Andújar
Encyclopedia
Andújar is a Spanish
municipality of 38,539 people (2005) in the province of Jaén, in Andalusia
. The municipality is divided by the Guadalquivir River. The northern part of the municipality is where the Natural Park of the Sierra de Andújar is situated. To the south are agricultural fields and countryside. The city proper located on the right bank of the Guadalquivir and the Madrid
-Córdoba
railway. Andújar is widely known for its porous earthenware jars, called alcarraza
s or botijo
s, which keep water cool in the hottest weather, and are manufactured from a whitish clay found in the neighbourhood.
.
According to archaeological studies, the first people who inhabited the area where the Oretani
, an Iberian
people, who founded in the area the town of Isturgi, today occupied by the hamlet of Los Villares de Andújar.
Isturgi should not be identified with the ancient town of Illiturgis
, which was situated on the hill called Máquiz (Mengíbar
). Nevertheless, iliturgitano is used to describe an inhabitant of Andújar. Isturgi had contact with various peoples: Turdetani
, Phoenicians, Greeks
, Carthaginians, and other towns, such as Obulco (Porcuna
) and Castulo
.
During the times of the Roman Empire
, the Municipium Isturgi Triumphale was part of the province of Hispania Ulterior
and then Hispania Baetica
and the area known as the Conventus Cordubensis. It flourished due to its production of Terra sigillata
and its location on the Guadalquivir. After the fall of the Roman Empire, it existed as a Visigothic town named Sturgi. But with the invasion of the Moors
in the 8th century, the population fled to what are now the actual limits of the town of Andújar, where they may have already existed an Ibero-Roman settlement.
, the entire region became part of Al-Andalus
, and the town of Andújar first became known as Anduyar during the emirate of Muhammad I of Córdoba
(853
). The city was fortified by the Almohads during the 12th century. In 1225, the Muslim king of Baeza
handed over the castles of Jaén
, Andújar and Martos
, to Ferdinand III of Castile
, although some scholars believe the transfer occurred at a different time. Ferdinand was entrusted with the fortresses, and control was given to Álvaro Pérez de Castro, with the area occupied by troops from the military orders of Santiago
and Calatrava
.
Andújar became a rendezvous point for Christian troops and armies who fought south of the Sierra Morena. The Muslim inhabitants of Andújar, Martos, and Baeza
abandoned these towns at the end of 1226.
In 1227, the first Christian inhabitants arrived at Baeza, Andújar and Martos, although some sources indicate that the repopulation of Andújar did not occur until 1228. In 1467, the title of City was granted to Andújar by Henry IV of Castile
.
, the city was occupied by French troops in 1808. General Pierre Dupont de l'Étang
, after conquering Córdoba, established his HQ at Andújar. From Andújar Dupont sent troops to Bailén
, where he lost the battle there
. After this battle, the capitulations were signed at Andújar in the Palace of Gracia Real.
In 1835, the first Junta de Soberanía Central de Andalucía (Junta of Central Sovereignty of Andalusia) was established at Andújar; it is considered the pioneer of the autonomist movement in Andalusia. In 1873, Andújar was declared a federal canton.
During the Spanish Civil War
, Republican
forces besieged a Nationalist force
, led by Captain Santiago Cortés González, that had taken refuge in the Sanctuary of the Virgen de la Cabeza. The Siege of Santuario de Nuestra Señora de la Cabeza
lasted one year. In 1937, the Nationalists, now entirely without food and supplies, with the walls of the sanctuary almost completely destroyed, were defeated. Cortés González was killed. The city was the scene of some massacres committed by both sides. Republican forces murdered Trinitarians, while the Nationalists shot journalists and workers.
The most well-known local holiday is the Pilgrimage of the Virgen de la Cabeza, celebrated on the last Sunday of the month of April. During this pilgrimage, the faithful visit the sanctuary on the hill of the Cabezo. The local legend states that on the night of August 12, 1227, a shepherd from Colomera
named Juan Alonso de Rivas was watching over the livestock belonging to a neighbor from Arjona
when he began to see strange lights at the top of a hill. He also heard the incessant sounds of a bell. He climbed the hill and there found the image of the Virgen de la Cabeza.
