Discover the millenary town of Baños de la Encina (EN)

The Castle of Baños de la Encina is an architectural jewel that reflects the history of the municipality. Built in tabiyya, a traditional Arab material, it stands out for its strength and unique appearance. The layout of the towers and the great keep reveal its defensive function during the Islamic period and its later Christian adaptation. After the conquest, it was transformed into a fortress, and its successive modifications are testimony to the social and political changes over time. Burgalimar Castle, as it is also known, has been the setting for films such as El Capitán Trueno (Captain Thunder), which adds cultural value to its history. In addition to its heritage value, it has contributed to the audiovisual world as a natural backdrop. Its declaration as an Asset of Cultural Interest in 1931 highlights its historical importance and ensures its protection as a legacy for future generations.

Baños de la Encina has a rich history reflected in its artistic heritage. From its imposing caliphal castle to the Gothic parish church of San Mateo, passing through the baroque shrine of its sanctuary and the sobriety of the Council, each building narrates a fragment of the town's past. Its architectural diversity, which includes stately palaces and 18th century mills, testifies to the economic power of its nobility and its desire to leave a lasting mark. The preservation of this monumental identity is a reflection of its historical value and the efforts of those who have worked to preserve it. The declaration of the historic center as a Historic-Artistic Site in 1969 recognizes the cultural and architectural richness of Baños de la Encina and guarantees that these heritage jewels will continue to be protected, valued and passed on to future generations as an essential part of the local memory and identity.

The Hermitage of Jesus del Llano, built in the seventeenth century in the old landing place of Santo Cristo mesteño, shows a sober appearance on the outside, with a single nave and belfry belfry. Its interior, however, houses one of the greatest treasures of the Andalusian Baroque of the 18th century: its spectacular camarín tower. The sotocoro represents the duality between good and evil; the nave contains geometric and vegetal elements, and frescoes of the life of the Virgin. The dome of the presbytery represents the instruments of the Passion. The dressing room is an explosion of baroque: angels, saints, apostles, mirrors, stipes and the image of the Christ of the Plain crown this heavenly space, with a vault of gallons supported by trumpets. The decorative exuberance almost completely masks its structure. The contrast between the interior and the austere exterior generates a unique experience for the visitor. It was declared an Asset of Cultural Interest in 2009.

The site sits on a slate spur, flanked by two steep slopes: to the north, the Rumblar River; to the south, the Salsipuedes stream. Today, the waters of the Rumblar reservoir bathe part of the visible structures of this ancient Argaric settlement. Its strategic location has allowed archaeologists to better understand the organization of life more than 4000 years ago. From the fortified hilltop to the inhabited terraces on the northern slope, everything reflects detailed planning and wise adaptation to the environment. A large cistern in the lower part of the settlement demonstrates the knowledge and control of water, a vital resource for its inhabitants. The remains found offer a valuable window into the material culture, social hierarchy and funerary practices of the Bronze Age in the Upper Guadalquivir. Thanks to this evidence, today we can reconstruct the daily life, beliefs and legacy of those who inhabited this fascinating enclave.

The only windmill of Manchegan typology in all Andalusia is located in Llano del Santo Cristo, in Baños de la Encina, and its existence is documented at least since the 18th century, according to the cadastre of the Marqués de la Ensenada. Built in local sandstone ashlars, the mill reaches a height of 12 meters, distributed in three levels, with a diameter of 4.5 meters. Inside it houses a permanent exhibition entitled "Historias al viento" (Stories in the Wind), created by José María Cantarero. The exhibition covers, through the different levels of the mill, the typologies, history and evolution of these ingenious constructions since their appearance in the 12th century. It also highlights the relationship between Baños de la Encina and the mills, the agricultural work linked to cereal and the surrounding routes, such as threshing floors, huts of settlers dedicated to agriculture, hydraulic mills, cultivation terraces and settlements of the Bronze Age, where manual mills are still preserved.