Baeza

About

Settled since Roman times, and a once booming Moorish capital, this provincial town’s lasting rise to fame came thanks to a handful of families, rich from grain-growing, and cloth and leather production. In the 16th century, these wealthy local nobles hired major architects of the era to redesign their town in the en-vogue Italian style. When the local economy collapsed in the 17th century, few newer structures were built, preserving the town's Renaissance legacy that earned it a place on the UNESCO World Heritage Site. Marquessa de Jabalquinto palace has an elaborate Isabelline front with a Moorish influence, and is right next to the 16th century cathedral. While it features Baeza's signature painted iron screens, it has a hidden attraction in the form of a huge silver custodia cunningly placed behind a painting of St Peter, which whirls aside for a small donation.