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Palmeral of Elche

Agriculture in SpainBien de Interés Cultural landmarks in the Province of AlicanteDate palm orchardsElcheGardens in Spain
Geography of the Province of AlicanteWorld Heritage Sites in Spain
Arcoiris en el Palmeral de Elche
Arcoiris en el Palmeral de Elche

The Palmeral or Palm Grove of Elche (Spanish: Palmeral de Elche; Valencian: Palmerar d'Elx) is the generic name for a system of date palm orchards in the city of Elche, Spain. The Palmeral was planted in Roman times and underwent modifications in the medieval period under Islamic and Christian rulers. The Roman empire introduced water management techniques to Elche, but the 10th c. Islamic Caliphate of Córdoba and later rulers of Al-Andalus planted palm groves and garden-estates in huertos (rectangular base agricultural units). Islamic rulers also constructed the largest canal system sections in Elche. In the 13th century Christian rulers conquered Elche and expanded the canal system. Industrialization and urban sprawl contracted the Palmeral in the late 19th and 20th century. The Spanish national government and Valencian regional government enacted legislation to protect the Palm Grove. In 2000, UNESCO designated the Palmeral a World Heritage Site, but climate change, pests, and disease threaten the site. The Palmeral includes a National Artistic Garden, Palm Grove Museum, Route of El Palmeral, and Municipal Park.

Excerpt from the Wikipedia article Palmeral of Elche (License: CC BY-SA 3.0, Authors, Images).

Palmeral of Elche
avinguda Alcalde Vicente Quiles, Elx / Elche Porfirio Pascual

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Geographical coordinates (GPS)

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N 38.27 ° E -0.698 °
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avinguda Alcalde Vicente Quiles
03271 Elx / Elche, Porfirio Pascual
Valencian Community, Spain
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Arcoiris en el Palmeral de Elche
Arcoiris en el Palmeral de Elche
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Baix Vinalopó
Baix Vinalopó

The Baix Vinalopó (Spanish: Bajo Vinalopó, lit. "Lower Vinalopó") is a comarca in the province of Alicante (Valencian Community, Spain). It is bordered by the comarques of Vinalopó Mitjà and Alacantí on the north and Vega Baja del Segura on the south. Its capital is the city of Elche/Elx, with a population of 232,517 in 2019. The other major towns in the comarca are Crevillent/Crevillente and Santa Pola. Vinalopó river flows through this comarca giving its name to it, even though nowadays is just a tiny stream more than a proper river. The territory is mostly flat except for some of the last ranges belonging to the Baetic System which appear here near the border with the neighbouring comarcas Vinalopó Mitjà, following a general southwest-northeast trend. The highest peaks are found in the Serra de Crevillent (Sierra de Crevillente), a mountain range close to Crevillent/Crevillente, being its highest the Sant Gaietà with its 816 metres, a local hiking attraction. Its climate is dry, with scarce rainfalls—below the Mediterranean climate threshold—which happen mostly in Autumn and Spring amounting an average of 250–300 mm per year and showing relatively warm mean temperatures. Among the herbaceous species, esparto and shrub deserve to be mentioned due to their industrial value in the past. Some important natural places are the swamps in the lower part of the comarca known as El Fondo Natural Park and the Salines de Santa Pola Natural Park, both Ramsar sites. The comarca is highly industrial, especially in its capital, Elche, and also in the town of Crevillent/Crevillente. Agriculture is also an important activity in the area. In the coastline around Santa Pola the main activity is tourism, fisheries and sea salt.

Dolores, Spain
Dolores, Spain

Dolores (Spanish pronunciation: [doˈloɾes]) is a town located in the comarca of Vega Baja del Segura in southern Alicante province, Spain. The town is in the heart of the Segura huerta (vegetable garden) about 10 km (6.2 mi) from the nearest beaches in La Marina and Guardamar. Dolores is readily accessible from the Autovia del Mediterráneo motorway and a new motorway from Elche, and is about 20 minutes away from the Alicante international airport. The town has a population of 7427, an area of 18.25 km2 (7.05 sq mi), and the average monthly temperature varies between 16 °C (61 °F) in December–January and 28 °C (82 °F) in July–August. The most important monument is the 18th-century church, with sculptures by Salcillo and Roque Lopez. The two most important fiestas in Dolores are the Feria de Agosto (August Fair) in early August; and the Fiesta de la Virgen, in mid-September. The Feria de Agosto is one of the more important fairs of Spain, and it features a Spanish Horse Contest. More than 1,500 horses are shown each year in all sorts of games and activities. Cattle and dog contests are also held at the fair. The Fiesta de la Virgen includes a carriage parade, the running of the "vaca toposa" (a variety of a small, aggressive cow), and the procession to honor the Virgen de los Dolores (Virgin of Sorrows), the patron saint of the village. The typical cuisine of Dolores takes advantage of the fresh vegetables available in the area (artichokes, beans), and also includes plenty of meat and seafood. The most typical dish is "cocido con pelotas", which includes meatballs and potato and chickpea stew. There are also many fresh fruits such as melons, watermelons, oranges, and apricots. An open-air market is held every Friday morning where the local produce is sold. Housing in Dolores is relatively affordable, and substantially cheaper than in the nearby beach areas. On November 25, 2005, the Municipal government of Dolores approved the development of a 1.6 km2 area -Dolores Golf- to accommodate 2,664 new housing units, which also includes a 580,000 m2 (145 acre) golf course. The new development was modified afterwards, and is now fully consistent with the regional government (Generalitat Valenciana) requirements. The improved Dolores Golf plan was approved on March 26, 2007, with the agreement of the two main political forces in Dolores -People's Party (P.P.) and the Socialist Party (P.S.O.E)- which, together, accounted for some 92 percent of the votes in the May 2007 local elections. [1]. The revised plan was finally approved by the Conselleria de Urbanismo (regional government) on March 27, 2008.[2] [3]. The development is expected to be completed over the next few years.