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'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 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.

Contents

Economy

History

Main sights

Trivia

Twin towns

Notes

See also

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

''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.

Main sights

★ Elx Palm Grove (better known as ''Palmerar d'Elx'', in Valencian). It is an orchard of over 200,000 palm trees which 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''.

★ ''Herto del Cura''

★ ''Museu Paleontologic d'Elx'' (Palaeontological Musem)
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.

Twin towns

★ Toulouse, France

Notes

1. Both names are official.

See also

★ Elche CF Local football team currently playing in the Segunda División.

External links

★ Economical and social information about the city 2007

★ Ajuntament d'Elx, Town Hall of Elx

★ Instituto Valenciano de Estadística City official statistics.

★ Turisme d'Elx, City council official Tourist guide

★ Elche, City overview from a local citizen

★ Cultura d'Elx, City council Cultural events website

★ FuturElx, City council strategical development guidelines

★ The first ever Elx Home Page

★ Miguel Hernandez University of Elche

★ BBC Radio 3 programme on Mystery Play - available to listen online 14-21 October 2006