Baena – History, Olive Groves and Vía Verde

Baena lies on the slopes of a hill amid olive groves and cereal fields. Torreparedones preserves evidence of at least 3,500 years of settlement and use, from the Copper Age to the Late Middle Ages. Torreparedones reached its greatest prosperity in Iberian and Roman times; by the 6th century BC at the latest, the site was surrounded by a strong wall reinforced with towers, enclosing an area of 10.5 hectares.

Culture and History

The La Tercia Archaeological and Historical Museum is located in the Casa de la Tercia, which was built between 1792 and 1795 as a grain and seed store as well as an oil cellar. The museum houses significant archaeological collections, most of which come from excavations at the Torreparedones Archaeological Park. They particularly include the sanctuary’s votive assemblage and Roman sculptures from the forum.

Sacred Traces

At the Iglesia de Santa María la Mayor, the earliest records date back to the 13th century. Its surviving tower appears to be a Muslim minaret from the 9th century. In the Iglesia Conventual Madre de Dios, interesting 16th-century tiles from Cuenca have been preserved on the walls and floor.

Landscape and Paths

The Cueva del Yeso formed in a layer of solid gypsum approximately 60 metres thick. It includes the 106-metre-long Galería Agudo with three lakes.

The Vía Verde crosses the N-432 via an 83-metre-long elevated footbridge and connects with the Vía Verde de la Subbética shortly before Luque station. Near the edge of Baena’s municipal area, it can be accessed via Calle Juan Torrico Lomeña.

Specific years, measurements and forms of visiting provide reference points for arranging cultural, active and culinary days at your own pace.

This information helps you compare the timing and spatial framework, as well as the conditions of the desired offering, according to your own plans. For a holiday apartment in Baena, you can organise priorities between visiting the historic town, paths through the landscape and insights into olive oil culture. Travel dates, the desired room category and cancellation conditions are separate details that may vary between the respective offers and should be considered separately.

Further Destinations

Further destinations: Fuente Tójar, Villaviciosa De Córdoba, Dos Torres, Luque, Huertas Bajas de Cabra, El Hoyo, Monturque and Fernán-Núñez.

Sightseeing and Olive Oil

The Castillo de Baena is considered a visitor attraction offering a historically themed tour about betrayal, battles, unfulfilled love stories and extraordinary heroic deeds. Guided tours are available in Baena.

By appointment, the Almazara Núñez de Prado offers tours and preserves a granite roller mill as well as oil cellars with earthenware jars dating from 1795. Tastings and personalised tours are also offered in Baena for groups of at least five people.

For the overview of the broader journey: Cordoba.