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Restored by the Christians, this 13th-century castle towers above the town and affords spectacular views.

Also in Italian Renaissance style, this structure has the soaring grace of a fairytale castle. Unfortunately, it was gutted in the early 1900s, but a reconstruction of one of the patios gives you some idea of its original splendour.

The cathedral was primarily the work of famed Renaissance architect Andrés de Vandelvira, although the west façade was designed later, decorated with Baroque sculptures by Pedro Roldán. Every Friday between 11:30am and 12:45pm, one of Spain’s holiest relics, the Reliquía del Santo Rostro de Cristo, is brought out for the faithful to kiss. It is believed to be the cloth that St Veronica used to wipe Christ’s face on the road to Calvary. An impression of the holy face is said to have been miraculously left upon it (see Jaén City).

Now a part of Seville University, this handsome 18th-century edifice is the second-largest building in Spain, after El Escorial in Madrid. Famous for its fun-loving female workers, who at one time rolled three-quarters of Europe’s cigars, the old factory has been immortalized by Carmen , the world’s most popular opera. The doomed heroine, a hot-blooded gypsy cigarrera, remains, for many, the incarnation of Spanish passion.

This Moorish castle, crowning the hill above the town, is the chief attraction here. Created by Granada’s rulers in the 14th century, it incorporates 12th-century structures and earlier elements, since the strategically situated town dates from prehistoric times. After the Christian reconquest in 1341 (see The Sierra Nevada), additions to the fortress continued until the 16th century. The castle keep houses an archaeological museum (see Alcalá La Real).

It’s intriguing to find one of the masterpieces of Andalucían Rococo design in this industrial town – especially because Lucena was famous for having been a virtually independent Jewish enclave during Moorish rule. The gem of this 15th-century church is its 18th-century octagonal sacristy and the complex decoration of the chapel and its dome.

From its hilltop, this massive Spanish Renaissance church dominates the town. Its austere façade is relieved by a fine Plateresque portal, the Puerta del Sol. Inside, treasures include five masterpieces by José de Ribera, a Crucifixion sculpture by Juan de Mesa, beautiful Renaissance ornamentation and a wonderfully high-spirited Baroque altarpiece.

This spectacular mosque may have been savagely reconsecrated but visitors can still see its Byzantine mosaics and other exquisite marvels.

This Renaissance magnum opus is largely the creation of Diego de Siloé, one of the great masters of the age. The façade’s upper window is flanked by sinuous mythological animals and medallions. Inside, the altar is complex and monumental, consisting of row upon row of high reliefs framed by columns.