Elche/Elx

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Elche/Elx

Altamira Castle in Elche.


Flag	Coat of Arms

Location

Coordinates : 38°16′N 0°41′W
Time Zone : CET (GMT +1)
- summer: CEST (GMT +2)

General information

Native name

Elx (Valencian)

Spanish name

Elche

Postal code

[03202 - 03206]

Website

http://www.elche.es

Administration

Country

Spain

Autonomous Community

Valencian Community

Province

Alicante

Comarca

Baix Vinalopó

Mayor

Diego Maciá Antón (PSOE)

Geography

Land Area

326,07 km²

Altitude

86 m AMSL

Population

Population

219,032 (20-10-2006)

- rank in Spain:

Density

671,73 hab./km² (20-10-2006)

Panoramic view of Elx.

The Palm Grove of Elx.

Elx (in Valencian) or Elche (in Spanish^[1]) is a city located in the comarca of Baix Vinalopó, in the Alicante province which, in turn, is a part of the Valencian Community, Spain.

Part of the municipality is coastal but the main city is some 15 kms (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 World Heritage sites
4 Trivia
5 Notes
6 See also
7 External links

[edit] 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) and a University, (Universidad Miguel Hernández).

[edit] History

Frontal view of the Lady of Elx.

La Alcudia site, which lies a mere 10 km from the current city's location is the immediate antecessor of current day Elx. This original location was settled by the Iberians and was later on occupied by Carthaginians and Romans, which called the city Ilici and granted it with 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 slighty north to its present location. James II of Aragon took the city from the Moors by the end of the 13th century, during the period known as Reconquista. The city grew throughout the 18th century; but this growth 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.

A vast amount of archeological remains have been found in Elche, with the stone bust of the Lady of Elx (Dama d'Elx) being the most important find. It is supposed to date from the Iberian period, in the 4th century BC. The original can be found in the National Archaeological Museum of Madrid.

[edit] World Heritage sites

Elx Palm Grove (better known as Palmerar d'Elx, in Valencian). It is a orchard of over 200,000 palm trees which was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2000.
Mystery Play of Elx (better known as Misteri d'Elx, in Valencian). It 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.

[edit] 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.