Parque Municipal de Fuerte del Rey
The Fuente de los Siete Caños is a water spring located about 500 metres south of the town of Albanchez de Mágina. This is a clear example of rural architecture, one that combined aesthetics with functionality to pleasing effect. In this case, little explanation is needed, as it is plain to see how the water was put to use for the trough, the washing place, and the irrigation of nearby market gardens and olive groves.
The fountain's construction features a finely finished stone ashlar front. It has seven water spouts, in bronze pipes, which give it a pleasing appearance. It carries a fairly abundant flow, which has never dried up, although in times of drought it tends to reduce somewhat.
The water flow collects in a trough of modest depth, which until recently was used to quench the thirst of the "beasts" that worked the land. Each spout carries a variable flow, with the last one carrying the greatest. Attached to it is a public washing place, featuring two rows for washing clothes and an iron fitting. The water from the washing place flows from the trough through a small stone channel, fitted with a grille to protect anyone passing over it.
The rest area also has street furniture for sitting and enjoying impressive views of the Albanchez river, El Torcal and Bedmar.
This spot also lies along the Route to the Caldera del Tío Lobo, so if you enjoy hiking, don't hesitate to walk it. And once you've completed it, stop, rest and enjoy the surroundings.
Fountain with seven water spouts, which give it its name. It has a stone-fronted trough and a public washing place, an example of traditional rural architecture linked to the use of water for drinking and for irrigating market gardens, dating back to the 16th century.
Open 24 hours.
30S x=458954 y=4182409
Arjona is included in the Route of the Castles and Battles, an itinerary running through the province of Jaén and part of the provinces of Ciudad Real and Granada. Arjona once had one of the most complex fortification systems in Al-Ándalus, with a triple line of defensive walls which, combined with Arjona's own strategic position, made it an impregnable stronghold. The origin of its wall system is set within the protohistory of the Iberian Peninsula, having been used by the successive cultures that passed through it, all of which left their mark on its structure. Today, part of this vast defensive system survives, along with an Almohad-period cistern located at the heart of the Alcazaba. The Archaeology Room of the Arjona Museum holds remains of weapons used in the Islamic medieval period, notably including arrowheads of a type matching those used at the Battle of Las Navas de Tolosa; also of note, inside the Sanctuary of the Sacred Relics, is a collection of drawings and plans based on the manuscripts of the 17th-century historian Martín Ximena Jurado, showing what Arjona's defensive system looked like at that time.
The visit ticket includes a guide and admission to all monuments, museums and churches, except the Sanctuary of the Sacred Relics; admission to the Sanctuary costs €1, payable at its entrance.
Ruta de los castillos y batallas
All year round
30S x=407265 y=4199295