Fuente Tójar: Archaeology, Circular Routes and Festivals

Culture

Cerro de las Cabezas was inhabited from the Bronze Age to the Late Roman Imperial period. Almost the entire walled perimeter of the settlement has been preserved. The surviving structures include residential areas, a road and cisterns. The Museo Histórico Municipal de Fuente-Tójar has three exhibition rooms. The presentation begins with the settlement’s first inhabitants and extends to the present day. Following the last redesign, completed in 2020, visitors can use an audio guide in the museum. The museum therefore focuses both on the town’s early history and on its further development up to the present day. The archaeological remains also preserve the layout of the former settlement and individual elements of everyday life. Residential areas, a route for movement and the water supply system have thus been preserved as different components of the complex.

The Iglesia Parroquial de Ntra. Sra. del Rosario has a nave. This nave has a single aisle. The church also includes a transept. The Danzantes dance on 15 May. Their dance takes place during the procession. They dance in front of the image of Saint Isidore, the patron saint of the town. In 1963, the Danzantes received the First National Prize for Ancient Dances in Madrid. The church building and the procession custom are therefore also connected with the town’s religious traditions. The date of 15 May is part of the established sequence of the dance.

Routes

The Ruta de los Barrancos is a circular hiking and cycling route. It runs through the municipality of Fuente-Tójar. It passes the Iberian and subsequently Roman settlement of Cerro de las Cabezas. The Ruta de arte urbano consists of seven graffiti artworks. The Fuente Tójar AR tourism app provides information about the works along this route. The app is available for Android. It is also available for iOS. The two routes therefore provide access to different named features of the town: the circular route runs through the municipality and past the settlement, while the art tour consists of seven individual works. The app supplements the Ruta de arte urbano with information available on mobile devices running both of the aforementioned operating systems.

Viewpoint

The Mirador de la Canteruela is located at the highest point of Fuente-Tójar. From there, views extend across the town. They also extend across the Subbética. The Mirador de la Canteruela has a picnic area. This area includes stone tables. Stone chairs are also part of the facilities. The viewpoint thus combines views of Fuente-Tójar and the Subbética with a specifically designated picnic area. The tables and chairs there are made of stone.

Festivals

The Fiesta de La Alcaparra takes place on the second weekend in August. The fiesta includes a communal meal. Everyone taking part participates in this meal. Anyone who buys a ticket at a symbolic price receives an earthenware jug. Buyers also receive an earthenware plate with the ticket. The celebration of San José includes a day in the countryside. This day includes a communal barbecue. At the Fiesta de La Alcaparra, the date, communal meal and two items are explicitly connected. The San José festival, by contrast, is characterized by the day in the countryside and the communal barbecue.

Other Places

Other places: Villanueva Del Duque, Alcaracejos, Santa María De Trassierra, La Celada, Ochavillo del Río, Iznajar, El Tarajal and Cerro Muriano.

To the overarching travel overview: Cordoba.