Discover Lopera

Lopera combines striking buildings with a history shaped by its fortress and its changing roles. It also preserves traces of the Spanish Civil War, local customs and traditional crafts. If you are looking for a hotel for your trip, you might consider whether you would like to focus your stay mainly on historic buildings, festivals or the surrounding landscape.

Castle, Church and History

Castillo de Lopera consists of two sections: an outer walled enclosure and an inner castle-palace complex. The latter comprises two large towers connected by two defensive walls. After the Castilian conquest, Lopera was handed over to the Military Order of Calatrava in 1240–1241. In the 13th and 14th centuries, the fortress played an important role as a frontier stronghold during Castilian expansion through the Campiña of Jaén. Its architectural features and historical function therefore tell different parts of the fortress’s story.

Admission to Castillo includes a guided tour of the interior, the town interpretation centre and the weapons courtyard. Check the visitor regulations before your trip. Iglesia de la Purísima Concepción offers a different architectural focus: the building dates from the 16th century and is marked by late Gothic features. Its portal is classified as Flamboyant or Isabelline Gothic. The church also contains a Renaissance tomb of the Purísima by Juan de Reolid, dating from 1547.

Casa de la Tercia also combines architectural history with cultural use. It was probably built in the second half of the 16th century and bequeathed by Gómez Manrique as a pósito (grain store). An underground passage, excavated in the 1960s, connects the building to Castillo. Various cultural events take place on the upper floor, which also houses the Museo de Pedro Monje. Check opening arrangements before visiting. Bodegas Herruzo is considered a living museum of traditional craftsmanship; access should be arranged separately.

Places of Remembrance and Traces of the Past

Various traces of the Spanish Civil War have been preserved in Lopera. These include machine-gun posts, Republican trenches and an anti-tank fort, as well as cellars and caves that were used as air-raid shelters. The Cuevas Refugio at the entrance to the town comprise eleven caves. They date from 1828 and were used as shelters during the Civil War. This information brings together different periods: the caves were created before their later use as shelters. Access conditions may vary from one site to another.

Festivals and Local Traditions

The festival calendar is spread throughout the year. La Candelaria is celebrated on the night of 1 February with traditional bonfires; every year on 8 December, Lopera celebrates a festival in honour of the Inmaculada Concepción. The Romería de San Isidro includes a procession with floats and horses that ends at the Ermita de San Isidro. The San Roque festivities include an evening event on 14 August and a procession with blessed bread rings on 16 August. Dates and programme details may change from year to year; check the relevant year’s information when planning a specific visit.

Other customs are reflected in distinctive ways of celebrating. During the Feria y Fiestas de los Cristos, processions are held for Cristo de la Vera-cruz and Cristo del Humilladero. On Día de Jesús, 14 September, the streets are decorated the previous night with carpets made from coloured paper and sawdust. For Corpus Christi, residents decorate the façades along the procession route and lay mats made of rushes on the streets. During the Christmas season, some Nacimientos and Belenes are on public display and can be visited; exhibitions vary from year to year. The Historical Reenactment of the Battle of Lopera takes place in April and brings together history, culture, tourism and remembrance. The programme for the relevant year determines the exact date.

Crafts, Cuisine and Landscape

Traditional crafts still practised today include chairmaking and woodturning. Beech and chestnut wood are among the materials used. Local cuisine also has seasonal and regional connections: Gachas with Tostones and anise are traditional dishes for All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day. Trigo Pelao combines garden vegetables with anchovies, clams and wheat grains. Both dishes offer a distinctive way to experience Lopera’s culinary traditions.

The gently rolling terrain offers a sense of the landscape, with walking trails that bring you into close contact with nature. Paraje del Pilar Nuevo is less than a kilometre from Lopera. The area includes a tree-lined meadow, a livestock watering trough dating from 1875 and the Ermita de San Isidro Labrador. Historic buildings, inherited customs and a particular landscape can thus be considered as different focal points for your trip.

Discover more destinations: Bélmez De La Moraleda, Quesada, Segura De La Sierra, Jimena, Villanueva Del Arzobispo, Prados De Armijo, Cárcheles, Begíjar

For the full travel overview: Jaen.