Best things to see in Iznajar, a wonderful village in Córdoba

The 12 essential things to see and do in Iznajar

In this article you’ll find all the information you need to visit Iznajar and find out everything you need to see:

• A few words about Iznajar
• Where is Iznajar on the map?
• What to see in Iznajar
• What to do in the province of Cordoba
• Where to eat in Iznajar
• Book accommodation
• Dates of the Iznajar fair
• What to do around Iznajar
• Useful links
• Continuing your trip to Andalucia

A few words about Iznajar

Iznájar is located in the heart of the Cordobesa Subbética in the province of Cordoba. It is one hour from Málaga and 1h30 from Córdoba. This charming little town is the perfect weekend getaway.

What’s more, it boasts the largest reservoir in the region, making it ideal for water sports. As a result, it is one of the region’s most popular indoor summer destinations.

A brief history

The name Iznájar must come from the Arabic حصن اشر ‘Ḥiṣn ʿAšar’, meaning ‘happy castle’.

The first historical mentions of the castle date back to the second half of the 9th century, during the Muladi rebellion of Umar ben Hafsún. Hafsún is reputed to have assembled a whole army of muladis, Berbers and Mozarabs, and to have fought against the regime in Cordoba for over 40 years.

During this period, Iznájar changed hands several times and its population was severely punished each time.

In 911, fear of further reprisals prompted the inhabitants to slit the throat of their governor, Fasl ben Salama (a muladí close to Umar ben Hafsún), and send his head to Amir Abderrahmán III as a sign of submission. This prevented further reprisals against this population, which had taken place during previous revolts.

After the fall of the Caliphate of Cordoba, following 40 years of civil war, many taifas were created by local nobles. This was also the case for Iznajar

Finally, this town in the Nasrid kingdom of Granada was taken and lost several times from 1362 onwards by Catholic troops. It was finally taken in 1431 by King Juan II of Castile.

Where is Iznajar on the map?

What to see and visit in Iznajar?

1 – The Hisn-Ashar castle-fortress

2 – Patio de las Comedias

3 – Rincón del beso (Kissing Corner)

4 – Tower of San Rafael

5 – Church of Santiago

6 – Plaza de Rafael Alberti

7 – Plaza Alí Ben Cacín

8 – Casa de las Columnas – House of Columns

9 – The viewpoints of Iznajar

10 – The small museums of Iznajar

11 – The Peñon district

12 – Iznájar reservoir interpretation centre and beach

1 – The Hisn-Ashar castle-fortress

The Hisn-Ashar castle-fortress is the most important monument in Iznájar. It dates back to the 8th century and was modified until the 15th century.

It is located at the top of Iznajar, in the upper part of the Barrio de la Villa. The Barrio de Villa was located between the castle and a surrounding wall, making this district the old medina.

After the conquest, it belonged to dukes and then counts for several centuries, before becoming the property of the city a few years ago, in 1991.

It is of Arabic origin and gives its name to the town, derived from the noun ‘hisn’ (castle) and the adjective ‘al-ashar’ (joyful). Iznájar Castle is one of the oldest fortresses in Andalucia. Of Muslim origin, it gave its name to the town: ‘hisn Ashar’ – Castillo de la Alegría.

The castle’s aljibe

It also boasts one of the largest cisterns, or aljibe, of the era. Located in the centre of the parade ground, this aljibe has hardly undergone any restoration work due to its excellent state of preservation.

Even today, its water collection system works and its interior temperature does not vary throughout the year, hovering around 16 or 17 degrees Celsius.

2 – Patio de las Comedias

The Patio de las Comedias – The Comedy Courtyard – is located between the fortress and the arcade now occupied by the tourist office. It is the most photogenic spot in iznajar.

The site has served several purposes:

• In the Middle Ages, it was a Moorish market, an alcaicería (al-gaysaryya).
• In the 16th century, from 1531 onwards, it was known as the Patio de Comedias. This name was given to it because of the theatrical performances that took place there.
• In the 17th century, from 1645 onwards, it became a neighbourhood courtyard.
• Today, this courtyard has become a beautiful square filled with indigo blue flowerpots filled with colourful flowers, complete with a fountain.

3 – Rincón del beso (kissing corner)

The famous kissing corner can now be found in many white villages. In Iznajar, it can be found in the Patio de las Comedias square..

4 – San Rafael Tower

Below the Patio de las Comedias square, be sure to take a stroll down the adjoining alleyway that leads to the Tower of San Rafael.

The view is magnificent and the steps are full of flower pots.

The tower is the only vestige of the old walled enclosure. It is topped by a sculpture of San Rafael, on which a candle was lit when soldiers from the village crossed the Straits of Gibraltar.

At the bottom of the tower is a troglodyte house housing the headquarters of one of Iznájar’s oldest Holy Week brotherhoods, the Brotherhood of the Apostles.

5 – Church of Santiago

The Church of Santiago, dedicated to the apostle Santiago, is another must-see in Iznajar.

It is Renaissance in style and dates back to the 16th century. The most striking feature of its interior is the imposing main altarpiece, which dates from the 18th century.

Outside, behind the church, there is a sculpture of great beauty – in my personal opinion. It depicts a portrait of Ibn al Jatib.

Note: Ibn Al Jatib, a 14th-century politician (under Yusuf I and Muhammad V), is known for the texts that decorate the walls of the Alhambra. He is best known as a philosopher, poet and historian. In his chronicles, he referred to Hisn Ashar as the key to the Nasrid kingdom of Granada.

Around the church, you can also enjoy beautiful views of the surrounding area, and pass under a fine archway that leads to the Plaza Rafael Alberti.

