| Official Name: | Nájera |
| Settlement Type: | Municipality |
| Pushpin Map: | Spain La Rioja#Spain |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location in Spain |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Type1: | Autonomous community |
| Subdivision Type2: | Comarca |
| Subdivision Name1: | La Rioja |
| Subdivision Name2: | Nájera |
| Leader Title: | Mayor |
| Leader Name: | Jonás Olarte (PSOE) |
| Area Total Km2: | 37.44 |
| Population Demonym: | Najerinos or Najerenses |
| Population Density Km2: | auto |
| Timezone: | CET |
| Utc Offset: | +1 |
| Timezone Dst: | CET |
| Utc Offset Dst: | +2 |
| Coordinates: | 42.4167°N -2.7308°W |
| Elevation M: | 485 |
Nájera (pronounced as /es/) is a small town, former bishopric and now Latin Catholic titular see, former capital of the Kingdom of Najera-Pamplona, located in the "Rioja Alta" region of La Rioja, northern Spain, on the river Najerilla. Nájera is a stopping point on the French Way the most popular path on the Way of St James.
The area attracted the Romans, who built the town of Tritium on land which now falls within the boundaries of Nájera and the neighboring municipality of Tricio. Subsequently, the area was under Muslim rule and the name Nájera (Naxara, meaning "town between the rocks") is of Arabic origin.
The town, while still an Islamic possession, was the location of the legendary 3-day struggle between Roland, one of Charlemagne's nobles, and the Islamic giant Ferragut.[1]
The town was conquered by Ordoño II of Leon for Navarre in 923. Nájera was the capital city of the Kingdom of Najera-Pamplona until it was conquered by Castile in 1054 after the battle of Atapuerca. However, it continued to be multicultural. For example, in 1142 the French abbot Peter the Venerable used his visit to Spain to commission translations of important Islamic works, including the first translation of the Qur'an into a European language, and it has been suggested he met with his four translators at Nájera. From the tenth century onward, Nájera had a prosperous Jewish community, which was granted relatively favorable legal status after the Christian conquest. Letters from the Jewish community in Nájera have been found in the Cairo Geniza.[2]
Edward, the Black Prince fought in the Battle of Nájera in 1367, intervening in a Castilian Civil War on behalf of Pedro I of Castile.
The diocese was nominally restored in 1969 as Latin Titular bishopric of Naiera (Curiate Italian and Latin; Latin adjective Naiaren(sis) / Nájera (Spanish).
It has had the following incumbents, so far of the fitting Episcopal (lowest) rank :
The church of Santa María la Real was founded by García Sánchez III of Pamplona in 1052. It is the burial-place of kings of Navarre. The monks had to abandon the annexed monastic complex in the 19th century, as a result of the anti-clerical reforms of Juan Álvarez Mendizábal.
Other sights include :