Alicante
Alicante ( Spanish), Alacant ( Valencian ) is a Spanish port town on the Costa Blanca with 335 052 inhabitants (as of 1 January 2013). Alicante to Valencia is the most important city of the Autonomous Valencian Community. It is the capital of the homonymous province.
Its economy is mainly based on tourism and wine production. In addition to wine and olive oil and fruit are exported. There are also light industries such as food processing, as well as leather, textile and construction products industry. In addition, Alicante since 1994 the seat of the Office for Harmonisation in the Internal Market in the European Economic Area.
History
The earliest evidence of human settlement in the urban area can be found in the " Cova del Fum " in Fontcalent from the third millennium BC. Just south of the airport of Alicante, at the mouth of the Rio Segura, is the oldest settlement in the area, the Phoenician founding La Fonteta from the 9th century BC Alicante was not until 500 years later in 324 BC by the Greeks as Akra Leuke founded. 201 BC it was conquered by the Romans, who called it Lucentum (3 km north of the present-day town center ). Hannibal is said to have dumped his famous elephant here. Between 718 and 1249, the city was ruled by the Moors, who named it Al Lucant. In 1265 it was re-conquered by James I and incorporated into the Kingdom of Aragon.
Languages
At the beginning of the 20th century, Alicante was a predominantly Catalan-speaking town. The appeal brought before the Spanish Civil War, Spanish -speaking people in the city. During the Franco dictatorship, Catalan ( Valencian ) was forbidden and so summed up the Spanish language even more distance. Also, the Catalan name of the city, Alacant, could no longer be used. The city was for decades exclusively Alicante. Today, both languages have official status. Not least due to the intensive promotion of the regional government of Valencia region is experiencing a renaissance of Catalan. So is also the name Alacant, next to the Spanish name Alicante, again officially.
For 2003, the Spanish Instituto Nacional de Estadística gave to a share of the Catalan-speaking citizens in the total population of Alicante by 33 percent.
Attractions
The Castillo de Santa Bárbara castle is situated above the town on a rock.
The promenade esplanade de España, consisting of 6.5 million marble stones, lined by palm trees, is an evening meeting of Alicante. At the end of the promenade is a monument by Vicente Bañuls from the 19th century.
Main church of Alicante and Bishop of the diocese of Orihuela - Alicante is the Concatedral de San Nicolás de Bari. It dates from the 17th century and is held in the Herrera style.
The park El Palmeral is one of the parks of Alicante. He is originally derived from a large coconut grove, walking paths, playgrounds, lakes and streams, picnic tables, an auditorium for concerts and a view over the bay of Alicante.
Another park, the " Parque de la Ereta ", located on the mountain Benacanti and runs from the castle down to the old town of Alicante. The park was designed by the French landscape architect Marc and Frédéric Bonnet Bigarnet. As part of the renovation of the castle in 1994 was organized by the city council a European competition.
From Alicante few kilometers away Tabarca is managed. Once a hideout for pirates, the island is now visited by tourists. Worth seeing is the city wall with gates and hills, the fortified church Iglesia de San Pedro y San Pablo, the Governor's house, the cave Cueva del Llop Marí with access from the sea and the Torre de San José, a 27 m high, single standing watchtower whose construction is based on plans from the 14th century. You can reach the island by boat from the port of Alicante or Santa Pola.
Events
Most important festivity in Alicante on June 24, resemble the Bonfires of San Juan which the Fallas in Valencia. These bonfires throughout the city as high as houses, elaborate sculptures are burned. The Hogueras also a Fireworks Championships will be held.
Find Before Easter processions in Alicante Semana Santa instead. The residents of the San Blas district celebrate the Moros y Cristianos. On the second Thursday after Easter is the day of " Pilgrimage de la Santa Faz ", a pilgrimage in a situated just outside Alicante monastery, in which a sheet with the face imprint of Christ is worshiped as a relic. The relic is since the 15th century in the monastery, you will wonder rumored.
Traffic
There are regular ferry services to the Balearic Islands and the Algerian Oran, as well as an international airport nearby. For public transport include numerous bus lines and three light rail lines. In the rail - distance transport Alicante is several times a day to reach by direct trains to / from Madrid and Barcelona, since June 2013 is also a high -speed connection to the Spanish capital. Alicante has one of Spain's oldest railway connections. Alicante railway terminal is the largest of the place.
Others
A gastronomic specialty of the city is nougat ( cat. Torró ). It usually consists mainly of almonds ( about 60%), egg white and honey, but now there are also Turron nougat and nuts, as well as in some other variations.
Alicante is also the headquarters of the company Rolser, which also operates its main factory there.
Sons and daughters of the town
- Carlos Arniches, playwright
- Pedro Ferrandiz, basketball coach and official
- Ramón López, musicians
- Fele Martínez, Actor
- Pedro Solbes, politician and Minister of Economy
- Jeanne Mas, Musician
Gallery
Santa Maria church and the castle at night
View from the castle to the city
View from the castle to the harbor and beach