A local fair (feria) is also celebrated in September, associated with cattle-raising, but this aspect has diminished in recent years. Despite this, the fair still features stands and booths erected for the sale of cattle and livestock.
, the local team is Andújar Fútbol Sala, which is in the First National Division A.
In September 2008, the Paralympic swimmer Miguel Ángel Martínez Tajuelo was the first native of the city to participate in these games, attending the Paralympic Games in Beijing 2008
. He won 3 Paralympic awards in the 100 meter race (5º), 50-meter race (6º) and 50 meter backstroke (5º).
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
municipality of 38,539 people (2005) in the province of Jaén, in Andalusia
Andalusia
Andalusia is the most populous and the second largest in area of the autonomous communities of Spain. The Andalusian autonomous community is officially recognised as a nationality of Spain. The territory is divided into eight provinces: Huelva, Seville, Cádiz, Córdoba, Málaga, Jaén, Granada and...
. The municipality is divided by the Guadalquivir River. The northern part of the municipality is where the Natural Park of the Sierra de Andújar is situated. To the south are agricultural fields and countryside. The city proper located on the right bank of the Guadalquivir and the Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
-Córdoba
Córdoba, Spain
-History:The first trace of human presence in the area are remains of a Neanderthal Man, dating to c. 32,000 BC. In the 8th century BC, during the ancient Tartessos period, a pre-urban settlement existed. The population gradually learned copper and silver metallurgy...
railway. Andújar is widely known for its porous earthenware jars, called alcarraza
Alcarraza
An alcarraza is an earthenware container, traditionally made in Spain. The container is filled with a liquid, then hung in a drafty place in the shade...
s or botijo
Botijo
A botijo or búcaro is a traditional Spanish porous clay container designed to contain water. The botijo has the property that once filled and placed in the sun, it cools the water that it contains....
s, which keep water cool in the hottest weather, and are manufactured from a whitish clay found in the neighbourhood.
Antiquity
Paleolithic artifacts have been found in the area, associated with the Acheulean Culture, but it is during the Neolithic Age when the area became increasingly populated, with agriculture being developed in the fertile land, and mining activities beginning in the Sierra MorenaSierra Morena
The Sierra Morena is one of the main systems of mountain ranges in Spain.It stretches for 400 kilometres East-West across southern Spain, forming the southern border of the Meseta Central plateau of the Iberian Peninsula, and providing the watershed between the valleys of the Guadiana to the...
.
According to archaeological studies, the first people who inhabited the area where the Oretani
Oretani
The Oretani were a pre-Roman ancient Iberian or Celtic people of the Iberian peninsula , in Estremadura, La Mancha, eastern Andalusia and Múrcia...
, an Iberian
Iberians
The Iberians were a set of peoples that Greek and Roman sources identified with that name in the eastern and southern coasts of the Iberian peninsula at least from the 6th century BC...
people, who founded in the area the town of Isturgi, today occupied by the hamlet of Los Villares de Andújar.
Isturgi should not be identified with the ancient town of Illiturgis
Illiturgis
Illiturgis, also known as Ilorci or Iliturgi, was a city in Spain during antiquity, located on the road from Corduba to Castulo. Originally it was located near the site of Mengíbar, but when it was destroyed the populace was relocated near present-day Andújar...
, which was situated on the hill called Máquiz (Mengíbar
Mengíbar
Mengíbar is a city located in the province of Jaén, Spain. According to the 2006 census , the city has a population of 9102 inhabitants....
). Nevertheless, iliturgitano is used to describe an inhabitant of Andújar. Isturgi had contact with various peoples: Turdetani
Turdetani
The Turdetani were ancient people of the Iberian peninsula , living in the valley of the Guadalquivir in what was to become the Roman Province of Hispania Baetica...
