War Heritage

Published on 19/03/2018

Lopera (Campiña de Jaén)

Monuments

Although it is practically unknown, the province of Jaén holds many remains of the war heritage of the Spanish Civil War.
Trenches, anti-tank bunkers, machine-gun nests and air-raid shelters still standing today speak of the tragedy of the war.
Much of that heritage, and in many cases the best preserved, is in Lopera, which was taken by the rebel army in a battle in which soldiers of the newly formed XIV International Brigade took part.
Since 2016 a historical re-enactment of that battle, one of the most important on the southern front, has been held.

More about this place…

Probably because the province of Jaén stayed loyal to the Republic almost to the very end, a great many air-raid shelters were built, many of which, such as those on Plaza de Santiago or in Arjonilla, have come down to us. In this article, however, we walk the front-line trenches, mainly in Lopera, but also in other towns such as Martos and Porcuna. The best-preserved remains are the trenches beside the Salado stream, about two kilometres from Lopera on the road to Bujalance. It is precisely here that the re-enactment of the famous battle in which the International Brigades took part is held, organised by Lopera Town Council since 2016.