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Description
Municipality located to the northwest of the province of Jaén, in the region of the Jienese countryside. It's the most western urban core of the province, limiting to the west with villages of Córdoba.
Geographically it is characterized by a soft orography, typical of the olive countryside. Its economy is based on agriculture, being the cultivation of olive trees the most prominent, although there are others like cotton, sunflower, sugar beet, corn... that are sown in the vegas of the Salado stream. There are still some reductions of white grape and cereal vineyard, which were important at the time. It has a long wine tradition, but at present there are very few hectares of wine planted.
Its economy is complemented by the wood furniture industry, the service sector and construction, among other activities.
The river Guadalquivir crosses the municipal term in the north and its tributary Salado stream that runs from north to south with low flow rate.
Among its rich heritage is the Castle of Lopera, the parish church of the Immaculate Conception, the Casa de la Tercia, the City Hall and the hermites of Jesus El Nazarene, the Humilladero Christ and San Roque.
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Culture
Of the ancient artisan trades in Lopera, only two activities related to the ebanistía have been maintained to this day: the silery and the tortería. In both cases work is done following a classic Spanish line, of Renaissance air and close to the furniture that characterized Granada in the first half of the 20th century. Among the different wood used are those of beech and chestnut.
Other craft works, carried out today only by hobby, are reluctant to disappear. This is the case of the "guarines," made with olive pods, which were used to transport water pitchers or agricultural utensils to the loins of the beasts; or the anea works, especially those made for the "asses" of the traditional chairs.
In the Plaza Mayor of Lopera we find the three factual powers: the military power, represented by the castle-fortress of the Order of Calatrava; the religious power, represented by the Church of the Immaculate Conception and the civil power, represented by the City Council.
- The Castle of Lopera. The castle is located in the centre of this town. It was built by the Order of Calatrava, to whom this population was given after its conquest in 1242. It has irregular pentagonal plant, defending its corners with cylindrical and prismatic towers or cubes. The interior of the fortress has a large courtyard of weapons, with a magnificent almost rectangular alcazar in the center formed by two towers joined by two wall canvases that form a large aspired adarve, supported by half-point arches on counterstrengths. The tower of San Miguel, which controls the main door, houses two vaulted rooms, one of which later became a curious palomar as witnessed by the dozens of ceramic cubes that cover its walls. The tower of Santa María is rectangular, with two overlapping rooms. The one on the ground floor was completely remodeled in 1535 after the works undertaken by the Comandador D. Juan Pacheco for the construction of an oratory, a small chapel that completed the significant transformation carried out in the castle to make it a nobility residence. These works also affected the skate between the two towers, transformed into the palace yard. The Lopera Castle belongs to the promotional database and has complete information sheet.
- The tower of Santa Maria or of the Tribute, keeps in its interior remains of a Gothic chapel, made in the 16th century, when the castle became a nobility residence. We can now enjoy a centre of interpretation dedicated to the Order of Calatrava.
- Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception. The date of its construction is not exactly known, some historians place the beginning of its construction at the beginning of the 14th century. There is a clear succession of styles ranging from the Gothic, the Order of Calatrava, to the Baroque. The basic plant is divided in three ships, highlighting the centre as being wider and higher than the sides. These ships are separated by cylindrical pillars that support the vaults of the deck, warheads and multiple nerves. The altarpiece It's neoclassical. On its outside stands the tower with a square base on which rests an octagonal body and a circular third, with four moons and half-point arches for the bells. Finishing with a pointed polygonal needle chapitel with glazed tile.
- Casa de la Tercia. It was the old posite that is currently called "Casa de la Tercia." The building that was to be built in the 16th century is made of brick in its thick interior and thick tapial in its external walls, with quarry stones that reinforce the corners of the building. It has no decorative elements except two crosses at the top of the deck horse. It was used to store grain in the Modern Age and as a winery in the Contemporary. Don Miguel de Cervantes passed by in order to raise funds for the Invincible Navy.