, Phoenicians, Greeks
Greeks
The Greeks, also known as the Hellenes , are a nation and ethnic group native to Greece, Cyprus and neighboring regions. They also form a significant diaspora, with Greek communities established around the world....
, Carthaginians, and other towns, such as Obulco (Porcuna
Porcuna
Porcuna is a village and municipality in the province of Jaén in Andalusia, Spain, 42 km from Jaén and 50 km from Córdoba. The primary occupation of the 6,990 inhabitants is olive growing...
) and Castulo
Castulo
Castulo was an Iberian town located in the Andalusian province of Jaén, in south-central Spain. Evidence of human presence since the Neolithic period has been found there. Oretans was the name of the Iberian tribe which settled in the vicinity in the north of the Guadalquivir River beginning in...
.
During the times of the Roman Empire
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
, the Municipium Isturgi Triumphale was part of the province of Hispania Ulterior
Hispania Ulterior
During the Roman Republic, Hispania Ulterior was a region of Hispania roughly located in Baetica and in the Guadalquivir valley of modern Spain and extending to all of Lusitania and Gallaecia...
and then Hispania Baetica
Hispania Baetica
Hispania Baetica was one of three Imperial Roman provinces in Hispania, . Hispania Baetica was bordered to the west by Lusitania, and to the northeast by Hispania Tarraconensis. Baetica was part of Al-Andalus under the Moors in the 8th century and approximately corresponds to modern Andalucia...
and the area known as the Conventus Cordubensis. It flourished due to its production of Terra sigillata
Terra sigillata
Terra sigillata is a term with at least three distinct meanings: as a description of medieval medicinal earth; in archaeology, as a general term for some of the fine red Ancient Roman pottery with glossy surface slips made in specific areas of the Roman Empire; and more recently, as a description...
and its location on the Guadalquivir. After the fall of the Roman Empire, it existed as a Visigothic town named Sturgi. But with the invasion of the Moors
Moors
The description Moors has referred to several historic and modern populations of the Maghreb region who are predominately of Berber and Arab descent. They came to conquer and rule the Iberian Peninsula for nearly 800 years. At that time they were Muslim, although earlier the people had followed...
in the 8th century, the population fled to what are now the actual limits of the town of Andújar, where they may have already existed an Ibero-Roman settlement.
Medieval era
In 711 AD, after the Battle of GuadaleteBattle of Guadalete
The Battle of Guadalete was fought in 711 or 712 at an unidentified location between the Christian Visigoths of Hispania under their king, Roderic, and an invading force of Muslim Arabs and Berbers under Ṭāriq ibn Ziyad. The battle was significant as the culmination of a series of Arab-Berber...
, the entire region became part of Al-Andalus
Al-Andalus
Al-Andalus was the Arabic name given to a nation and territorial region also commonly referred to as Moorish Iberia. The name describes parts of the Iberian Peninsula and Septimania governed by Muslims , at various times in the period between 711 and 1492, although the territorial boundaries...
, and the town of Andújar first became known as Anduyar during the emirate of Muhammad I of Córdoba
Muhammad I of Córdoba
Muhammad I was the Umayyad emir of Córdoba from 852 to 886 in the Al-Andalus .-Biography:Muhammad was born in Córdoba...
(853
853
Year 853 was a common year starting on Sunday of the Julian calendar.- Egypt :* May 22–May 23 – A Byzantine fleet sacks and destroys Damietta in Egypt.- Asia :...
). The city was fortified by the Almohads during the 12th century. In 1225, the Muslim king of Baeza
Baeza
Baeza is a town of approximately 16,200 inhabitants in Andalusia, Spain, in the province of Jaén, perched on a cliff in the Loma de Baeza, a mountain range between the river Guadalquivir on the south and its tributary the Guadalimar on the north. It is chiefly known today as having many of the...
handed over the castles of Jaén
Jaén, Spain
Jaén is a city in south-central Spain, the name is derived from the Arabic word Jayyan, . It is the capital of the province of Jaén. It is located in the autonomous community of Andalusia....
