Villanueva de la Jara
Villanueva de la Jara stands between rivers: to the west, the Júcar, which is a natural border between Castilla la Mancha and the limits of Castile that run towards the East, where the other river flows: the Valdemembra, a fruitful and bountiful tributary of the former, the very soul of the town’s prosperity. The town was awarded Privilege, Jurisdiction and the Royal Coat of Arms by the Catholic Monarchs so that it could be displayed at the highest point of the Keep, which is today the bell tower and capital of the Basilica that looks towards the wide plains of Castile.
The streets and plazas of La Jara stand as witnesses to different periods in history. And the surrounding countryside: plains, riverbanks, mountains with winding roads that unveil a new light, photograph or lake on every bend, a wetland populated by colourful birds as they fly from and on their way to a variety of places. And, on the horizon, the ever-present figure of its imposing Basilica, a reference point for travellers who cross these lands and for those who specialise in the architectural expression of art.
Teresian places
Teresa, the wandering Carmelite saint, arrived one cold day on 21 February 1582 to teach her rules to a group of religious women and build her convent around the church of Santa Ana. Many things happened to the woman from Ávila during her stay in the town, including breaking her arm near the well that today dominates the vegetable garden.
Behind her, she left her colleague, today known as the Venerable Ana de San Agustín, whose body lies next to the church near the choir stalls.
And the Saint, with her concerns and entrepreneurialism, not only left her mark on her daughters’ work, but also brought with her the brothers of El Socorro so that they could build the Convent of El Carmen in devotion to the local patron saint (a 14th-century sculpture brought from Rome). The huge church remains today.
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