St. Bartholomew's Bridge

The Renaissance construction, erected in 1587 and located next to the Marmolejo spa, rises majestically over the Guadalquivir River. This bridge was designed by the Jaén master stonemason Benito del Castillo, with the aim of connecting the town center of Marmolejo with the surrounding mountain ranges.

Throughout its history, the bridge has undergone various modifications. In 1784, it was in a semi-destroyed state, but reconstruction work was undertaken and probably completed between 1876 and 1879. This structure is built primarily of reddish sandstone, known locally as "azucareña" or "molinaza."

The bridge consists of two distinct construction phases. The first phase, corresponding to the northern section, consists of three semicircular arches with pillars and triangular, regular ashlar cutwaters. These arches allow the bridge to overcome the steepest differences in level between the two banks of the river. The second phase, located on the southern section, comprises four semicircular arches built with ashlar, accompanied by cylindrical cutwaters with conical tops. In this section, ashlar is used for the arch faces, while brick is used for the canyons.

This architectural work not only serves a practical purpose by facilitating communication between different areas of Marmolejo, but also stands out for its beauty and historical importance as a witness to the region's Renaissance past.