| Martos | |
| Settlement Type: | Municipality |
| Nickname: | "City of the Rock" "Cradle of the Olive Grove" |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: |  Spain |
| Subdivision Type1: | Autonomous community |
| Subdivision Type2: | Province |
| Subdivision Name2: | Jaén |
| Subdivision Type3: | Comarca |
| Subdivision Name3: | Metropolitana |
| Subdivision Type4: | Judicial district |
| Subdivision Name4: | Martos |
| Coordinates: | 37.7167°N -61°W |
| Elevation M: | 753 |
| Area Total Km2: | 259.10 |
| Population As Of: | 1 January 2023 |
| Population Total: | 24,363 |
| Population Demonym: | Marteño/a, tuccitano/a |
| Population Density Km2: | auto |
| Blank Name Sec1: | Official language(s) |
| Timezone: | CET |
| Utc Offset: | +1 |
| Timezone Dst: | CEST |
| Utc Offset Dst: | +2 |
| Postal Code Type: | Postal code |
| Postal Code: | 23600 |
| Area Code Type: | Dialing code |
| Area Code: | (+34) 953 55 XX XX (+34) 953 70 XX XX |
| Leader Title: | Alcalde (2023-2027) |
| Leader Name: | Emilio Torres Velasco |
| Leader Party: | Spanish Socialist Workers' Party |
Martos is a city in the province of Jaén in the autonomous community of Andalusia in south-central Spain.
With a population of over 24,000 people, Martos is the fifth largest municipality in the province and the second in Jaén metropolitan area. The city is physically located on the western side of the Sierra Sur de Jaén, to which it previously belonged administratively.
It is popularly known as the City of the Rock (Spanish: Ciudad de la Peña) as it lies at the foot of a 1,003-metre (3,290 ft) mountain named Rock of Martos (Spanish: Peña de Martos).
As is essentially the case in the entire province of Jaén, the economy of Martos is heavily based on agriculture, specifically the cultivation of the olive tree. With over 22,000 hectares of olive fields (accounting for 85% of the municipality area) and 20 million liters per year, Martos is the largest olive oil producing city in the world[1], thus earning the nickname of Cradle of the Olive Grove (Spanish: Cuna del Olivar).
Martos is also an important industrial center in inner Andalusia. French global automotive supplier Valeo established a factory in the city in the 1980s, making it the largest business in the province.[2] . Moreover, the low-cost fuel sales company Petroprix was founded in Martos in 2013, becoming the fastest-growing energy company of Europe in 2024.[3]
The city has been linked to the Roman settlement of Colonia Augusta Gemella, and starting in the 8th century was ruled by the Moors under various Islamic states for over 500 years. In 1225, King Ferdinand III of Castile and Leon were handed the city from Al Bayyasi in exchange for helping Al Bayyasi in his war against the Almohads in Andalusia. Subsequently, Ferdinand III incorporated it into his kingdom.
During the Middle Ages, Martos became a strategic place, and its defences were reinforced with the construction of numerous fortifications in the city.
At the end of the 19th century and beginning of the 20th century, Martos underwent significant economic and urban development (reflected in the city's architecture), in large part due to the wealth derived from the industrial production of olive oil. Martos thus became one of the most prosperous cities of eastern Andalusia.
Around 250 AD, a bishopric was established in present Martos under the name Tucci, on territory from the suppressed Diocese of Iliturgi. It was a suffragan of the Metropolitan Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Sevilla. In 350, it lost territory to establish the Diocese of Cástulo (now also a titular see), which it regained at that bishopric's suppression around 400.
In 715, it was suppressed to establish the Diocese of Beaza.
Recorded bishops are
Olives still play an important part in the local economy, but industry an increasingly big part as well, including plastics, the auto industry, metallurgy, the construction of roads, etc. Many local firms support French multinational Valeo’s local production.
Among the numerous festivals carried out in the city it is necessary to highlight:
Considered of tourist interest of Andalusia.
Principal festival. August
On July 29
The most important club is Martos CD.