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Jaen
is one
of the
8
provinces
within
Andalucia.
It
takes
its
name
from
its
capital.
The
natural
wealth
of the
province
makes
this
the
province
with
the
greatest
surface
area
of
protected
wilderness
in the
whole
of
Spain.
In the
provinces
four
nature
parks
you
will
find
villages
with a
rich
cultural
heritage
and
many
colourful
traditions.
One
thing
that
all
these
places
have
in
common
is the
tradition
of
bull-running,
where
bulls
are
released
into
the
streets.
These
bull
runs
date
from
the
18th
century
and
are
still
popular
today.
Jaen
was
one of
the
most
beautiful,
historic
places
that
we
stayed
at and
it
proved
to
have a
wealth
of
history
and
architecture.
Our
fist
call
was at
the
tourist
office
and
for
the
first
time
ever,
we
found
it
difficult
to
find
and
the
staff
were
very
unhelpful,
almost
bordering
on
rude.
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However,
we
went
on to
explore
the
city
under
our
own
steam.
The
castle
at the
top of
the
hill
dominates
the
skyline.
It now
houses
the
best
Parador
in
Spain.
See
our
full
reports. |
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The
Cathedral
rises
in the
heart
of the
old
city
which
comprises
of a
maze
of old
streets,
oozing
atmosphere.
The
main
facade
of the
cathedral
is a
massive
tableau
of
stone,
flanked
by two
towers.
Inside,
don't
miss
the
18th
century
choir
and
the
seats
dating
from
the
16th
century.
The
cathedral
with
its 26
metre
high
towers,
dwarfs
the
city.
The
Cathedral
can be
visited,
free
of
charge
and is
well
worth
the
effort.
Outside
the
Cathedral
is a
square
that
makes
a
perfect
resting
place
to
admire
the
architecture.
The
Arab
Baths
are of
the
best
preserved
in the
country.
The
visit
is
free,
under
tight
security
and
the
visit
combines
several
museums.
There
is a
good
guide
available
in
English
that
explains
the
history
and
the
workings
of the
baths.
They
were
discovered
in
1913
and
declared
a
national
monument
in
1917. |
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There
are
dozens
of
churches
and
convents
in
Jaen,
all
with a
unique
character
of
their
own,
many
beautiful
squares
with
statues
and
fountains
and a
thriving
market
town
style
shopping
area.
There
are
also
many
museums
to
visit.
Semana
Santa
in the
provincial
capital
of
Jaen
is an
impressive
experience
that
has
been
held
since
the
middle
of the
16th
century
and
today
is of
great
importance
to the
tourist.
More
than
7,000
hooded
penitents
escort
the
images
through
the
streets
on
Good
Friday.
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On the
first
Sunday
in
September,
Jaen
hosts
the
feria
de la
Divina
Pastora,
a
deeply
rooted
religious
festival.
It
begins
with a
dawn
mass,
followed
by the
waving
of
banners
by the
Brotherhood
of
Shepherds,
established
in the
16th
century.
At
night
there
is an
outdoor
fiesta
with
singing
and
dancing.
In
October
the
end of
the
bullfighting
season
is
marked
with
impressive
bullfights
on
horseback
as
well
as
colourful
carriage
displays. |
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Our
visit
to
Jaen
was at
the
end of
our
Costa
Blanca
tour,
as
part
of our
return
home
to
Marbella.
We
found
Jaen
to be
an
impressive
place
with a
wealth
of
history
and so
much
to
see.
We
were
particularly
impressed
with
the
castle,
the
Parador
and
the
cathedral.
With
the
exception
of the
staff
at the
tourist
office
we
found
local
people
helpful
and
friendly.
Since
our
initial
visit,
we
have
returned
and on
our
second
visit
were
still
as
impressed.
We
noticed
that
there
was a
great
deal
of
reformation
going
on in
the
town
squares. |
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