Palm Garden of Elche

Elche, also known as ELX in Valencian, is a large city in the province of Alicante, Spain. L ́Alcudia, which was located ten kilometres from the contemporary city, is the direct forerunner of Elche. The original location was founded by the Iberians and later conquered by the Carthagen and the Romans, who gave the city the name Ilici and gave it a significant status. Under Moorish rule, when the city gradually moved to its contemporary location, this status faded. Jaime I of Aragon took over the city of the Moors in 1624. In The course of the 18th century the city grew steadily. In the 19th century the city grew faster and faster due to the railway connection and industrialization. In Elche A huge amount of archaeological remains have been found, the Lady of Elche, a graceful Iberian breast figurine of a woman, was the most important. Many copies have been made in several forms and are now all for sale in the many souvenir shops and museums. The original statue is found in the national archaeological Museum in Madrid. Luckily there is an exact replica in Elche.

Elche is a city with more than 200,000 inhabitants and occupies the two banks of the Riu Vinalopó. The Eastern Shore is the oldest part, the West Bank is new construction. Both parts of the city are connected by several bridges, including the modern Pont de la Generalitat. Elche is a UNESCO World Heritage site, the reason for this is the Palmeral. This Moroccan Palm garden, the base of which was laid by the Phoenicians, has been extended by the Moors and has since been neatly maintained. Elche has also dubbed the Moroccan enclave in Spain. Elche is not the only city with a palm grove, but this one is by far the largest with some 600,000 trees. The trees are cultivated in botanic gardens, one of which is open to the public. This is the botanical garden Horta del Cura, a beautiful piece of nature. Another park in Elche is the Parc Municipaal, where you can enjoy a pleasant walk. But Elche also has several interesting buildings. The Palau de Altamira is a 15th-century country house of the Valencian monarchists and features a beautiful backyard garden. A wing of the building now houses the Museu Arqueològic Municipal. At a central point in the old town centre of Elche is the Baroque basilica Menora de Santa Maria. However, this building is not bizarre, but it is the setting of the annual performance of the Misteri d'Elx. This is a sung medieval drama that has been put into a new twist. On this day the church is full. Finally, behind the church are the reformed Arab baths.