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If Alicante can be described as torrid in summer, Elche is ever hotter. Elx, as it known in Valencian, is located 24 km (15 mi) southwest of Alicante, 34 km (21 mi) northwest of Orihuela and 50 km (36 mi) northwest of Murcia. It is situated in an area of the Costa Blanca, standing 86 metres above sea level, known as El Baix Vinalopó. Elche dates back to the Neolithic period and was actually a mile south of the present town, which is now only a few kilometres away from the coastal resort of Santa Pola. With a population of just 207,000 inhabitants, Elche has a varied history dating back over five thousand years. The largest palm forest in Europe surrounds Elche, first planted by the Moors for dates, Europe's most reliable crop, and are still produced today along with yellow fronds. There are 200,000 palm trees growing within the city, many of the plantations have been turned into public parks. One of which, the Huerto del Cura is a 13,000 square meter garden with an impressive mixture of Mediterranean and tropical plants. Another attractive park is the Parque Municipal (town park). A visit to Elche around Easter time is especially interesting with the famous and elaborate palm crosses being made for the Easter Sunday parades. Delicious dates and date sweets and cakes can be bought in many of Elche's shops at any time of year. Elche is also a key player in Spain footwear industry manufacturing approximately 40% of Spain's footwear. Much of the footwear is exported to countries around the world. The neighbouring town of Elda is home to a shoe museum. The manufacturing process has developed from the traditional manual processes to a more modern automated system; however, strict quality control methods exist to ensure the footwear is of a consistent high quality. Dama d’Elx This bust stands at a height of 56 centimetres and dates back to the forth century BC. The monument, which was discovered in 1897 and is an Iberian princess spent some time at the Louvre before being transferred to the national museum in Madrid. She has only recently been returned to her original home in Elche and has been visited by thousands of people who consider her to be the city’s patron saint. |
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