Small municipality located in the west of the Sierra Mágina region, a few kilometres from the capital. The urban core, located at the eastern end of the Cerro de San Cristóbal, looking at the Guadalbullion River, conserves the tipism of its white houses and its steep and narrow streets.
Among the natural enclaves of interest of La Guardia are the Cerro de San Cristóbal, whose summit is repopulated with pine trees, and the Vega of the Guadalbullón river itself, which continues to preserve an abundant riverside vegetation.
La Guardia offers many possibilities for walking, horse or bicycle excursions, such as the Cañada del Santo or the banks of the Guadalbullion River. Of archaeological interest are the settlements of Guadaola (period of emiral), the Roman villa of the Yuca, or the different Ibero-Roman necropolis of Las Eas de San Sebastián and Barranquillo.
The castle, of Arab origin, which was remodeled as a palacio-citadel by the Messias in the 14th and 15th centuries, is the main architectural jewel of the town, along with the parish Church of the Assumption, a work of the 16th century that was originally convent of the Dominicans.
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The most important monuments of La Guardia are:
The square concentrates several monuments concerning the 16th century and the Renaissance:
The Jaén Guard is a town on horseback between Sierra Sur and Sierra Mágina.
Since privileged area at 635 m altitude The Guadalbullan River is dominated in its search for Guadalquivir, Sierra Morena, Sierra Mágina and the fields of the region of La Loma, most of which are populated by olive trees.
Its vegetation in the high area, slopes and top of Cerro San Cristóbal, is the one of the Abrupt and steep land, highlighting the repopulation pines on the top and slopes of the hill, as well as shrubs and aromatic plants. The rest of the land is colonized by olive trees except for the area of the Vega del Guadalbullón on whose fertile land fruit trees, cereals, maize and vegetables grow.
The fauna is the characteristic of the small hunt: hares, rabbits, partridges, foxes and numerous rapacious birds nesting on the steep rocks of the hill. In the area near the river, the typical avifauna of the gallery forests.
The best way to get to know this area and discover the living nature is to walk one of the many paths that are serpentating for its municipal term. One of the most representative and best panoramic on the region is the so-called "San Cristobal Hill Path."
The path ascends by the area of Monte Prieto, and descends by the vicinity of the Peña de San Cristóbal, the point of beginning and ending being the municipality of La Guardia itself. We will find the impressive coat of Cave, with remains of human occupation from the Neolithic. At the flat summit of the Cerro de San Cristóbal you can enjoy a pleasant walk between the pines. The north and south slopes have spectacular views, being authentic natural views of the mountain reliefs of the south and the province of Jaén.
The set of parties held in La Guardia, the Guardeños are grouped into two blocks: the major parties (San Sebastián and Divina Pastora), and, on the other hand, the rest of events and celebrations.
La Guardia's gastronomy presents a wide variety of flavors, textures and ingredients, whose secret lies in the Arab reminiscent of typical recipes. A whole culinary mosaic that has been enriched throughout history to this day.
Among the most typical dishes, we highlight:
They are also made sweets that are typical of this locality:
The San Marcos slope The Guard is a strategic enclave, a silent witness to the different peoples and cultures that have passed through this place. The remains that have been found thus attest to it from the Neolithic to the present. For this reason, La Guardia is known as "Cult Gate."
Apart from its important border role between Castile and Granada, what really distinguishes La Guardia from other border areas is the location of a ancient and illustrious population settled in the current location For centuries. The Guard was an important Iberian oppidium called Bastia lie About 1500 years ago.
During the Roman era it will reach its highest splendor. He was known as the Great Mentess. A strong, economic, social and political city. With a population that reached 5000 mentesans. They exploded the gold from their mines, which came to Rome, and coined coins.
With the Muslim invasion In the eighth century, the city was looted and burned. It will be during this century when the construction of the castle's defensive structures begins.
In 1244, Fernando III El Santo conquered the city and again became a defensive bastion of Castile in the Guadalbullion Valley until the conquest of Granada.
With the taking of Granada and the loss of value as a strategic and defensive position, it begins its stage of peace and immerses itself in the Modern Age.
Family Messiah is established here in the 16th century, modifying the castle to adapt it as a palaciega residence, reusing the existing tower as a church dedicated to Santa Ana. The bell tower is built on it and will be the Parish church until the mid-19th century.
Also in the 19th century, the Ochoa family sits in the municipality and decides to build a solarium house next to the fountain of the Pilar de los Messia.
Little remains of the glory of Mentesa, since since the 19th century its main sustenance was agriculture and oil and flour mills, an economy that precipitates the migrations of the people during the post-war period.
At present, its situation near the capital has encouraged the revitalization of the municipality.
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