What Causes Pain Behind Ear

Elche. Around Alicante (Part II)

One of the places that we wanted to visit in Alicante was the town of Elche and its palm grove, declared World Heritage by UNESCO in 2000 recognizing its value as an example of a transfer landscape characteristic of the culture from one continent to another, in this case from North Africa to Europe.

This is not, however, the only distinction that UNESCO has awarded the city of Alicante, and a year later, the mystery plays lyrical The misteri d'Elx was also recognized Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity as an example of medieval religious drama, which represents the month of August without interruption since the fifteenth century.

Among eighth and ninth centuries, Elche was a fortified city of Al-Andalus until its reconquest in 1265. The origins of the city, dating to the Neolithic period to the Visigothic period, found in La Alcudia, two kilometers from the modern town, when it was known as Helike. This period is the most famous Elche has given the city: the Lady of Elche. In 209 BC the Iberian city and is romanized in the first century BC, acquired the title of Colonia Iulia Augusta Ilice. A good resume for a city that is less than quarter of a million inhabitants.

In the tourist office provided us very good information from the two most interesting routes: Route monumental and route palm.

overlapping routes and we both visit Elche sandwiching the most monumental and the tranquility of the palm. Started by the Municipal Park it is here where you find the Tourist Office. It is a magnificent space with an area of \u200b\u200b6 hectares available to Elche and foreign, perhaps the most emblematic of the palm grove of Elche.

is formed by different horts or orchards: Hort de la Mare de Déu, the Xocolate Hort, Hort de Baix, Hort's real ... Keep in mind that the palm is not a natural forest, but a landscape designed with a productive purpose which can not be understood without considering its complex irrigation system.

The Arabs brought innovative farming systems and developed the cultivation of the palm, using culture techniques in the oases of North Africa and Middle East.

The Visitors Center can see an interesting audiovisual presentation that shows a complete introduction to the city, based essentially on their origins, history and culture of the palm, the religious festival of mystery in the archaeological remains of Alcudia, in its cuisine and heritage of UNESCO.

Municipal Park also has a nice loft and a bandstand, a restaurant, children's playgrounds ... a good place to stroll or sit in the shade of a palm.
We went to the Basilica of Santa Maria (S. XVII - XVIII) located at the site of a former mosque, where represents the Misteri d'Elx.

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But our main interest is up to the tower for a panoramic view of palm groves surrounding the city, a green sea of \u200b\u200bover 200,000 (300,000 according to some sources).

Near the Basilica are the Arab baths dating from the twelfth century. It is known that there were other bathrooms but only these have survived to this day. They are located in the Convent of Mercy (S. XIV) as from 1270 after the city was retaken, Islam was changing its appearance. We welcome the visit with a voice that accompanies us and we will explain the operation of the Arab baths and the role of the various rooms as they will illuminate each of the zones. Some remains of frescoes on the walls correspond to the time of the convent.

walked to the Hort de Sant Plàcid . Elche is the ideal city to explore on foot and thanks to forget about the car for several hours. In the Hort de Sant pleasure to visit the small Museum Palm . Located in a XIX century house made of two bodies joined by a wooden bridge.

Some audiovisual explain to visitors the history, culture and palm tree orchards, cultivation techniques and irrigation system. Here we learn that the palm is not a casual grouping of palm trees or a forest or a garden, but an oasis embedded in the environment, an irrigated landscape created by man in order to transform a barren land in a place where developing agriculture

Historians believe that the Phoenicians and Carthaginians were the introducers of dates in the area and, although there was a palm tree in the landscape of the Romans, it is recognized that it was the Arabs who cultivated it.

also learn that the palm is a tree, but a prehistoric plant. Why not produce wood has no trunk, but a network of plant fibers that give strength and flexibility. Male and female palm trees and the type of reproduction - sexual and asexual - depends on the homogeneity of the date harvest.

The gardener living during the year as a garden house, known as " faeneta " and was dedicated to the care of the tree and its associated products, following growing techniques inherited the culture of Al-Andalus. The gardens are surrounded by date palms placed around the canals. Some are destined to the cultivation of date and others to obtain the white palm is achieved by covering the palm leaves so that they do not give them light. With his fake log beams and utensils are made as is well known, the white palm is used for religious ceremonies around the world. The Palm Sunday is celebrated in Elche a procession of national artistic interest where many look Palm and palmOne. The nuns of the Convent of Mercy burn all the palms of the previous year's procession and the ashes of the same is used for religious ceremonies of Ash Wednesday. Some palms are indisputably authentic works of art, like the example can be seen in the museum. Attached to the museum, is the Blanca Palma Municipal Workshop created in 1998 and shows the profession held by a few families.

Just opposite is one of the gardens, perhaps the best known of Elche. This is the Huerto del Cura that is privately owned and can be accessed on payment of 5 € per person. Despite being relatively small (13,000 m2 and "only" about 1000 palms) is a magnificent botanical garden. The name is due to the priest José Castaño Sanchez was the owner until 1918.

also presents a good collection of cactus, Japanese cane, citrus and other types of palm. The popularity of the Huerto del Cura is due to the imperial palm found there. The name was in honor of the Empress Sissi when she visited the garden in 1894.

This palm is unique unique in that it is a rare event born eight arms to uncommon heights of 2 meters above the ground, with a unique time synchronization and formed this chandelier height of more than 8 tons. There is also a lake with copies of colorful ducks and peacocks stroll through the gardens. The house is 1940 and is an example of the architecture of the area. Both the columns that support the porch as the beams are made of fake palm trunk.

In this part of Route Palm, a marked path about 2 miles and a half covers some of the most important gardens.

returned to the center than at this time is in full swing for starting and winter sales.

eat at a restaurant in front of the Basilica of Santa Maria and the Alcázar della Signoria, through which they passed such illustrious personages as the Catholic Monarchs, Jaime I of Aragon or Pere IV. He is currently the Museum of Archaeology and History of Elche, the MAHE.

After lunch we came to the Plaza del Ayuntamiento to see the building and also Calendura Tower, a clock with automata built by Alonso Gayra in 1572. The mechanism consists of two figures baptized in 1759 as Miguel Calendura, larger, and that sounds the hours and Vicenteta Calendureta, announcing smaller rooms.

Here ends our visit to Elche and stayed with the desire to visit the ruins of Alcudia, original home of the Iberian lady who left the city that bears his name. He is currently in Madrid, in the National Archaeological Museum.