Cortes y Graena – Spa

Cortes y Graena is located in the western part of the region of Guadix. It borders the municipalities of Purullena, Marchal, Beas de Guadix, Polícar, Lugros, La Peza and Darro. The municipality includes the population centers of Graena, Los Baños, Lopera and Cortes. The region was inhabited since the Bronze Age, as evidenced by the archaeological excavations that have been found.

The medicinal waters of the Balneario de Graena have been used by man for centuries. This is attested by the Roman and Arab vestiges that are in the surroundings and that demonstrate the interest of these peoples for the use of the thermal waters.

Years later, in the Ordinances of Queen Isabel in 1495, these baths and the medicinal use resulting from them are mentioned. There is also centenary evidence that the doctors of the Royal Hospital of Guadix used the mineral-medicinal waters to cure their patients of different pathologies.

Of great importance was the exhaustive study carried out at the end of the 18th century by the prestigious doctor from Jaén, Juan de Dios Ayuda, author of a paper describing the therapeutic effects of the waters of the Spa’s spring. His work was one of the first modern treatises on thermal waters, which led to the recognition of their benefits.