Parque Natural Sierra de Andújar (en)

The Sierra de Andújar Natural Park is located in the northwest of the province of Jaén, in the heart of the Sierra Morena, just a stone’s throw from the city of Andújar. It has an area of 74,774 hectares, and contains territory of four municipalities: Andújar, Baños de la Encina, Villanueva de la Reina and Marmolejo.

It has the largest patches of Mediterranean forest of the Peninsula, with dominance of oak and cork oak in the form of pasture and at higher altitudes, where humidity is higher, the gall oak. It is also crossed by several rivers and marshes.

It is home to highly endangered species, such as the lynx, the wolf, the Iberian imperial eagle, etc., which have in these mountains one of their last settlements. Livestock farming is equally important, with extensive pastures dedicated to the breeding of fighting bulls or to the hunting of deer, fallow deer, roe deer, roe deer, wild boar and wild boar. Thus, the sport of hunting is an economic resource of the first order in the famous public and private hunting grounds of the Park.

This Park is known, in addition to its natural values, for hosting the Sanctuary of the Virgen de la Cabeza in the Cerro del Cabezo; the Pilgrimage, in April, brings together tens of thousands of people from all over Spain. To this is added an archaeological and ethnographic heritage not inconsiderable represented among others by prehistoric sites.