Discover curiosities of the history of the Palm Grove of Elche in Alicante

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Municipal Park of the Palm Grove of Elche

You may not know that the location of Elche, very close to the city ofAlicante, is doubly considered World Heritage by Unesco.

This double role is due, on the one hand, to the ancestral representation of Mistery and, on the other, to its imposing palm grove of arabic origin.

Definitely discover the Elche palm grove It is a good excuse to get closer to this Levantine town, whose main reference surely you have for its famous Lady of Elche.

Panoramic views of the Palm Grove of Elche from the Tower of the Basilica of Santa Maria

I remind you that the original of this original sculpture Iberian you can see it in the National Archaeological Museum, in Madrid. and that in the Archeological Museum of Elche MAHE You have a replica.

Curiosities Palmeral de Elche history

To prepare your visit, we will tell you6 curiosities of the history of the Palm Grove of Elche.

What is the origin of the Palm Grove of Elche

He Elche palm grove It is a great oasis that was planted by the Arabs from the occupation of the peninsula, in the eighth century.

In this Levantine area there was already date palms since the time of Iberians, but the Arabs planted thousands of them in an orderly manner, setting up orchards and developing an irrigation system.

Panoramic views of the Palm Grove of Elche from the Tower of the Basilica of Santa Maria

How many palm trees are in the Elche Palm Grove

Currently the Elche palm grove It extends for about 500 hectares and conserves more than 200,000 date palms, but the oasis had a much wider extension in the time of the Arabs.

In you visit of the Archeological Museum of Elche You can see a large model of the population in which, with visual effects, you can see how it has been spreading throughout history, and how that growth was carried out at the expense of the palm groves.

How are the palm trees

The palm trees are not trees, but plants of enormous dimensions that in Elche can reach 30 meters high, with specimens up to 300 years old

Why the Palm Grove of Elche is a World Heritage Site

In November of 2ooo the Palm grove of Elche was declared World Heritage by Unesco, highlighting that it is the largest palm grove in Europe and one of the largest in the world.

Panoramic views of the Palm Grove of Elche from the Tower of the Basilica of Santa Maria

It is also an example of the transfer of landscapes characteristic of one culture and one continent to another.

How to visit and what to see in the Palmeral of Elche

When Visits Elche, you can verify that the population is immersed in a sea of ​​large palm trees.

You can verify that at climb to the tower of the minor Basilica of Santa Maria, from where you have the best Panoramic views of the population and its surroundings.

A good place to visit the palm grove of Elche is the Municipal park located next to the historical center of the city.

In this park of only 6 hectares, the palm grove shows us a characteristic garden layout.

White palm craft workshop in Elche in Alicante

Also near the center is the San Placido Orchard, with a traditional 19th-century house that houses the Palm Grove Museum, as well as an artisan workshop of white palm.

And very close is the Huerto del Cura, an artistic garden of 1.3 hectares where you can see what is perhaps the most emblematic palm tree in Elche, the Imperial Palm, an exceptional copy of date palm with seven arms that grow from the same trunk.

Palm trees are also protagonists of the great Filet de Fora park, one of the largest in Elche.

White palm crafts in Elche

Around palm trees, a wide cultural spectrum has developed in Elche.

That is the case of the white palm crafts, so popular on the holiday of Palm Sunday in Easter week.

For the same, during the pre-party, Elche craft workshops produce up to 70,000 white palms in their various varieties, such as smooth, curly or lapel.

Fresh dates from Elche

To also highlight the research that in recent years they are carrying out for Santiago Orts, biologist and director of nurseries Huerto de Elche, together with the prestigious chef of Aranjuez, Rodrigo de la Calle, for the development of fresh dates.

In this way, the fresh dates from Elche they have become a new specialty used in the haute cuisine.

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