Lucena’s vast religious heritage will surprise you at every turn: the Church of San Mateo, known as the Cathedral of Subbética, coexists with chapels, hermitages and convents that speak of the town’s past.
Shines with
its own light
Lucena, a city that shines with its own light. In the south of the province of Córdoba lies this grandiose city, whose surroundings were home to pre-Neanderthals 450,000 years ago and later became the only city inhabited exclusively by Jews between the 8th and 12th centuries.
Of its Roman past, the Paleo-Christian Basilica of Coracho and the Roman pottery of Los Tejares stand out.
Castillo del Moral
Discover the Castillo del Moral, an Almohad fortress that housed as a prisoner King Boabdil “El Chico”, the last Nasrid king of Granada after his defeat in the battle of Martín González. Nowadays the defensive fortress houses the Archaeological and Ethnological Museum inside.
Other monuments
Condes de Santa Ana Palace
Considered to be one of the best examples of 18th century civil architecture in Lucena, its construction was promoted by the Mora-Saavedra family between 1730 and 1750. This family, of possible Judeo-converted origins, were among the families who settled in Lucena, attracted by the fame of the city in past times and the longing to dwell in the land of their ancestors. In addition to its magnificent front, its architecture is notable for its two courtyards, the second of which is porticoed, and its beautiful staircase, crowned with a vaulted ceiling. The palace houses the Interpretation Centre of the City of Lucena.
Opening hours
-Monday to Saturday: from 10.30h to 18.00h
-Sundays: from 10.30h to 14.00h
The Jewish Necropolis of Lucena
In 2006, the construction of the ring road around the southern part of Lucena uncovered a cemetery from the Medieval Andalusian period. Some 346 tombs were discovered, adapted to the topography of the terrain, in which the burial ritual used was inhumation in a single or double grave, sometimes with a niche or lateral cave covered with Roman flagstones or slabs. The bone remains that determined an early medieval period between 1000 and 1050 coincided with the dates of greatest splendour of the Jewish period of Lucena, and allowed us to extract relevant data about the way of life and funerary rituals of the Jewish community at this time.
Opening hours
-Saturdays: guided tours at 9.00h and 10.00h
-Sundays: guided tour at 9.00h
Roman pottery of “Los Tejares”
It is a Roman pottery factory, with several well-defined areas. The first sector consists of 7 kilns, a second sector with a rectangular open space as a service area and a third sector, on a higher level, consisting of a building that would have functioned as a pre-drying room or storage area. The chronology dates back to the second half of the 1st century BC and the second half of the 2nd century AC. C.
Opening hours:
-Saturdays: visits at 11.30h, 12.30h and 13.30h.
-Sundays: visits at 10.30h and 11.15h
Paleo-Christian Basilica of “Coracho”
The project made it possible to retrieve one of the first Constantinian basilicas in Hispania and a basic pillar for the knowledge and dissemination of the origin of Christianity in the Iberian Peninsula. The basilica church, associated with a necropolis, is dated between the 4th and 7th centuries Its origin dates back to the first moments of the imperial legalisation of Christianity in the Constantinian period, the first half of the 4th century.
Opening hours: Reservations required
Discover
Lucena
Due to its good frontier position, ancient Eliossana was home to a large Jewish population. As a result, it became a city inhabited entirely by Jews in the Muslim Middle Ages and was known as the Pearl of Sepharad or the City of Poets because of its important cultural dynamism. The Jewish necropolis and some of the typical Jewish street structures from this splendid period are still visible today.
Gastronomy
In Lucena you can enjoy a wide and varied gastronomy, with great prominence of olive oil with designation of origin ‘Aceites de Lucena’ and Montilla-Moriles wine Dishes such as ‘bolos lucentinos’, ‘naranjas con bacalao’ and sweets such as ‘pestiños’ and ‘mostachones’ will delight your palate during your visit. Take the opportunity to discover our oil and wine tourism routes!
Cultural heritage
Lucena is also famous for its magnificent examples of the Cordovan Baroque style, of which the imposing Sagrario de San Mateo is the highest expression, other examples being the Condes de Santa Ana Palace and the Virgen de Araceli Sanctuary. Of its Roman past, the Paleo-Christian Basilica of Coracho and the Roman pottery of Los Tejares stand out.
