Elche/Elx

Part of the municipality is coastal but the main city is some 15 km (9.5 miles) from the Mediterranean Sea. According to the 2006 census, Elx has a population of approximately 220,000 inhabitants (called iŀlicitans in Valencian and ilicitanos in Spanish), ranking as the third most populated city in the Valencian Community and the second within the Alicante province. A small creek called Vinalopó flows through the city splitting it in two parts.

1 Economy
2 History
3 Main sights
4 Trivia
5 Twin towns
6 Notes
7 See also
8 External links

Economy

The economy of Elx is based, in large part, on the footwear industry, with over 1,000 shoe factories, being one of the most important footwear industries in Spain and the rest of Europe. There are other economic activities in Elx: agriculture (dates, olives, cereals and pomegranates), although it has lost importance in the last years; rubber industry; trade, which employs 20% of the workforce, and tourism. Elx has a conference centre (called Ciutat d'Elx), an international airport (Aeroport de L'Altet) a public University, (Universidad Miguel Hernández), and a private University,(Universidad Cardenal Herrera - CEU) .

History

Frontal view of the Lady of Elx.

La Alcudia is 10 km from the current city's location and the immediate predecessor of current day Elx. This original location was settled by the Iberians and then occupied by Carthaginians and Romans. The latter called the city Ilici and granted it the status of colonia; after a brief Byzantine rule, the Goths took over, establishing an episcopal see.

Elx lost importance during the period of Moorish occupation, when it was moved slightly north to its present location. James II of Aragon took the city from the Moors in the 13th century, during the Reconquista. The city grew throughout the 18th century and became more important during the 19th century with the arrival of the railway and a booming industrial development of what used to be the traditional footwear industry.

Many archeological remains have been found in Elche, with the stone bust of the Lady of Elx (Dama d'Elx) being the most important. This may date from the Iberian period (4th century BC). The original is in the National Archaeological Museum of Madrid.

Image:Panorámica Elche.JPG

Panoramic view of Elx from the Basílica de Santa María: the Altamira Castle is to the left, next to the Municipal Park.

Main sights

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Elx Palm Grove (better known as Palmerar d'Elx, in Valencian). It is an orchard of over 200,000 palm trees that was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2000.
Altamira Palace, also known as Alcázar de la Señoría, located next to the Municipal Park (which, in turn, is a part of the Elx Palm Grove) It was originally built in Almohad times (12th-13th centuries), and was later renovated with brick exterior in the 15th century. A former fortress, in 1913 it became a fabric plant, it has also been used as the town hall and as a prison during the Spanish Civil War, while today is home to the Archaeological Museum Alejandro Ramos.
Baños Arabes (Arabic Baths), which re-uses old Roman baths.
Basilica of Santa Maria
Calahorra tower, of rectangular plan and Rabic origin, it represent the last relic of the old city walls.
Municipio
Convento de la Merced.
Huerto del Cura
Museu Paleontologic d'Elx (Palaeontological Museum)

The Mystery Play of Elx (better known as Misteri d'Elx, in Valencian) is a sacral-lyrical medieval drama, dated from the 15th century, which was declared a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO in 2002.

Trivia

On December 22, 1999, 1,450 first-prize coupons of El Gordo de Navidad (The Fat One), the most important Spanish National Lottery prize, were bought in Elx, giving the winner a combined record total of US$262 million.
The 13th of August is the date of a celebration in Elx called Nit de l'Albà (Night of the Dawn) in which a city-wide night-long war of fireworks is the most notable activity.
The city has bid for the 17th Mediterranean Games in 2017.