Baena, Province of Córdoba, Andalusia, Spain

🇪🇸 Baena is a town and municipality of Spain located in the province of Córdoba, Andalusia. It is situated near the river Marbella  on the slope of a hill 52 km (32 mi) south-east of Córdoba by road.

History The site of the Roman town (Baniana or Biniana) could still be traced as late as the First World War, with various Roman antiquities excavated from the site. In 1833, a subterranean vault was discovered, containing twelve cinerary urns with inscriptions commemorating members of the Pompeian family.

Following the demise of the Caliphate of Córdoba, the town was ravaged by Berbers, bringing its prosperity to an end.

Once conquered Córdoba, Ferdinand III rapidly acquired a number of towns in the Campiña—including Baena—in 1241, probably meeting no resistance.

The hill is crowned by fortifications. In 1292, Nasrid Granada, ruled by Mahommed II, unsuccessfully besieged the citadel, which was held for Sancho IV; the five Moorish heads in its coat-of-arms commemorates the occasion. The castile was a base for Gonzalo de Cordova and was held in the 19th century by the Altamira family. At that time, it held four parish churches and three schools conducted by sisters of charity. The girls' school held a high reputation in its province, despite not going beyond reading, writing, arithmetic, and religious instruction. Its population was around 12,000 in the 1870s and 15,000 by the turn of the century. Grain and olive oil were the principal articles of commerce in the 19th century; by the time of the First World War, horse-breeding and linen-weaving had also developed, despite the nearest railroad station being at Luque.

At the beginning of the Spanish Civil War the town was the scenario of the Baena Massacre, a ruthless mass-execution of Spanish republicans where about 700 loyalists were murdered by the orders of rebel Colonel Sáenz de Buruaga. Other estimates mention up to 2,000 victims following the brutal repression in Baena.

High-quality olive oil continues to be the mainstay of the local economy. Sierras Subbéticas Natural Park is located to the south of the town.

Economy • Cultivation of olive groves and manufacture of olive oil of excellent quality with designation of origin. • Production of electrical energy from the olive grove biomass. In Baena we find the largest thermal power plant in the world for the use of olive grove waste. • The construction sector, thanks to which this town has experienced great growth in recent years. • Also noteworthy are its wines, which are part of the Montilla-Moriles denomination of origin. • Manufacture of PVC, polyethylene and polypropylene pipes. • Manufacture of metal elements for Easter brotherhoods, artisan drums and textiles.

Economy: Municipal living debt The concept of living debt contemplates only debts with banks and banks related to financial credits, fixed income securities and loans or credits transferred to third parties, excluding, therefore, commercial debt.