Baena

Municipality in Andalusia, Spain

37°37′10″N 4°19′34″W / 37.61944°N 4.32611°W / 37.61944; -4.32611CountrySpainAutonomous communityAndalusiaProvinceCórdobaComarcaCampiña de BaenaGovernment • MayorMaría Jesús Serrano Jiménez (PSOE)Area • Total362.5 km² (140.0 sq mi)Elevation405 m (1,329 ft)Population • Total19,338 • Density53/km² (140/sq mi)Time zoneUTC+1 (CET) • Summer (DST)UTC+2 (CEST (GMT +2))Postal codeArea code+34 (Spain) + 957 (Córdoba)WebsiteTown Hall

Baena is a town and municipality of Spain located in the province of Córdoba, Andalusia. It is situated near the river Marbella [es] on the slope of a hill 52 kilometres (32 mi) southeast of Córdoba by road. The population of the town is 20,266 (2012).

History

The site of the Roman town (Baniana or Biniana).^[2][3] In 1833, a subterranean vault was discovered, containing twelve cinerary urns with inscriptions commemorating members of the Pompeian family.^[2]

Following the demise of the Caliphate of Córdoba, the town was ravaged by Berbers, bringing its prosperity to an end.^[4]

Once conquered Córdoba, Ferdinand III rapidly acquired a number of towns in the Campiña—including Baena—in 1241, probably meeting no resistance.^[5]

The hill is crowned by fortifications. In 1292, Nasrid Granada, ruled by Muhammad II, unsuccessfully besieged the citadel, which was held for Sancho IV;^[3] the five Moorish heads in its coat-of-arms commemorates the occasion.^[2] The castile was a base for Gonzalo de Cordova and was held in the 19th century by the Altamira family.^[2] At that time, it held four parish churches and three schools conducted by sisters of charity. The girls' school held a high reputation in its province, despite not going beyond reading, writing, arithmetic, and religious instruction.^[2] Its population was around 12,000 in the 1870s^[2] and 15,000 by the turn of the century.^[3] Grain and olive oil were the principal articles of commerce in the 19th century;^[2] by the time of the First World War, horse-breeding and linen-weaving had also developed, despite the nearest railroad station being at Luque.^[3]

At the beginning of the Spanish Civil War the town was the scenario of the Baena Massacre, a ruthless mass-execution of Spanish republicans where about 700 loyalists were murdered by the orders of rebel Colonel Sáenz de Buruaga.^[6][7][8] Other estimates mention up to 2,000 victims following the brutal repression in Baena.^[9]

High-quality olive oil continues to be the mainstay of the local economy.^{[citation needed]} Sierras Subbéticas Natural Park is located to the south of the town.^{[citation needed]}

Notable residents

• Gonzalo de Cordova^[2]
• Juan de Penalosa^[2]

References

Citations

Bibliography

• Martín Escudero, Fátima (2002). "Baena en época islámica: fuentes, arqueología, documentos..." Arqueología y Territorio Medieval. 9. Jaén: UJA Editorial: 37–51. doi:10.17561/aytm.v9i0.1571. ISSN 1134-3184.
• Baena at andalucia.com
• Baynes, T. S., ed. (1878), "Baena" , Encyclopædia Britannica, vol. 3 (9th ed.), New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, p. 229.
• Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911), "Baena" , Encyclopædia Britannica, vol. 3 (11th ed.), Cambridge University Press, p. 191.

37°37′N 4°19′W / 37.617°N 4.317°W / 37.617; -4.317