Pegalajar

At the foot of the Serrezuela and at an altitude of almost 800 metres, Pegalajar lies at the western end of the Sierra Mágina, in a setting where water and agriculture have shaped the landscape for centuries. Its layout centres on the Fuente de la Reja, La Charca and the traditional system of vegetable gardens, which retains its medieval layout and constitutes one of the region’s most distinctive hydraulic landscapes.

The Serrezuela de Pegalajar envelops the village with its Mediterranean mountain, a place of silence, rosemary and clean air where birds of prey and mountain goats coexist. Its paths are ideal for hiking, whilst its cliffs are home to some of the province’s most notable climbing areas, featuring sections for beginners, sport climbing and traditional climbing such as Peña del Buitre, Aromático, Arábico and Portichuelo, as well as a well-established bouldering area in the Pinar del Perdigón. Its slopes also feature the surprising Casas-Cueva de la Serrezuela, dwellings carved into the rock that have now been restored as tourist accommodation and summer residences, a living example of traditional troglodyte architecture.

One of the most scenic routes in the Sierra Mágina starts from the town: Pegalajar – Mancha Real – Torres – Albanchez de Mágina – Jimena – Garcíez – Bedmar, an ideal itinerary for discovering the natural and cultural contrasts of the mountain range. The route climbs up the Siete Pilillas pass, an exceptional viewpoint over the Jaén countryside and the Mágina mountain range, which is also a meeting point for paragliding enthusiasts, where the world paragliding championship is held annually. Nearby are the Cuevas de Aro and Cuevas de los Majuelos (a Bronze Age site), which add geological, archaeological and scenic value to a setting where nature is at its most unspoilt. Along the route, the landscape evolves from olive groves to the peaks of the park, passing through villages where nature, architecture and gastronomy intertwine.

Among Pegalajar’s historical heritage, the ancient site of the Castillo de las Peñuelas stands out, where the Arco de la Encarnación preserves the oldest known depiction of the coat of arms of Jaén. Within the complex stands la Iglesia de la Santa Cruz, a Renaissance church designed by Alonso Barba, a pupil of Vandelvira, which uses the castle’s former keep as its bell tower. The Town Hall, with its 17th-century Baroque entrance and 18th-century façade, and the Municipal Washhouse, which is now an ethnographic museum. A visit to the La Cerradura Caminería Interpretation Centre, dedicated to historic paths and reflecting on the routes that have connected territories and cultures, rounds off the journey through the town’s history –

Every summer, the spirit of the place comes to the fore with the Pegalajar Flamenco Festival, one of the oldest in Andalusia, which has been paying tribute to great figures of flamenco singing since 1969.

Exploring Pegalajar is an invitation to stroll through centuries-old orchards, run along the trails of La Serrezuela or soar over the olive groves from Siete Pilillas, always with the Sierra Mágina as a backdrop.