Escañuela: Church, Festivals and Olive Landscape

In Escañuela, olive growing as the predominant monoculture shapes the cultural landscape. Along the course of the Río Salado, the riparian vegetation includes willows, white poplars and tamarisks, among others. The Merendero Municipal is a recreational area with shaded spots, benches, tables and drinking fountains. From the centre of Escañuela, this area can be reached directly via the paved JV-2044 road.

Culture and History

The Iglesia Parroquial de San Pedro Advíncula was built on the site of an old hermitage and the former cemetery next to it. Construction work was advanced from the 1860s and 1870s onwards. The church has a single-nave layout, a curved chancel end, a whitewashed façade and a square tower with a lantern. Small buttresses reinforce the façade. The present building also includes a simpler entrance with a straight lintel, which replaced the Neoclassical entrance designed in 1860.

In Escañuela, the veneration of San Pedro Ad Víncula has been documented since the period of the rule of the House of Torres y Portugal, the Counts of Villardompardo. At the Pozo de Marisancho, dark pottery fragments from the Copper Age were found; Iberian pottery with geometric band or circular motifs was also uncovered there. The Paraje de las Higueras is considered an example of a Roman villa rustica.

Festivals and Processions

The main day of the Fiesta de La Víncula is 1 August and ends with a solemn procession. La Vinculilla takes place in mid-September; during it, the images of the Virgen de los Dolores and Jesus are venerated and carried in processions. The Fiestas en honor a San Pedro Ad Víncula include a traditional parade with dancing giant and big-head figures.

These festivals also include the traditional custom of “echar la bandera”. In this custom, a person is wrapped in the flag and hands the brotherhood a donation to help finance the festival. Escañuela’s Holy Week includes a small procession with olive branches on Palm Sunday. A Via Crucis takes place on Maundy Thursday. Víncula Rock is a long-standing rock music festival with a long tradition that returns to Escañuela.

Olive Oil and Local Events

Escañuela is part of the Ruta Oleotur initiated by the Diputación de Jaén. The old olive mill in Escañuela can be visited by prior appointment with the owner. A paella competition is traditionally among Escañuela’s festive events. The JV-2337 road connects Escañuela with Villardompardo.

The religious festivals bring together various forms of tradition: processions, religious images, parades with giant and big-head figures, as well as the custom of “echar la bandera”. Holy Week also follows its own sequence of events, with Palm Sunday and Maundy Thursday. Thus, the annual calendar features different named forms of religious and community celebrations side by side.

Other Places

Other places to explore: Mengibar, Pozo Alcón, Siles, Villanueva Del Arzobispo, Cuevas De Ambrosio, Ventas del Carrizal, Los Villares, El Parralejo.

To the higher-level travel overview: Jaen.