, Andújar and Martos
Martos
The city of Martos is located in the province of Jaén in the autonomous community of Andalusia in south-central Spain.It has a population of 24061 inhabitants, making Martos the fifth largest municipality in the province...
, to Ferdinand III of Castile
Ferdinand III of Castile
Saint Ferdinand III, T.O.S.F., was the King of Castile from 1217 and León from 1230. He was the son of Alfonso IX of León and Berenguela of Castile. Through his second marriage he was also Count of Aumale. He finished the work done by his maternal grandfather Alfonso VIII and consolidated the...
, although some scholars believe the transfer occurred at a different time. Ferdinand was entrusted with the fortresses, and control was given to Álvaro Pérez de Castro, with the area occupied by troops from the military orders of Santiago
Order of Santiago
The Order of Santiago was founded in the 12th century, and owes its name to the national patron of Galicia and Spain, Santiago , under whose banner the Christians of Galicia and Asturias began in the 9th century to combat and drive back the Muslims of the Iberian Peninsula.-History:Santiago de...
and Calatrava
Order of Calatrava
The Order of Calatrava was the first military order founded in Castile, but the second to receive papal approval. The papal bull confirming the Order of Calatrava as a Militia was given by Pope Alexander III on September 26, 1164.-Origins and Foundation:...
.
Andújar became a rendezvous point for Christian troops and armies who fought south of the Sierra Morena. The Muslim inhabitants of Andújar, Martos, and Baeza
Baeza
Baeza is a town of approximately 16,200 inhabitants in Andalusia, Spain, in the province of Jaén, perched on a cliff in the Loma de Baeza, a mountain range between the river Guadalquivir on the south and its tributary the Guadalimar on the north. It is chiefly known today as having many of the...
abandoned these towns at the end of 1226.
In 1227, the first Christian inhabitants arrived at Baeza, Andújar and Martos, although some sources indicate that the repopulation of Andújar did not occur until 1228. In 1467, the title of City was granted to Andújar by Henry IV of Castile
Henry IV of Castile
Henry IV , King of the Crown of Castile, nicknamed the Impotent , was the last of the weak late medieval kings of Castile...
.
Modern Times
During the Napoleonic WarsNapoleonic Wars
The Napoleonic Wars were a series of wars declared against Napoleon's French Empire by opposing coalitions that ran from 1803 to 1815. As a continuation of the wars sparked by the French Revolution of 1789, they revolutionised European armies and played out on an unprecedented scale, mainly due to...
, the city was occupied by French troops in 1808. General Pierre Dupont de l'Étang
Pierre Dupont de l'Étang
Pierre-Antoine, comte Dupont de l'Étang was a French general of the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars, as well as a political figure of the Bourbon Restoration.-Revolutionary Wars:...
, after conquering Córdoba, established his HQ at Andújar. From Andújar Dupont sent troops to Bailén
Bailen
Bailen may refer to:* Bailén, a town in Jaén, Spain* Battle of Bailén of 1808* General Emilio Aguinaldo, Cavite, a town in the Philippines, which was formerly known as Bailen...
, where he lost the battle there
Battle of Bailén
The Battle of Bailén was contested in 1808 between the Spanish Army of Andalusia, led by Generals Francisco Castaños and Theodor von Reding, and the Imperial French Army's II corps d'observation de la Gironde under General Pierre Dupont de l'Étang...
. After this battle, the capitulations were signed at Andújar in the Palace of Gracia Real.
In 1835, the first Junta de Soberanía Central de Andalucía (Junta of Central Sovereignty of Andalusia) was established at Andújar; it is considered the pioneer of the autonomist movement in Andalusia. In 1873, Andújar was declared a federal canton.
During the Spanish Civil War
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil WarAlso known as The Crusade among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War among Carlists, and The Rebellion or Uprising among Republicans. was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939...
