Marco Topo in Baena

Discover Baena by playing

Baena has become a large learning environment thanks to the interactive Marco Topo game, an educational activity designed so children and families can discover the cultural, historical and natural heritage of this Córdoba town while having fun. Through a geolocated treasure hunt, Marco Topo proposes three complementary routes through Baena, the Torreparedones archaeological site and the village of Albendín, encouraging younger players to observe, answer questions and solve challenges at every stop. The first route explores Baena’s historic centre. Participants visit places such as the 16th-century Church of Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe, linked to a curious legend of a Marian apparition. In Plaza de España they discover Joaquín del Pino y Rozas, an important figure in 18th-century colonial administration. At the Olive Grove and Olive Oil Museum, they learn about the entire olive-oil production process, with special attention to the Baena Designation of Origin. Other stops include Plaza Amador de los Ríos, commemorating the local historian; the Holy Week Museum, which displays traditional drums and objects from the brotherhoods; and Plaza de la Constitución, where players discover figures such as poet Juan Alfonso de Baena and the emblematic “Jews” of local Holy Week. The route also visits the Archaeological Museum, with Iberian and Roman sculptures from Torreparedones; the Baena Chi-Rho in the Almedina district; the medieval wall at the Torreón del Arco Oscuro; the 16th-century Madre de Dios convent; the castle reconstructed in the 20th century; and the surroundings of the former Jesús Nazareno hospital, where heritage, street art and nature come together. The second route takes place at the impressive Torreparedones site, one of the most important in Andalusia. The game follows the evolution of the settlement from Prehistory to the Middle Ages. Players visit the Roman East Gate and the Eastern Baths, known as the “health baths”, where they learn about spaces such as the frigidarium, tepidarium and caldarium. From the medieval castle, known as Castro el Viejo, there are spectacular views. In the Roman forum, players identify the paved square with its inscription to Marcus Junius Marcellus, the basilica as a place of justice, the curia as a political centre and the northern portico, once decorated with sculptures of the Julio-Claudian dynasty including Emperor Augustus. The route also includes the macellum market, the Baker’s House, the only excavated Roman dwelling, the Iberian-Roman sanctuary with its mysterious column-shaped deity, and the chapel of the Mozarabic saints Nunilo and Alodia, linking the site’s Visigothic and medieval past. The third route leads to Albendín, where history and agricultural tradition are closely tied to the landscape. It begins at the Monument to the Market Gardener, honouring those who worked the fertile Guadajoz valley, and continues through the Municipal Park, where a restored traditional wooden waterwheel preserves techniques inherited from Al-Andalus. The waterwheel trail allows visitors to explore the natural environment and observe historic hydraulic infrastructure. In the village centre, the Church of Santa María and the brotherhood district reflect the importance of religious devotion, especially during Holy Week. The Cross Viewpoint offers views from a rocky pedestal that even preserves a prehistoric footprint, while the Vadofresno saltworks demonstrates salt production through solar evaporation and dripping, producing crystals prized by chefs. The route is completed by the Pozo de la Plata, possibly of Roman origin and surrounded by olive groves; the Chapel of the Virgin of Fátima, where a popular pilgrimage is held every May; and the Vadomojón reservoir, a natural leisure area shared by Córdoba and Jaén with an undeveloped “beach” and a yacht club, where visitors also learn about invasive species. The Marco Topo game in Baena is an excellent tool for learning through play. It turns the municipality’s historical, natural and cultural heritage into a living experience that encourages observation, active participation and an emotional connection with the place. It is ideal for schools, families and curious visitors.