Ruins of Santo Domingo Church, grounds of La Iruela Castle, La Iruela, Jaen, Andalucia, Spain
If you take a walk through the ruins of the church of Santo Domingo de Silos you will gain an insight into one of the least-known chapters in the history of these mountains. Few know of the events that took place between 1808 and 1812 in locations that were far away from the cities occupied by the invading French forces. Why would the French burn down a building like the church of Santo Domingo de Silos? It is clear that the French would only have come to such an inaccessible area very occasionally.
Evidence shows that, during the time of the French occupation, many guerrillas stayed in this area, using its difficult terrain to hide from the invaders. We also know that none of the towns were enthusiastic supporters of the government of Joseph-Napoleón Bonaparte, King José I of Spain; on the contrary, they banded together to organise defence committees in the administrative capitals and resist the French.
In many towns, fortification work was carried out and it was perhaps during this period that Segura de la Sierra Castle was once again, and for the last time, used for military purposes. The French response to the resistance was always the same, and consisted of sacking and destroying all the strongholds within the towns. Normally they set fire to the town halls, in order to destroy the archives and paralyse local administrations, and they also targeted churches in order to destroy the records of baptisms and deaths: however, the destruction of churches also had a psychological aspect, as it involved the destruction of a potential refuge for the local populace and the removal of the last recourse that people might have had during the invasion, namely the ability to go to church and pray for divine intervention.
Santo Domingo de Silos has a similar layout to the church of Santa María in Cazorla: three naves and a bell tower in a Renaissance style that would have been very much to the liking of the Camarasa family, who ruled the Settlement of Cazorla for much of the early modern period. On the 4th of June 1810 the church of Santo Domingo de Silos was set alight and destroyed by the French, and despite a number of attempts at rebuilding, it has remained a ruin.
La Iruela is a Spanish municipality to the east of the province of Jaén, Andalusia. It is located on the slopes of the Sierra de Cazorla, crowning the Guadalquivir valley.
The districts of Burunchel, El Burrueco, El Palomar, Arroyo Frío, Tramaya and San Martín belong to the municipality of La Iruela.
La Iruela has several historical monuments of great tourist interest such as Castillo de la Iruela, hanging on a rock above the town itself, of Templar origin, of which its homage tower stands out. It was declared a Historical Monument in 1985. Currently, between the castle and the rock, a forum or amphitheater has been created where artistic activities are carried out, and the fireworks displays performed in it on the occasion of the August festivities, in honor of the Virgin of the helpless.
The Church of Santo Domingo is also very visited by tourists who come to this region. Built by order of Don Francisco de los Cobos within the walled enclosure of the castle. It is dedicated to the patron saint of La Iruela, Santo Domingo de Silos.
La Iruela, two kilometers from Cazorla, is located in the Sierras Prebéticas of Cazorla and El Pozo.
The castle
The castle, small but astonishing, is located on the top of a steep crag in Sierra de Cazorla, Segura y Las Villas Natural Park. From the castle, impressive views of the surrounding area and of the town can be enjoyed.
The keep dates from the Christian era. It has a square base and small dimensions and is located at the highest part of the crag.
There are some other enclosures within the tower that create a small alcázar which is difficult to access.
In a lower area of the castle, protected with defensive remains of rammed earth and irregular masonry, is an old Muslim farmstead.
After a recent restoration, an open-air theater has been built on La Iruela castle enclosure. This theater is a tribute to the Greek and Classic Eras and holds various artistic and cultural shows throughout the year.
History
The first traces of human activity in La Iruela area are dated from the Copper Age. An intense occupation continued until the Bronze Age.
Originally, La Iruela (like Cazorla) was a modest farmstead. From the 11th century, a wall and a small fortress were built on the hill to protect the farmers.
Around 1231, don Rodrigo Ximénez de Rada, Archbishop of Toledo, conquered La Iruela and made it part of the Adelantamiento de Cazorla. Over the Muslim fortress, the current fortress was built.
