5 Best Sights in Jaen, Andalusia

Explore the narrow alleys of old Jaén as you walk from the cathedral to the Baños Árabes (Arab Baths), which once belonged to Ali, a Moorish king of Jaén, and probably date to the 11th century. In 1592, a viceroy of Peru named Fernando de Torres y Portugal built himself a mansion, the Palacio de Villardompardo, right over the baths, so it took years of painstaking excavation to restore them to their original form. The palace contains a fascinating, albeit small, museum of folk crafts and a larger museum devoted to native art.

This castle, perched on a rocky crag 400 yards above the center of town, is Jaén's star monument. It may have originated as a tower built by Hannibal, but whatever its origins, the site was fortified continuously over the centuries. The Nasrid king Alhamar, builder of Granada's Alhambra, constructed an alcázar here, but Ferdinand III captured it from him in 1246 on the feast day of Santa Catalina (St. Catherine). Catalina consequently became Jaén's patron saint, so when the Christians built a castle and chapel here, they dedicated both to her. Guided tours are available twice daily.

Set on the square and in the district of the same name, this large church is one of Jaén's treasures. Built mainly in the Gothic style with baroque details, the magnificent gilded altar is the highlight.

Looming above the modest buildings around it, the cathedral was begun in 1492 on the site of a former mosque and took almost 300 years to build. Its chief architect was Andrés de Vandelvira (1509–75)—many more of his buildings can be seen in Úbeda and Baeza. The ornate facade was sculpted by Pedro Roldán, and the figures on top of the columns include San Fernando (Ferdinand III) and the four evangelists. The cathedral's most treasured relic is the Santo Rostro (Holy Face), the cloth with which, according to tradition, St. Veronica cleansed Christ's face on the way to Calvary, leaving his image imprinted on the fabric. The rostro (face) is displayed every Friday 10:30–noon and 5–6. In the underground museum, look for the paintings San Lorenzo, by Martínez Montañés; the Immaculate Conception, by Alonso Cano; and a Calvary scene by Jácobo Florentino.

This museum is divided into two sections within the rooms of a 1547 mansion: archaeological finds and fine art. The Bronze Age and Roman era are particularly well represented; highlights here include the Dama de los Robles statue and the first-century marble room. The patio showcases the facade of the erstwhile Church of San Miguel. The fine-arts section has a room full of Goya lithographs.