Jaén is a city in south-central Spain. The name is derived from the Arabic word khayyān (‘crossroads of caravans’). It is the capital of the province of Jaén. The inhabitants of the city are known as Jiennenses. Its population is 117,000, about one-sixth of the population of the province. Recently Jaén has had a great increase in cultural tourism. The city is also known as the World Capital of Olive Oil, because it is the biggest producer of the oil, known by locals as liquid gold.
The city has the University of Jaén, which nowadays consists of approximately 18,000 students and 27 degree courses. This university is present in the city, in the Campus “Las Lagunillas”, but also is present in Úbeda and Linares with only some of the degree courses. The university is very modern with a large foreign student population. The motto of the city is: (Spanish) “Muy Noble y muy Leal Ciudad de Jaén, Guarda y Defendimiento de los Reinos de Castilla”, (English) “Very Noble and very Loyal City of Jaen, Guard and Defense of the Kingdoms of Castile”. This title was given by king Henry II of Castile to the city of Jaen, due to the privileges that the city had, and to the role that the city was playing in the defense of the kingdom of Castile against the Moors.
Saint Catherine’s Castle (Castillo de Santa Catalina) sits on the top of a hill overlooking the city. Previously there had existed a fortress of Arabic origin (Abrehui’s castle), of which some remains still exist. The current construction is of Christian origin, raised after the conquest of the city by Ferdinand III of Castile, called the Saint, in 1246.
Jaén Cathedral is one of the most important Renaissance-style cathedrals. Construction began in 1570 and was completed in 1802. It is dedicated to the Assumption of the Virgin, and it was built to shelter the relic of the Holy Face, or Veil of Veronica, lodged at the major chapel and exposed to the public every Friday. Due to the length of time in its construction, different artistic styles can be appreciated, the most prominent being Renaissance; Andrés de Vandelvira the most important architect. He is the greatest exponent of the Andalusian Renaissance. It aspires to be listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
Arab Baths, the most significant remnants of the Moorish era of Andalusia, are the largest Arab baths preserved in Spain. They can be visited under Villardompardo’s Palace (another important monument in the city). Other important monuments are the Museum of Arts and Popular Customs, the International Museum of Naïf Art, San Andrés’s Chapel, the Provincial Museum of Jaén (which shelters an important collection of archaeological Iberian remains), Saint Ildefonso’s church, etc.
