Lucena, a city that shines with its own light. To the south of the province of Córdoba, this great city is located. Its environment was home to pre-Neanderthals 450,000 years ago and later constituted the only city inhabited exclusively by Jews between the 8th and 12th centuries.
Due to its good border position, ancient Eliossana received a large Jewish population. This led to it becoming a city inhabited entirely by Jews in the Muslim Middle Ages and being known as the Pearl of Sepharad or the City of Poets for its important cultural dynamism. From this splendid period there is today a presence in its Jewish necropolis and some structures of its streets typical of the Jewish period, among others.
In addition, it has an Almohad fortress, the Castillo del Moral, which housed King Boabdil "El Chico", the last Nasrid king of Granada as a prisoner as a result of the defeat in the battle of Martín González. Today the defensive fortress houses the Archaeological and Ethnological Museum inside.
However, Lucena is also famous for housing magnificent examples of Cordovan Baroque, with the imposing San Mateo Tabernacle being its highest expression, other examples being the Palace of the Counts of Santa Ana and the Sanctuary of the Virgin of Araceli.
The Middle Cities Foundation of the Center of Andalusia, through its brand «Your history», offers a menu of experiences that includes different routes with a host and unique activities to discover the magic of Lucena. Read More
Distance between:
Madrid to Lucena213 Miles / 342 Kms Barcelona to Lucena451 Miles / 725 Kms
37.4090900,-4.4841000