Portal de Turismo de la Provincia de Jaén

Culture

Úbeda and Baeza, UNESCO World Heritage Sites

Let yourself be charmed by two cities full of history, where time stops and a legacy of stone endows them with the distinction of “World Heritage Sites” awarded by UNESCO. Churches, palaces and museums, in an urban setting surrounded by a landscape of olive groves, define this tourist destination.

Úbeda and Baeza, UNESCO World Heritage Sites

Santa Iglesia Catedral. Baeza

It was built upon the ruins of an old mosque. Since then, it has undergone numerous architectural transformations.
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Palacio Vázquez de Molina o de Las Cadenas. Úbeda

Juan Vázquez de Molina, chamber secretary to Felipe II, ordered the construction of this renaissance palace to Andrés de Vandelvira in the 16th century...
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The cities of Úbeda and Baeza, declared World Heritage Sites by the UNESCO, retain a 500 year-old charm which makes them the most outstanding exponent of Spanish renaissance. Surrounded by olive groves, at the feet of the river Guadalquivir, these two cities preserve the original city plan of ancient times. Úbeda represents private architecture and civil power, whereas Baeza boasts public architecture and religious power. The two most outstanding figures at that time were Francisco de los Cobos, secretary to Carlos I, and his architect Andrés de Vandelvira, author of the most magnificent monuments in both cities.

The singularity of Úbeda and Baeza becomes tangible in its urban designs and important buildings.

In Úbeda we find the Plaza Vázquez de Molina, considered as one of the most beautiful in Europe. It is an open-air place where there rise the most outstanding renaissance monuments, such as the Sacra Capilla del Salvador del Mundo, the Iglesia de Santa María de los Reales Alcázares and the Palacio de Juan Vázquez de Molina.

In Baeza the Plaza de Santa María stands out as the nucleus of the noble city, where there rises the Cathedral, dedicated to the Natividad de Nuestra Señora. We also find the romanesque Iglesia de la Santa Cruz, the Palacio de Jabalquinto, the Ayuntamiento (City Hall) and the Plaza del Pópulo.

The traveller can indulge in a walk of history, a place where time stops, where poetry, a legacy of stone, the taste of olive oil and its traditions make these two cities a unique cultural legacy.