 072 [email protected]

Tourist Apartments“El Losal” (2 keys)Cuesta del Losal, 6Tel. 686 644 [email protected]

Tourist Apartments“Sol de Mayo” (2 keys)Plaza 1º de Mayo, 36Tel. 608 825 [email protected]

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RESTAURANTS

Restaurant AmarantoHortelanos, 6Tel. 953 752 [email protected]

Restaurant AntiqueReal, 25Tel. 953 757 [email protected]

Restaurant Asador Al-AndalusLos Canos, 22 BajoTel. 953 791 [email protected]

Restaurant Asadorde SantiagoAvda. de Cristo Rey, 4 BajoTel. 953 750 [email protected]

Restaurant Asador El TrujalCalle del Moral, 8Tel. 953 750 220 / 699 309 [email protected]

Restaurant BétulaBétula, 23 BajoTel. 676 418 [email protected]

Restaurant CantinaLa EstaciónCuesta Rodadera, 1Tel. 687 777 230 / 687 777 [email protected]

Restaurant CuatroEstacionesHotel RL Ciudad de ÚbedaCronista Juan de la Torre, s/nTel. 953 791 [email protected]

Restaurant El MarquésPlaza del Ayuntamiento, s/nTel: 953 795 [email protected]

Restaurant El SecoCorazón de Jesús, 8Tel. 953 791 [email protected]

Restaurant Franciscode QuevedoEnrique II, esquina con JorgeMercado (Plaza de LasCanteras)Tel. 953 753 555

Restaurant La ImprentaPlaza del Doctor Quesada, 1BajoTel. 953 755 500 /650 375 [email protected]

Restaurant Las Casasdel CónsulPlaza del Carmen, 1Tel. 953 795 [email protected]

Restaurant Mesón GabinoFuente Seca, s/nTel. 953 757 [email protected]

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Restaurant Paradorde TurismoPlaza Vázquez de Molina, 1Tel. 953 750 [email protected]

Restaurant Pizzería CarlosCádiz, 6 BajoTel: 953 757 [email protected]

Restaurant Pizzería D’AngeloReal, 23Telf.: 953 965 607 / 670 634 [email protected]

Restaurant Pizzería VeneciaHuelva, 2Tel. 953 755 [email protected]

Restaurant Rosaledade Don PedroObispo Toral, 2Tel. 953 796 [email protected]

Restaurant Salón CondestablePlaza del Padre Antonio, 1 y 3Tel. 953 750 278 / 649 851 [email protected]

Restaurant El ZaguánEmilio Sánchez Plaza, 2 BajoTel. 953 790 [email protected]

Restaurant ZeitumSan Juan de la Cruz, 10Tel. 953 755 800 / 670 026 [email protected]

TOURISMSERVICES

A.P.I.T. - AsociaciónProfesional de Guíasde Turismo e Intérpretesdel Patrimonio de Jaén (SedeÚbeda-Baeza)La Victoria, 14Tel. 953 792 851 / 677 495 [email protected]

ArtificisBaja del Salvador, 2Tel. 953 758 150 / 655 553 [email protected]

Atlante, Úbeda y BaezaTurismoPlaza de Vázquez de Molina, 9BajoTel. 953 793 422 / 636 666 [email protected]

Semer TurismoJuan Montilla, 3 BajoTel. 953 757 916 / 953 791 [email protected]

SETURJABaja del Salvador, 2Tel. 953 108 310 / 663 870 [email protected]

Vandelvira TurismoReal, 61Tel. 953 754 [email protected]

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visitaubedaybaeza.comLlana de San Nicolás, 14 2ºCTel. 674 740 [email protected]

Sierra-Trek (only NatureTourism)Avda. de la Libertad, 64 2ºTel. 626 700 [email protected]

MUSEUMS ANDMONUMENTS

Archaeological Museumof Úbeda (Mudéjar House)Cervantes, 6Tel. 953 108 623www.museosandalucia.es/cul-tura/museoarqueologicoubedamuseoarqueologicoubeda.ccd@juntadeandalucia.es

Pottery Museum “Paco Tito, Memoriade lo Cotidiano”Valencia, 22Tel. 953 751 [email protected]

Interpretation Centre“Olive Grove & Oil” -Region of La LomaLa Tercia HouseCorredera de San Fernando, 32Tel. 953 755 889www.centrodeolivaryaceitelaloma.cominfo@centrodeolivaryaceitelaloma.com

Palace of Vázquez de Molina(Palace of the Chains)Plaza Vázquez de Molina, s/nTel. 953 750 440

Santiago HospitalAvda. de Cristo Rey, s/nTel. 953 750 [email protected]

