This emblematic street, a reflection of the history of the city of Jaén, is popularly known as “La Carrera”(the Race) because this was where “horse races” were held in the times of Constable Iranzo, as Eslava Galán mentions in his Planeta Award “In search of the unicorn ”.

(…) And the Constable raised a handkerchief and signaled and the trumpets sounded and the horsemen let themselves come one against the other, drawing sparks from the stones in a very fierce gallop, their lances drawn, the stronger they were able to bring their horses (…).

In search of the unicorn. Chapter IV.

Bernabé Soriano street is one of the most representative axes of the capital of Jaen and a sign of its identity. So it is not surprising that Juan Eslava Galán chose it for the entrance of the group that goes in search of the unicorn, with Juan de Olid at the head.

“(-) And so we went back to the city, with great joy and exhilaration, and the trumpets and drums and shawms went in front, making so much music that it was almost impossible to understand what was being spoken behind in the rear, and, in going up the Place de la Cerrera, we entered the city through the gates of Santa María, we went to the Iglesia Mayor, and after following the Calle de las Campanas, we turned to the right and took Rúa Maestra (…).

In search of the unicorn. Chapter IV.

As can be seen in the aforementioned fragment, the procession crosses the wall through the monumental Puerta de Santa María -now disappeared-, which was located at the confluence of Calle Campanas with Plaza de San Francisco.

The same occurs with the now gone Puerta Barrera, located at the beginning of Avenida de Granada and that the author takes the opportunity to point out in the text.

(…) In very good order of the opposite party, through the gate of the Barrier, twenty other knights appeared and went up in the same way, except that they had blue trappings and with another flag and many trumpets and kettledrums, and my friend Gonzalo Mexía as captain (…).

In search of the unicorn. Chapter IV.