Once the military use of the fortress ended, it was used as cemetery.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Province_of_Ja%C3%A9n_(Spain)
Ruins of Santo Domingo Church, grounds of La Iruela Castle, La Iruela, Jaen, Andalucia, Spain
If you take a walk through the ruins of the church of Santo Domingo de Silos you will gain an insight into one of the least-known chapters in the history of these mountains. Few know of the events that took place between 1808 and 1812 in locations that were far away from the cities occupied by the invading French forces. Why would the French burn down a building like the church of Santo Domingo de Silos? It is clear that the French would only have come to such an inaccessible area very occasionally.
Evidence shows that, during the time of the French occupation, many guerrillas stayed in this area, using its difficult terrain to hide from the invaders. We also know that none of the towns were enthusiastic supporters of the government of Joseph-Napoleón Bonaparte, King José I of Spain; on the contrary, they banded together to organise defence committees in the administrative capitals and resist the French.
In many towns, fortification work was carried out and it was perhaps during this period that Segura de la Sierra Castle was once again, and for the last time, used for military purposes. The French response to the resistance was always the same, and consisted of sacking and destroying all the strongholds within the towns. Normally they set fire to the town halls, in order to destroy the archives and paralyse local administrations, and they also targeted churches in order to destroy the records of baptisms and deaths: however, the destruction of churches also had a psychological aspect, as it involved the destruction of a potential refuge for the local populace and the removal of the last recourse that people might have had during the invasion, namely the ability to go to church and pray for divine intervention.
Santo Domingo de Silos has a similar layout to the church of Santa María in Cazorla: three naves and a bell tower in a Renaissance style that would have been very much to the liking of the Camarasa family, who ruled the Settlement of Cazorla for much of the early modern period. On the 4th of June 1810 the church of Santo Domingo de Silos was set alight and destroyed by the French, and despite a number of attempts at rebuilding, it has remained a ruin.
La Iruela is a Spanish municipality to the east of the province of Jaén, Andalusia. It is located on the slopes of the Sierra de Cazorla, crowning the Guadalquivir valley.
The districts of Burunchel, El Burrueco, El Palomar, Arroyo Frío, Tramaya and San Martín belong to the municipality of La Iruela.
La Iruela has several historical monuments of great tourist interest such as Castillo de la Iruela, hanging on a rock above the town itself, of Templar origin, of which its homage tower stands out. It was declared a Historical Monument in 1985. Currently, between the castle and the rock, a forum or amphitheater has been created where artistic activities are carried out, and the fireworks displays performed in it on the occasion of the August festivities, in honor of the Virgin of the helpless.
The Church of Santo Domingo is also very visited by tourists who come to this region. Built by order of Don Francisco de los Cobos within the walled enclosure of the castle. It is dedicated to the patron saint of La Iruela, Santo Domingo de Silos.
La Iruela, two kilometers from Cazorla, is located in the Sierras Prebéticas of Cazorla and El Pozo.
The castle
The castle, small but astonishing, is located on the top of a steep crag in Sierra de Cazorla, Segura y Las Villas Natural Park. From the castle, impressive views of the surrounding area and of the town can be enjoyed.
The keep dates from the Christian era. It has a square base and small dimensions and is located at the highest part of the crag.
There are some other enclosures within the tower that create a small alcázar which is difficult to access.
In a lower area of the castle, protected with defensive remains of rammed earth and irregular masonry, is an old Muslim farmstead.
After a recent restoration, an open-air theater has been built on La Iruela castle enclosure. This theater is a tribute to the Greek and Classic Eras and holds various artistic and cultural shows throughout the year.
History
The first traces of human activity in La Iruela area are dated from the Copper Age. An intense occupation continued until the Bronze Age.
Originally, La Iruela (like Cazorla) was a modest farmstead. From the 11th century, a wall and a small fortress were built on the hill to protect the farmers.
Around 1231, don Rodrigo Ximénez de Rada, Archbishop of Toledo, conquered La Iruela and made it part of the Adelantamiento de Cazorla. Over the Muslim fortress, the current fortress was built.
Once the military use of the fortress ended, it was used as cemetery.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Province_of_Ja%C3%A9n_(Spain)