- The hermitage. It has several and very interesting hermitage, among which we highlight: The Hermitage of the Christ of the Humiliaderoof the 18th century and of Baroque style; the Hermitage of San Roqueof the 16th century, also baroque; Hermitage of Jesus Nazarene, where the 18th century cover is again baroque.
Nature
Lopera, located in the area called the lower countryside and the Andújar valley, is the westernmost core of the Jienian municipalities. The Guadalquivir River crosses its municipal border on the north side, while the Salado stream, tributary to the east, serpents from south to north, forming fertile vegas.
The orography is soft, with wavy hills, the typical olive countryside, which has other irrigation crops located in the lower vegas of the Salado stream, such as cotton, sunflower, corn or sugar beet.
The vegetation, with a clear predominance of the olive tree, presents next to the channels of the rivers what we call the gallery forest: willows, strawberries, tarais, mimberas, white chopos and black alms.
The fauna is composed, among others, by Rape: a brine eagle, black millano, close it; carnivores: fox, rabbit, hare, weasel, chickpea, gineta, badger; reptiles: the lizard, snakes, and the fauna own of the riverside forests: the imperial garza, the martinete, or the aquilucho lagoon.
Lopera, due to its soft orography, is an ideal place to travel in direct contact with nature. Among the areas of the area we highlight the New Pilar site.
A short mile from the village of Lopera, along the way of the Spinillas, is the location of the New Pilar, true environmental lung of this area. The site has a pilar-abrevadero dating from 1875, and a meadow populated with trees and chaired by the hermitage of the farmers' pattern, San Isidro Labrador. No doubt an ideal place to spend a day in the field.
Parties and Events
Throughout the year, many and many different parties are held in Lopera.
- La Candelariais celebrated since the 17th century on the night of February 1 around the typical "candelas" of olive thrones, which each group of neighbors organizes in their neighborhood. Next to these fires there will be games, songs and dances.
- Romeria of the Virgin of the Head. On the penultimate Sunday of April, the image comes in procession through the streets of the town. The following weekend the rosemary moves to the Cerro del Cabezo (Andújar) to participate there in the Romeria de la Virgen de la Cabeza.
- Romeria de San Isidro. On the 15th of May, in the place called "Pilar Nuevo," where the hermitage of the saint is located, this deep-rooted feast of farmers is celebrated. The image is processed, and behind it are the carts and chained cavalry, a show of color, songs and joy.
- The Mayans. They are a kind of wooden frame, which is supported on a few sides and is covered with colored paper, ribbons, flowers... and decorated with wind thighs. In the center of the frame are two or more floors, and in them are placed biscuit cakes. It is used to honor someone, child or older, on their birthday or onomastic... The May is taken to the house of the honorado and along the way songs are sung. After the procession all together taste the rosses and sweets.
- Tunas de Lopera competition, is one of the most expected events of Lopera's neighbours. The last weekend of July is held. There are young and not so young tunes from many parts of the world. It's all those days it's all joy, good humor, round songs... Tradition that has been transmitted from generation to generation.
- Corpus Christi, for the celebration of this day's procession, Lopera's neighbors adorn their streets with pots, small altars, flags, flowers and junks that adorn the ground. The children who have made communion that year participate, and when it ends, they are in charge of collecting the jungle from the ground and preparing small whips.
- Celebrations in honor of San Roque. The saint was named patron of Lopera in 1644. The parties are held between August 14 and 16, the day 16 being the big day. Start this day with a major Diana, in charge of the Band of Tambores and Corneto. In the parish the religious feast is celebrated in honor of the patron and there is the blessing of bread threads that will be distributed among the devotees. But the most striking thing is that children light up San Roque with lights made from watermelons and melons that have previously been emptied.