Úbeda Walls InterpretationCentreTower of Santo CristoCava, esquina Santo CristoTel. 953 769 450, ext. 6

Sacred Chapel of the SaviourBaja del Salvador, s/nTel. 609 279 [email protected]

Basilica of Santa Maríade los Reales AlcázaresPlaza Vázquez de Molina, s/nTel. 953 756 [email protected]

Palace of Vela de los CobosJuan Montilla, 2Tel. 953 757 916

Museum of San Juande la CruzCarmen, 13Tel. 953 750 [email protected]

Permanent Exhibition“Treasures of the Closure”Couvent de la ConcepciónMontiel, 6Tel. 953 750 [email protected]

Andalusí HouseNarváez, 11Tel. 619 076 132 /953 754 [email protected]

Synagogue of WaterRoque Rojas, esquinaC/ Las ParrasTel: 953 758 [email protected]

CRAFTWORKSHOPS

Association of Craftsmenof ÚbedaCorazón de Jesús, 11Tel. 953 755 [email protected]

POTTERIES

Pottery AlmarzaValencia, 36Tel. 953 750 [email protected]

Pottery Francisco ExpósitoTitoPlaza de Santa Lucía, 2Tel. 953 752 024

Pottery GóngoraCuesta de la Merced, 32Tel. 953 754 [email protected]

Palace of Anguís MedinillaPlaza Álvaro de Torres, 4Tel. 953 796 170

Towers HousePlaza de San Lorenzo, s/nTel. 953 779 595

Palace of Don Luis de la CuevaPlaza de Josefa Manuel, s/nTel. 953 755 711

Church of San LorenzoMiradores de San Lorenzo, s/nTel. 619 889 054www.facebook.com/funda-cionhuertadesanantoniofundacionhuertadesanantonio@gmail.com

Church of San PabloPlaza 1º de Mayo, s/nTel. 953 750 637

Church of San Nicolás de BariSan Nicolás, 28Tel. 953 756 099

Church of the Holy TrinityTrinidad, 2

Church of San IsidoroCronista Muro, s/nTel. 953 750 336

OTHER PLACESOF INTEREST

Granada y Venegas HouseBeltrán de la Cueva, 3Tel: 953 754 [email protected]

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Pottery Melchor TitoValencia, 44 y Fuente Seca, 17Tel. 953 753 692 / 953 753 [email protected]

Pottery Pablo TitoValencia, 22Tel. 953 751 [email protected]

Pottery TitoPlaza del Ayuntamiento, 12Tel. 953 751 [email protected]

Pottery AlamedaCamino del Cementerio, 11Tel. 953 751 [email protected]

COFFERED

Mudejar CofferedPaco Luis MartosPlaza de los Olleros, 14Tel. 953 757 993 / 722 471 [email protected]

STONEMASONRY

José Muñoz Moreno “Muros”Beltrán de la Cueva, 24Tel. 630 582 557

PAPER MÂCHÉ CRAFT

Cartón-ArtCamino del Cementerio, s/nTel. 953 751 [email protected]

CABINETMAKINGAND CARPENTRY

Cabinetmaking and CarpentrySan JaimeSan Jaime, 18Tel. 953 751 834

SCULPTUREAND RESTORATION

Alfonso Cobo Díaz-CanoValencia, 60Tel. 645 697 845

NATURAL GRASSFIBRES

Ubedíes CraftReal, 45Tel. 639 563 [email protected]

Occupational Centre of ÚbedaAlberquilla, s/nTel. 953 755 106

Molina CraftMirasierra, 3Hamlet of El DonadíoTel. 953 751 940

FORGES

Forge TiznajoJurado Gómez, 15Tel. 953 751 [email protected]

Forge La AldabaMª Auxiliadora, 70 Bajo

Artistic Glass WindowsGarcía LuchaVidrieras, s/n, PolígonoIndustrial Los Cerros, TravesíaCtra. de Vilches, s/n, y Avda.de Linares, 4Tel. 953 757 [email protected]

ArtesurPlaza del Marqués de la Rambla,2Tel. 953 751 [email protected]

Forge La LomaPolígono Los Cerros,Ctra. de SabioteTel. 953 752 653

JEWELRYAND SILVERWARE

Bijoux FerrándizAvda. de la Libertad, 7Tel. 953 752 [email protected]

ARTISTIC GLASS WIN-DOWS AND LANTERNS

Arte y CristalExplanada, 21Tel. 953 750 [email protected]

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Notes

Ayuntamiento de ÚbedaConcejalía de Turismo

routes round Úbeda

Documents