6 – La Plaza de Rafael Alberti

This is a pretty little square surrounded by orange trees.

It is named in honour of the poet Rafael Alberti, who inaugurated it in 1989.

In the centre of the square is a poem by Alberti dedicated to the Tower of Iznájar, which he wrote in his book La Arboleda Perdida (The Lost Grove).

7 – The Alí Ben Cacín square

This square, which is the gateway to the castle, is home to a historic building.

This is one of the castle’s 18th-century extensions. At that time, it was used as a granary.

In 1989, it was restored and converted into the municipal library, while retaining its original structure and interior arches.

8 – Casa de las Columnas – House of Columns

This bourgeois house is on Calle Cruz des Postigo. It once belonged to the Counts of Albi, and is a former local government office where taxes were paid.

This 18th-century manor house has a striking façade with columns – as its name suggests.

The façade also features a coat of arms and, above all, a remarkable central gate.

9 – Viewpoints from Iznajar

Iznajar’s geographical location, perched on a promontory, offers incredible views from almost every corner of the village.

Here are some of the best viewpoints:

– Mirador del Postigo

– Cross of San Pedro

– Hermitage of La Antigua

– Viewpoint of the Three Crosses

– King’s Gate

– Behind the church of Santiago

From these points you can enjoy spectacular views of the Iznajar surroundings, especially the water reservoir and the olive groves.

10 – Small museums to see in Iznajar

In the Casa de la Juventud building you can visit various museums in Iznajar. It is located next to the Tourist Office. In the Casa de la Juventud, there is a dedicated room for each small museum.

The first two illustrate a large part of the village’s cultural and ethnographic heritage:

– Museum of Farming Tools and Popular Traditions,

– the museum of arts and crafts,

– a museum of naive sculptures by Antonio Cañizares (a local artist),

– the museum of wrought iron and wooden miniatures by Juan Pérez (another local artist)

– the Museo Judea, located behind the building on the Plaza Nueva.

This latter was created in 2007, thanks in part to the cultural association La Judea Populus Iudici.

La Judea is a representation of the Jewish people at the time of Jesus Christ, and appears in most of Iznajeña’s Holy Week processions, particularly the Good Friday processions. This tradition dates back to the 17th century, with the brotherhood of Our Father Jesus of Nazareth. Even today, during Holy Week, this representation can be seen in traditional dress.

 Note: admission to these museums is free.

11 – The Peñon district

This district owes its name to the rocky outcrop that once formed part of the castle walls. Several troglodyte houses can be seen in the district.

The interiors of these unique dwellings were divided into several rooms cut into the rock, the number of which increased as the family grew. The great advantage of this type of construction is its temperature, which remains constant throughout the year at around 18ºC.

From here, you can enjoy a magnificent view of the water reservoir.

12 – The beach and the Iznajar Reservoir Interpretation Centre

The reservoir was built in 1969, completely changing the shape and appearance of the village. It is fed by the main tributary of the Guadalquivir, the Genil.

This reservoir’s interpretation centre explains its history and how the region has evolved since the dam was built.

It’s right next to a beach…even though we’re 80km from the coast 🙂 . Next to the centre and the beach you’ll even find bars and a campsite.

Today, the dam is one of Iznájar’s main tourist attractions, along with its natural freshwater beach, Valdearenas Beach. It is 1.5 km long.

It’s the largest reservoir in Andalucia! To get the full picture, you need to know that the reservoir has 100 km of shoreline!

The reservoir covers land in three provinces, Córdoba, Málaga and Granada – hence its nickname, the Lake of Andalucia. It offers a wide range of water sports.

What to do in the province of Córdoba

Below are a number of ideas for activities and visits, classified by theme. You can book them online today.

Bonus: all activities can be cancelled up to 24 hours before the scheduled date:

Where to eat in Iznajar?

Here’s a great little place to have lunch in the centre of Iznajar:  El Mesón Abuela María.

Book accommodation

Below, you will find directly, the rentals or accommodation available in Iznajar, after having selected your dates:

Iznajar fair dates

Virgen de la Piedad Fair, in September

What to do in the Iznajar area

There are some fabulous sites to discover in the Iznajar area. Here are 4 ideas for visits fairly close to Iznajar.

Zuheros

If you’re heading towards Cordoba, here’s a white village to discover. Its location is surprising, as is its castle. It is also the only village in the province of Córdoba to be part of the Pueblos más bonitos de España network.

Note: don’t miss a visit to the cueva de los murcielagos (bat cave). A magnificent experience awaits you in this cave.

Here’s the link if you want to visit Zuheros.

Rute and its 7 gastronomic museums!

Here’s a link to Rute – right next to Iznajar – and its famous gastronomic museums

NB: just next door, there’s also Lucena, nicknamed the Sephardic Pearl, which is well worth a visit.

Montefrío

If you’re heading in the direction of Granada, then Montefrio can be a wonderful stop-off. For your information, National Geographic magazine has listed Montefrío as one of the 10 villages with the most beautiful views in the world!

To find out more, here’s a link to what you need to see in Montefrío.

Some ideas and useful links

The links below can be very useful depending on where you are staying and what you need to do to have a wonderful time in Andalucia.

• An interactive map of Andalucia to find lots of ideas for visits around you, off the beaten track.

• link to book a rental car at Malaga airport.

• link to book a rental car anywhere else in Andalucia with the rentalcars platform.

• If you’re on the Costa del Sol and looking for ideas for excursions in Andalucia, you can use the following link to book a tour departing from Málaga, Torremolinos, Estepona or Benalmadena.

Discover more of Andalusia’s beautiful sites in the Andalucia blog pages.

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