The serrano bowling of Jaén, declared a Heritage Site of Cultural Interest

The Governing Council of the Regional Government of Andalusia has approved Decree 484/2026, of August 31, by which the ethnological activity known as bolos serranos from the province of Jaén is inscribed in the General Catalogue of Andalusian Historical Heritage as an Asset of Cultural Interest. The provision, promoted by the Ministry of Culture, Historical Heritage and Sport, is published in the Official Gazette of the Regional Government of Andalusia (BOJA) number 171, of September 3, 2026, within the section of other provisions.

With this declaration, the Regional Government recognizes and protects a traditional game from the Jaén highlands, granting it the highest level of protection provided by Andalusian historical heritage legislation. The inscription ensures the safeguarding of a cultural practice transmitted from generation to generation and its associated ethnological value.

A protected intangible heritage

The declaration of bolos serranos as an Asset of Cultural Interest is part of the Regional Government of Andalusia’s policy to preserve intangible cultural manifestations linked to rural territories. The game of bolos serranos, rooted in the mountain regions of the province of Jaén, constitutes a hallmark of identity for its towns and a living testimony of Andalusian popular culture.

The status of Asset of Cultural Interest grants the activity a special regime of protection and guardianship, which obliges administrations to guarantee its conservation, dissemination, and transmission to future generations.

Scope of protection

The inscription in the General Catalogue of Andalusian Historical Heritage entails the application of the protection measures provided for in the regional historical heritage regulations. Among its main effects, the following should be highlighted:

• The official recognition of bolos serranos as a manifestation of ethnological interest.
• The obligation to preserve the spaces, uses, and knowledge associated with the practice of the game.
• The possibility of accessing support and promotion lines for its conservation and dissemination.
• The integration of the activity into the Andalusian heritage inventory, with legal and administrative effects.

A boost for rural culture

The declaration reinforces the value of bolos serranos as a cultural and tourist resource for the province of Jaén, contributing to the revitalization of its inland regions. The protection of this traditional game is added to other initiatives by the Ministry of Culture, Historical Heritage and Sport aimed at safeguarding Andalusian intangible heritage.

With this measure, the Regional Government of Andalusia ensures that a cultural practice with centuries of history remains alive, recognizing the role of the local communities that maintain and transmit it.

Source: Official Gazette of the Regional Government of Andalusia (BOJA), no. 171, of September 3, 2026, section 3. Other provisions (official reference: Decree 484/2026, text no. 11424).