Unravelling the Mystery of Elche
Most visitors flying into the Levante region of Spain head right to the beaches of the Costa Blanca or may pay a visit to Alicante along the way. Yet this part of the COMUNIDAD VALENCIANA has much more to offer than beaches and sunshine, in particular further inland away from the coast. As we have covered repeatedly on previous editions of Euroquest Sidetracks, there is plenty of unchartered territory left to discover in and around Alicante - and ELCHE, with 250000 inhabitants the area's 3rd largest city after Valencia and Alicante, should certainly rank high on the list of places to see for alternative visitors to Spain. A gem of a medieval and baroque city in sparkling clean and refurbished condition, ELCHE boasts not one but TWO UNESCO World-Heritage sites - its famous "Palmeral" (Grove of Palm Trees) and the "MISTERI D"ELX" (Mystery of Elche) play in August. So this week we'd like to take a closer look at this unique, beautiful and quintessentially Spanish town to unravel its mysteries and soak up its local cultural charm.
Getting to Elche from Alicante is easiest by train costing EUR 2.15 one-way and EUR 3.64 round-trip. We decided to disembark at ELCHE CARUSS and walk to the historic Old Town by way of the modern suburbs and crossing over the almost non-existing VINALOPO River. It allowed us to appreciate the contrast between old and new, as well as admire the stunning vegetation along the river embankment, far more impressive than the river itself. Upon crossing the river we arrive at the impressive LA CALAHORRA fortress from the 7th century with the lush date palms of the MUNICIPAL PARK on our left. Clearly marked, the Tourist Information is immediately adjacent to the Park and fully equipped with information on local attractions including the UNESCO sites. In the vicinity we also find the MAHE Arqueological Museum with plentiful testiments of the region's ancient past. Outdoor cafes abound and invite for coffee or a merienda in the sun or shade. Just across the street of the MAHE Museum we come across the BASILICA SANTA MARIA, built from a former mosque in Baroque style in the 17th century, among the city's highlights and site of the MYSTERY OF ELCHE play every year in August.
The "MISTERI D'ELX", as the play is known in local Valenciano in which it is performed, is divided into 2 acts and centered around the death, assumption and subsequent coronation of the Virgin Mary. Historians trace the origin of the play back to the mid-15th century refuting theories that it may date to the Christian Reconquest of ELCHE from the Moslems in 1265 or an alleged apparition of the Virgin Mary in nearby Santa Pola in 1370. The play is held in the Basilica of Elche every year on August 14th and 15th, performed exclusively by local men and as such is the longest continuously running play of its kind in the world. Pope Urbano VIII even granted Elche the exceptional right in 1632 to perform the play despite religious orders from the Catholic Church against performances in churches elsewhere. Apart from dialogue in the ancient Valenciano vernacular, the "MISTERI D'ELX" equally features a blend of musical contributions with medieval, renaissance and baroque influences. Due to its unique cultural contribution, it was awarded UNESCO World Heritage Status in 2001.
Following our visit to the Basilica Santa Maria, we continue our exploration of central Elche by heading past the Market Hall and the "Museo de la Festa" (dedicated to the Mystery Play) towards the second world heritage site here, Elche's magnificent PALMERAL or "Grove of Palm Trees". As such, it represents a unique example of North-African date palm cultivation in Europe, dating back to the times of the Muslim occupation of most of the Iberian Peninsula in the 10th century A.D. The actual cultivation of date palms here originally goes back to Phoenician and Carthiginian times in the 1st millenium B.C., but it was during the Arab occupation of Elche that the current "HUERTOS" or "palm gardens" were laid out in their present style.
Date palms here reach a height of up to 30 meters and live for up to 300 years. Re-cultivation of palm trees is thus essential to the grove's survival, leading the city of ELCHE to impose strict ordinances for the number of date palms to be planted by private landowners. Also for every born child in Elche, a new date palm is planted, which ensures survival of this unique ecosystem in this part of Europe. Upon passing the most famous "HUERTO DEL CURA" palm garden, we gradually leave the city's famous "Palmeral" and return to the urbanized areas of Elche. After revisiting the highlights around the Basilica & the Fortress, we then head north through the Municipal Park to reach ELCHE PARK train station where we end our Sidetracks explorations for the day by boarding the regional train back to Alicante.
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