- Feria de los Cristos. Fiesta Mayor, Fiesta Real or Feria Grande are appeals that mention the same celebration: the Feria de los Cristos which, after having undergone several changes of date and by popular referendum, takes place during the last Sunday of August. In Lopera, there are two crucified Christos that are venerated: that of the Vera Cross or the Great Christ and that of the Humiliadero or the Chico Christ; qualifications that refer to the size of the sizes of the Divinity. On Sunday, the image of the Great Christ is processed, first in receiving worship and whose fellowship dates back to the 16th century; the next day, there is the raging of the Chico Christ: the shooting of saved ones made at dawn by the cofrades. The religious feast is closed on Tuesday with the procession of the image of the Christ of the Humiliadero accompanied by his soldadesque that was founded in the 18th century. In the festivities of this town, known for its canned wine, they stand out: the race of the Galgos (tradition lost and recovered today), the leagues of two vaguels each day tasting their flesh on the last day of the feast on the Paseo de Colón and the animation of the Municipal Caseta with a verbena is extended until the early hours of the morning.
- Medieval fair, which has been held over the last few years in the Castle, within the program of the route of the Castles and the Battle.
Gastronomy
The gastronomy of Lopera follows the common denominator of the villages of the region, uses virgin olive oil on all its dishes, in addition to the products obtained on its land, whether they are vegetables, fruits or game meat.
Among its most traditional dishes, we highlight:
- "Pelao wheat", to different vegetables of the orchard like tomato, onion, garlic... are added bowels, clams and wheat grains. The wheat, you have to put it in water, peel it and let it cook for about 20 minutes, before bringing it together to the rest of the ingredients.
- Chickpeas, to which cod and spinach are added.
- Bread. The chopped parsley is added garlic, egg and grated bread that are milled and make balls that are then fried.
- Trout to the mill. The trout must be put in milk for a few hours and then removed, rinsed and fried.
- Maimons. Milk, sugar and pieces of bread will be the basic ingredients of this dish.
- Pest in Doraillo, previously a saffrito of vegetables is made, to which must be added the chopped perdiz.
From the pastry shop a dish with much roots in Lopera:
- CordialAlmonds, water and sugar should be added to egg whites.
History
The first data go back to the Bronze Age by the remains found in some cortijos. From the Iberian era there are several deposits in the municipal term, the Cerro de San Cristóbal one of the most important of Alta Andalucía.
There are remains of the Roman era in various areas of the municipality. His name was "Polesi." Many of the Roman settlements remained occupied in the Visigodic era. The most studied site is that of the Roman-Visigoda city of the "Morrones" which had a Visigoda basilica.
The current population core would probably emerge around the X and XI centuries in a small house that gradually consolidated the population. In 1240, Fernando III the Holy, conquered Lopera to the Muslims and from then until the 16th century it was under the jurisdiction of the Order of Calatrava.
Philip II decides in 1559, declare it villa that was materialized by the payment that the neighbors made to the coffers of the Royal Hacienda.
As early as the 19th century, with the decriminalization of the Church's property, the bourgeois people increased their heritage. It is worth noting the purchase of the Castle by a deputy and mayor of Lopera.
It has been a great wine center, reaching ten wineries. At present there is only one left.
The Spanish Civil War was held in the municipality from 27 to 29 December 1936. Battle of Loperabetween the Nationals and the XIV International Brigade. The result of this historic event, there are now two important nests of machine guns popularly known as "trenches".
It has a Museum dedicated to the civil war in the tower of San Miguel, and there is also a monument to the International Brigadists in the Old Pilar.
The town commemorates the confrontation on the third weekend of April, in which a "living museum" in the courtyard of the castle, a military passageway through the village and closes the day with a time dance in the town square.
Literature
Discover Lopera through Miguel Hernández: visit the space dedicated to the poet and take the opportunity to learn more about the epic Battle of Lopera, one of the most important confrontations of the Civil War in Andalusia, knowledge of which would go on to profoundly influence the poet's work.
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