In one of Spain’s tourist hot spots is located the little city of Elche Spain. Known all over the country for its shoe factories, Elche is a city that holds international interest due to its famed Palmeral de Elche or Palm Groves of Elche, the Ayuntamiento de Elche, and the Mystery of Elche. It has also been the center of much debate regarding the stone bust that was found here in the 19th century. Because of its rich history, Elche Spain can make a great place for a family vacation! Read on for more history.
The history of Elche goes back to the days of the first settlers who made the Spanish mountains and plains their home. These Neolithic people built a small settlement for their tribes in 5000 BC that developed into the later larger town. The Iberian tribes, who came here in search of new hunting grounds and fertile agricultural land, established themselves in the region as a town known as Helike in the 5th century BC.
The Romans, after their conquest of the area, re named the city as Illici and began populating it with warriors from the Cantabrian wars. However, the city found itself conquered once again when the Moors arrived in the region. They grabbed hold of the city but were not content with its location. Therefore, they abandoned the ancient site and moved the city to nearby location that was on lower ground. The Arab pronunciation of the Roman name Illici as Elche has remained to this day.
Another symbol of the Arab rule is the grand Palmeral de Elche. The Arabs introduced a unique method of irrigation that is still used to this day to water the palm trees in the groves.
In the year 1250, the Christians snatched Elche from the Arabs and, by 1265, all Arabian rebellions had been quelled successfully. Elche was moved into the reign of the Crown of Castile. The city moved into the Kingdom of Valencia in the year 1305 but had not been granted the status of a city yet. In 1871, this status was awarded by the King because he saw that it was not a village but a thriving city with many crafts that promised progress for the region.
The twentieth century saw the emergence of Elche as an important city of Spain as tourist visits increased and its shoe making business expanded and prospered. Today, expatriates consider Elche Spain favorably with the result that a vast majority of its inhabitants are foreigners.
No related posts.
Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.