, Republican
Republican Faction (Spanish Civil War)
The Republican faction also known as the Republicans was the side in the Spanish Civil War of 1936 to 1939 that supported the Second Spanish Republic against the National faction.-Popular Front:-CNT/FAI:-People's Republican Army:...
forces besieged a Nationalist force
National Faction (Spanish Civil War)
The National faction also known as Nationalists or Nationals , was a major faction in the Spanish Civil War of 1936 to 1939. It was composed of a variety of political groups opposed to the Second Spanish Republic, including the Falange, the CEDA, and two rival monarchist claimants: the Alfonsists...
, led by Captain Santiago Cortés González, that had taken refuge in the Sanctuary of the Virgen de la Cabeza. The Siege of Santuario de Nuestra Señora de la Cabeza
Siege of Santuario de Nuestra Señora de la Cabeza
The Siege of Santuario de Nuestra Señora de la Cabeza took place from 14 September 1936 to 1 May 1937 in Andújar, Jaén, during the Spanish Civil War. The Republican army surrounded 165 civil guards loyal to Franco and forced them to surrender after a protracted offensive....
lasted one year. In 1937, the Nationalists, now entirely without food and supplies, with the walls of the sanctuary almost completely destroyed, were defeated. Cortés González was killed. The city was the scene of some massacres committed by both sides. Republican forces murdered Trinitarians, while the Nationalists shot journalists and workers.
Local holidays and customs
Its Christian patron saints are the Virgen de la Cabeza and St. Euphrasius of Illiturgis.The most well-known local holiday is the Pilgrimage of the Virgen de la Cabeza, celebrated on the last Sunday of the month of April. During this pilgrimage, the faithful visit the sanctuary on the hill of the Cabezo. The local legend states that on the night of August 12, 1227, a shepherd from Colomera
Colomera
Colomera is a municipality located in the province of Granada, Spain. According to the 2005 census , the city has a population of 1498 inhabitants....
named Juan Alonso de Rivas was watching over the livestock belonging to a neighbor from Arjona
Arjona, Spain
Arjona is a municipality in the province of Jaén, Spain....
when he began to see strange lights at the top of a hill. He also heard the incessant sounds of a bell. He climbed the hill and there found the image of the Virgen de la Cabeza.
A local fair (feria) is also celebrated in September, associated with cattle-raising, but this aspect has diminished in recent years. Despite this, the fair still features stands and booths erected for the sale of cattle and livestock.
Sports
The local football (soccer) team is the 80-year old Club Deportivo Iliturgi, in the third division of the national soccer league. In futsalFutsal
Futsal is a variant of association football that is played on a smaller pitch and mainly played indoors. Its name is a portmanteau of the Portuguese futebol de salão and the Spanish fútbol de salón , which can be translated as "hall football" or "indoor football"...
, the local team is Andújar Fútbol Sala, which is in the First National Division A.
In September 2008, the Paralympic swimmer Miguel Ángel Martínez Tajuelo was the first native of the city to participate in these games, attending the Paralympic Games in Beijing 2008
2008 Summer Paralympics
The 2008 Summer Paralympic Games, the thirteenth Paralympics, took place in Beijing, China from September 6 to September 17, 2008. As with the 2008 Summer Olympics, equestrian events were held in Hong Kong and sailing events in Qingdao....
. He won 3 Paralympic awards in the 100 meter race (5º), 50-meter race (6º) and 50 meter backstroke (5º).
Neighborhoods
- Barrio Montañés
- Los Belenes
- Polígono Puerta de Madrid (working class area divided into sector Huelva, sector Almería, sector Sevilla, sector Granada).
- Barrio de la Paz (unofficially known as Barrio de la UVA).
- Barrio San Bartolomé
- Emperadores
- La Pastora
- Las Vistillas
- Cuadro de la Virgen
Twin towns – sister cities
Andújar is twinned with: Favara, ItalyItaly
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...