Cumbres de San Bartolomé

Location: Built-up area

Timeline: 12th -13th Century.

Style: Gothic and Almohad.

Visiting hours: Exterior visit at any hour.Consult Town Hall.

Visits

- Castle of Cumbres de San Bartolome. - House of the priest. - Town Fountain. - Historic center.

Shopping:

- Gastronomy: Iberian pork products. - Handicraft : Lacemaking and baskets

Itineraries 2,6 and 8

Condition:

This castle is under the protection of the general declaration of the Decree of 22 April 1949, and Law 16/1985 on Spanish Historical Heritage. Also, in 1993 the Junta de Andalusia specially recognized the castles of the autonomous community of Andalusia.

In the castle there is an artillery wall that was ordered to be constructed by Sancho IV in 1293. It is currently being restored and it has a tropezoidal floor with seven towers and two arched gates. Recently, at three meters deep, interesting archaeological remains have been found, most of all existing residential buildings in its interior.

Actual use:

It is currently subject to the protection of the state, but administered by the City. Today's activities include mainly cultural events and bullfighting.

Architectural sheet:

Cumbres de San Bartolomé has a Castle surrounded by meadows. Taking into consideration that there was previously a Muslim fortress, it would date back to before the thirteenth century, but according to documentary sources from the edict of Sancho IV, in which clearly speaks of building a Castle from scratch, we are forced to date it in that time. Although it was customary to reuse materials to erect the new building, says Alfredo Morales, professor at the University of Seville.

The building is the most representative one of the built-up area. Some areas were restored, but the interior apartments have been ruined over time. Much of its stones were used for the construction of the nearby houses and small stores and yards adjoining the same wall.

Its floor is rectangular, as is also the case for the Castle of Cala, with round and square towers. The main gate is facing east and is flanked by two square towers that have lost their merlons.

Most noteworthy, as it is modest, is the material used for its construction, stones combined with concrete blocks. Built in the '70s, stones present a quality, color, bright red, which comes from the geological change in relation to other sites.

Historical sheet:

Near Cumbres de San Bartolome, we find remains of Roman and Celtic settlements. However, it was the Romans, according to sources discovered, who gave this town the name of Concordia Julia Nertrobiga. Although other investigators attribute this name to Cumbres Mayores, perhaps because it is difficult to determine, given the proximity of these localities. This settlement was destroyed or abandoned at the end of the 5th Century.

This hypothesis on the origin of Cumbres Mayores and San Bartolomé, is consistent because in the vicinity there were a number of small villages that sought a better defense in the higher grounds, located in the same area as where these locations are currently found. Still, the Roman remains discovered are very scarce.

Nor are abundant remnants of the Muslim period. It is believed that during this era the territory held had a low population density, as the Berber people was small in number. The Kingdom of Castile in the mid-thirteenth century, conquered the Castle, passing it over to the jurisdiction of Seville, becoming, as the entire area of the current Sierra de Aracena y Picos de Aroche Natural Park, in a frontier area, with continued struggles over the question of the Algarve, with the Portuguese Kingdom.

The mission of conquering and repopulating the territory was in the hands of Alfonso X the Wise, who reinstalled the fortress at the end of that century. His work was continued by his son Sancho IV El Bravo, who appealed strongly to the Seville Council to approve and finance the construction of several castles in the so-called 'Banda Gallega' specialized in the defense against Portugal.

In this way, and with the edict of 1293, approval was given for the construction of the castles of Cumbres de San Bartolomé, Cumbres Mayores, Santa Olalla and Fregenal, which joined the already existing ones, only those being remodeled by the Christians. The repopulation was necessary in all the places where the council of Seville ruled.

To repopulate the new territories people came from Castilla and León and sought the shelter of the fortress, which became the center of the urbanization of the village. Certainly, life was not easy for these early settlers, struggling against a hostile environment without having facilities and against the continuing raids that regularly pillaged the town. Disease and hardship spread throughout the area of the Natural Park during the fourteenth century. This together with the ongoing wars led to a demographic decline.

The population was slowly recovering in the second half of the 15th century. Thus, going from about 300 inhabitants at the beginning of the century, to about 1,000 in 1486. The sixteenth century was of a certain prosperity for the settlement of Cumbres de San Bartolomé, as proved by its growing population. In this way, the "Census of the population of the provinces of the Crown of Castile' of 1591 shows a population of 260 residents, about 1,200 people, when its neighbor Cumbres Mayores had little more than 300 residents.

On the contrary, in the seventeenth century there was, again, a period plagued by epidemics, wars and calamities that hit the country in general and that is reflected in Cumbres de San Bartolomé in a drop in population. The fields were almost left without men to work, due to the high mortality and the continuous recruitment for the army. Another important document: the notification of the document of the mayor of Mostoles, denouncing the attack on the Nation of the French against Madrid on May 2, 1808, and inciting them to the fight.

This important document has been kept since 1886 in the Town Hall of Cumbres de San Bartolomé, earlier in its parish, and is kept very carefully. These reports took different directions, including Fregenal de la Sierra, up to reaching Cumbres de San Bartolomé, from where it was disclosed to Cortegana and Aroche. At the beginning of the twentieth century, society was composed mainly of poor peasants, with little extension of land to cultivate. Still, there was a large number of people without land, who lived from the wages for the different works performing on other lands.

Arts and Culture:

Iglesia de San Bartolomé (Church of San Bartolomé)

Timeline: 14th-15th Century, Style: Gothic and Isabelino, Use: Religious Center, Details: Doorways of stonework, Bell Tower and Polychrome sculptures.

Casa de la cura (House of the priest )

Timeline: 17th Century, Style: Popular Baroque Architecture. Use: Public Building, Details: Economic and social growth.

Fuente de la Villa (Town Fountain )

Timeline: Year 1970., Style: Popular Architecture , Use: Washing place , Details: Last one to be constructed in the Sierra.

Plaza de toros (Bull ring)

Style:Popular Architecture, Use: Bull fights , Details: Rectangular Typology adapted to the fortified place

Cultural Events:

Fruit of the techniques and crafts are standing out weaving basket of enea, cucharros and dormillos from wood. In the textile activities lacework. In relation to the various festivities, in the first week of the new year there is the Cavalcade of the Three Wise Men, later comes the Carnival, Holy Week and the third Sunday of May we have the Pilgrimage of the Virgin of Aliseda, then in August the fair of Bartolomé from 24 to 28 August and finally the celebration of the Nativity of the Virgin on September 8.