The delegate of the Government of Spain in Andalusia, Pedro Fernández, has today presided over the inauguration of the rehabilitation of the fortified complex of La Guardia de Jaén, works of adaptation, consolidation and conservation that have had a contribution from the Ministry of Transport, Mobility and Urban Agenda (Mitma) --from funds of the 1.5% Cultural program-- of 617,468.22 euros, which represents 70% of the total budget of the action, which has amounted to 882,097.45 euros.
Fernández, who has been accompanied by the Government’s deputy delegate in Jaén, Catalina Madueño; the president of the Diputación Jiennense, Francisco Reyes, and the mayor of La Guardia, Juan Morillo, explained that this action “demonstrates the commitment of the Government to recover and protect the Cultural Heritage of Jaén, since “they are included in the more than 5 million euros in 7 rehabilitation actions in the province within the 1.5% Cultural Program, 2.28 million euros corresponding to the four already completed plus three other projects that are currently under development, with an investment of 2.8 million”.
Specifically, it deals with the works for the restoration, consolidation and enhancement of the Roman cisterns of ‘La Calderona’, in Porcuna (1.13M€), the restoration of the roofs and rehabilitation of the east wing of the Vázquez Palace of Molina de Úbeda (1.59M€) and the restoration and conditioning of the Tower of Tribute in Higuera de Calatrava (73.598€).
“Thanks to the Government’s commitment to allocate 1.5% of public works contracts to the conversation of heritage, we can rescue and enjoy our history, native and foreign, giving added value to our peoples, generating employment in the construction sector and expanding its tourist attraction”, a double objective that, in the words of Fernández, “will be increased soon after the agreement between Mitma and the Ministry of Culture and Sport to increase the financing of these works from 1.5% to 2%”.
The Government of Spain finances a total of 74 rehabilitation actions totaling 62.7 million in the last five years. Of the total, 32 projects are in assets, worth 23.2 million euros, to which are added 29.8 million of the 39 actions completed since 2018 and three more in process, worth 9.27 million euros.
The completed performance in the medieval castle has consisted in the cleaning, consolidation and stabilization of the existing elements in the buildings belonging to the Alcázar and Church of Santa María, as well as some stretches of wall, both emerging and resulting from archaeological intervention. These actions have been supervised at all times by the archaeological team, carrying out the pertinent and mandatory monitoring of the removal of plasters and constructive elements.
The Castle of La Guardia de Jaén
The castle, declared a Site of Cultural Interest with the status of a monument in 1993, sits on the side of the Cerro de San Marcos. It is a strategic enclave that houses numerous archaeological finds and monuments that make up its rich historical and cultural heritage, testimony of the peoples and cultures that, throughout history, from the Neolithic to the present, decided to establish themselves in it.
The period of construction of the fortified complex may be prior to the 11th century, but it is from this period that the oldest architectural remains are preserved. The archaeological study documents four historical phases: Emiral, Almohade, Christian and Renaissance.
The fortress is structured in two well-defined and clearly differentiated spaces: on the one hand, the castle or fortress; and, on the other, an enclosure of walls that surrounds it. Likewise, the external enclosure is formed by a series of wall canvases with a broken layout, which creates a multitude of defense angles, making unnecessary the construction of towers, except the one that protected the main door. On the other hand, the interior enclosure consists of the aljibe, a square floor tower, a circular floor tower, the wineries and the tribute tower.
The fortress was inhabited until the War of Independence, when, in 1812, it was assaulted, occupied and burned by Napoleonic troops.