Carolina, La
Jaén · Andalucía
La Carolina is a city and municipality located in the province of Jaén, Spain. According to the 2024 census, the municipality has a population of 14,681 inhabitants.
Sections the premium town hall can edit · Fixed sections of the guide
Origins
There's no information in this section yet. The village's profile can complete it from the panel.
History
La Carolina was formerly the capital of the Intendencia of the Nuevas Poblaciones de Sierra Morena y Andalucía founded in this formerly remote and desolate area of the Sierra Morena in 1767 by King Charles III. The object of the plan, drawn up by his minister Pablo de Olavide, administrator of Andalusia, was to populate the area around Despeñaperros gorge. Known as "the gateway to Andalusia", this pass was a notorious point on the Cádiz-to-Madrid route for bandits. Other towns of note in this plan were La Carlota and La Luisiana. The Intendencia administrative division was wrapped up in 1813.
Six thousand Catholic settlers arrived from Belgium, Germany, Austria and Switzerland to take advantage of the generous offers of land and livestock being made to colonizers (five chickens, five goats, five sheep, two cows, and a sow per family). Within a few years, about half of them had died from illness or gone home: the rest gradually lost their national identities over the years, and took on the language and customs of their host country. One can still find people in this area with Germanic surnames such as Eisman, Minch, Clap, Smidt, Ming and Kobler.
The town's relatively recent history, as well as its northern European target population, explains its unusually regular, colonial-style grid layout, with wide avenues, as opposed to the more common winding narrow streets typical of the Moorish-patterned towns in Andalusia.
Towns of the Intendencia:
Became later part of Jaén Province:
Aldeaquemada
Arquillos
Carboneros
La Carolina
Concepción de Almuradiel
Guarromán
Miranda del Rey, a village of Santa Elena municipality
Magaña-Montizón, Magaña is a village of Santa Elena municipality
Navas de Tolosa, a village of La Carolina municipality
Santa Elena
Became later part of Córdoba Province:
La Carlota
La Luisiana
Fuente Palmera
San Sebastián de los Ballesteros
Monuments
There's no information in this section yet. The village's profile can complete it from the panel.
What to visit
There's no information in this section yet. The village's profile can complete it from the panel.
Gallery
Festivals
September 2026
Festivals this month
- No festivals recorded this month.
Rest of the year
- May: Feria de Mayo
- July: Feria y Fiestas de la Fundación (5)
What's on
Street market
Mercadillo semanal: Sábado, de 08:00 a 14:00 · Recinto Ferial
Gastronomy
There's no information in this section yet. The village's profile can complete it from the panel.
Trails and hiking
•Camino de Marmolejo al Santuario de la Virgen de la Cabeza (GR 48)
Services
Do you have a business in Carolina, La? Advertise it for free and go premium whenever you like. List my business for free
Famous people
•Juan Araujo, futbolista español
•Juan Francisco Casas, artista español
•Adela Muñoz Páez, catedrática y química española
•Ana López Gallego, componente de Las Trece Rosas
•Mar Moreno, política española
•Manuel Andújar, escritor español
•Custodia Romero, actriz española
•Francisco Cano Consuegra, Político español, víctima del terrorismo
Town hall
Alcaldía: Francisco José Gallarín Pérez
Web oficial: http://www.lacarolina.es
Town hall of Carolina, La
Alcaldía: Francisco José Gallarín Pérez Web oficial: http://www.lacarolina.es
Here goes your town hall's profile or your website address. Are you from the town hall? Go premium to complete your profile and edit your village's content. hola@ciudadesypueblos.es
How to get there
- 🚗 73 km from Jaén (about 52 min by car)
- 🚗 153 km from Granada (about 108 min by car)
- 🚗 216 km from Albacete (about 152 min by car)
🧭 Travelling around the villages of Spain: a practical guide — Opening hours, transport, money and customs, before you set off.
- ✈️ 148 km from Córdoba airport (about 104 min by car)
- ✈️ 152 km from Granada-Jaén airport (about 107 min by car)
Practical info
🅿️ Where to park
- Where to park · 0.4 km away
- Parking Dia · 0.5 km away
- Parking Hotel La Perdiz · 0.7 km away
🏧 Nearest cash machine
- Caja Rural de Jaén · 5.1 km away
⛽ Nearest petrol station
- Repsol · 0.5 km away
- Moeve · 0.8 km away
- Dispesur · 0.9 km away
ℹ️ Tourist office
- Iglesia de Navas de Tolosa · 2.8 km away
🔭 Viewpoints
- Mirador Calle Manuel de Falla · 0.7 km away
- mirador del puente · 2.7 km away
Buses
Check the route, times and public transport connections to Carolina, La:
Pharmacy and health
Find the nearest pharmacy and health centre, with the address and how to get there:
Wall and news
Log in with your profile to post. Posting on the walls is free.
This wall is still quiet.
Obituaries
There are no obituaries published right now in Carolina, La.
In loving memory
There are no memorials in Carolina, La yet.
Videos
Discover Carolina, La on video: