Peal de Becerro: Towers, Traditions and Landscapes along the Guadalquivir

Towers and Sacred Architecture

Peal de Becerro combines distinctive buildings with local festive and culinary traditions, as well as a river route. The Torre del Reloj was built at the end of the 14th century and is approximately twelve metres high. In 1985, it was declared a Bien de Interés Cultural. Its battlements have been preserved, and the interior is arranged over four levels. The Torre Mocha measures approximately seven metres on each side.

The Iglesia de la Encarnación has a rectangular floor plan with sawtooth-like breaks along the sides. It contains iconographically designed stained-glass windows depicting human figures and saints. The church was built in 1969 on the site of the vanished predecessor building.

Water and Archaeological Traces

The history of water includes the Fuente de San Isidro, popularly known as the “Fuente de los cinco caños”. It was built in 1850 and was the town’s only public drinking-water supply point until the second half of the 20th century. In 1982, its remains were placed in the centre of the square next to the pillar; there, they form an architectural ensemble of significant hydraulic-engineering value.

The Centro de Interpretación is located at C Josefa Santa María 4. It offers audiovisual materials and a guided tour about the culture that existed in this area thousands of years ago. Peal de Becerro also has a reservation service for guided excursions.

Within the municipality of Peal de Becerro, the Salinas del Marqués are decommissioned but still intact. They preserve the same traditional production system as the saltworks of earlier times. The Cámara Sepulcral de Toya is one of the few monuments that can be visited as it was left approximately 2,400 years ago. Archaeological work at the Hipogeo del Cerrillo de la Compañía uncovered an Iberian burial mound dating to the 6th century BC.

Traditions and Cuisine

The Candelaria tradition of Peal de Becerro includes decorated dough figures called “pajaritas”. They recall the turtledoves that Mary presented at the Temple. The distinctiveness of the place is also reflected in the local name for a dish: what is called andrajos, harapos, guiñapos or calandrajos elsewhere is known in Peal de Becerro as “talarines”.

The pilgrimage to San Marcos in Toya takes place on the last Sunday in April. During it, the image of the saint is immersed in the river as a symbol of purification for the fields and livestock. Gachamiga was traditionally served as a communal feast to the people who took part in this pilgrimage.

River Route and bolo andaluz

For active pursuits, an approximately 21-kilometre route suitable for hiking and cycling runs through the Paraje Natural Alto Guadalquivir y Puente de la Cerrada. It follows the stretch of river through Peal de Becerro. The approximate route length provides a clear framework for planning a hiking or cycling trip. Competitions in bolo andaluz are held at the municipal bowling alley.

More Andalusian destinations for travel planning: Cuevas De Ambrosio, Mengibar, Orcera, Pegalajar, Begíjar, Úbeda, Jaén and Virgen De La Cabeza.

For the broader travel overview: Jaen.