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Wikipedia

Alicante

Alicante[a] (Valencian: Alacant)[b] is a city and municipality in the Valencian Community, Spain. It is the capital of the province of Alicante and a historic Mediterranean port. The population of the city was 337,482 as of 2020, the second-largest in the Valencian Community.[5][c]

Alicante
Alicante (Spanish)
Alacant (Valencian)
View of the harbour with the Castle of Santa Bárbara in the foreground
Explanada de España
Casa Carbonell
City hall
Beach of El Postiguet
Location of Alicante
Alicante
Alicante
Coordinates: 38°20′43″N 0°28′59″W / 38.34528°N 0.48306°W / 38.34528; -0.48306
CountrySpain
Autonomous CommunityValencian Community
ProvinceAlicante
ComarcaAlacantí
Founded324 BC
Government
 • MayorLuis Barcala (PP)
Area
 • Total201.27 km2 (77.71 sq mi)
Elevation
 (AMSL)
3 m (10 ft)
Population
 (2022-1-1)[1]
 • Total348,901
 • Rank10
 • Density1,700/km2 (4,500/sq mi)
Demonymsalicantino, -na (es)
alacantí, -ina (va)
GDP
 • Metro€34.014 billion (2020)
Time zoneUTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code
03000–03016
Area code+34 (ES) + 96 (A)
Administrative Divisions12
Neighborhoods45
ClimateBSh
Websitewww.alicante.es

Toponymy edit

The name of the city echoes the Arabic name Laqant (لَقَنْت), al-Laqant (اللَّقَنْت) or Al-qant (القنت),[6] which in turn reflects the Latin Lucentum[7] and Greek root Leuké (or Leuka), meaning "white".

History edit

The area around Alicante has been inhabited for over 7000 years. The first tribes of hunter-gatherers moved down gradually from Central Europe between 5000 and 3000 BC. Some of the earliest settlements were made on the slopes of Mount Benacantil. By 1000 BC Greek and Phoenician traders had begun to visit the eastern coast of Spain, establishing small trading ports and introducing the native Iberian tribes to the alphabet, iron, and the pottery wheel. The Carthaginian general Hamilcar Barca established the fortified settlement of Akra Leuké (Greek: Ἄκρα Λευκή, meaning "White Mountain" or "White Point"), in the mid-230s BC, which is generally presumed to have been on the site of modern Alicante.

 
Archeological site of Tossal de Manises, ancient IberianCarthaginianRoman city of Akra Leuké or Lucentum

Although the Carthaginians conquered much of the land around Alicante, the Romans would eventually rule Hispania Tarraconensis for over 700 years. By the 5th century AD, Rome was in decline and the Roman predecessor town of Alicante, known as Lucentum (Latin), was more or less under the control of the Visigothic warlord Theudimer and thereafter under Visigothic rule from 400 to 700 A.D. The Goths did not put up much resistance to the Arab conquest of Medina Laqant at the beginning of the 8th century. The Moors ruled southern and eastern Spain until the 13th century Reconquista (Reconquest). Alicante was conquered again in 1247 by the Castilian king Alfonso X, but later passed to the Kingdom of Valencia in 1296 with King James II of Aragon. It gained the status of Royal Village (Vila Reial) with representation in the medieval Valencian Parliament (Corts Valencianes).

After several decades of being the battlefield where the Crown of Castile and the Crown of Aragon clashed, Alicante became a major Mediterranean trading station exporting rice, wine, olive oil, oranges, and wool. But between 1609 and 1614 King Felipe III expelled thousands of Moriscos who had remained in Valencia after the Reconquista, due to their cooperation with Barbary pirates who continually attacked coastal cities and caused much harm to trade. This act cost the region dearly; with so many skilled artisans and agricultural labourers gone, the feudal nobility found itself sliding into bankruptcy.

Conditions worsened in the early 18th century; after the War of Spanish Succession, Alicante went into a long, slow decline, surviving through the 18th and 19th centuries by making shoes and growing agricultural produce such as oranges and almonds, and thanks to its fisheries. The end of the 19th century witnessed a sharp recovery of the local economy with increasing international trade and the growth of the city harbour leading to increased exports of several products (particularly during World War I when Spain was a neutral country).

During the early 20th century, Alicante was a minor capital that took profit from the benefit of Spain's neutrality during World War I, and that provided new opportunities for local industry and agriculture. The Rif War in the 1920s saw numerous alicantinos drafted to fight in the long and bloody campaigns in the former Spanish protectorate (northern Morocco) against the Rif rebels. The political unrest of the late 1920s led to the victory of Republican candidates in local council elections throughout the country, and the abdication of King Alfonso XIII. The proclamation of the Second Spanish Republic was much celebrated in the city on 14 April 1931. The Spanish Civil War broke out on 17 July 1936. Alicante was the last city loyal to the Republican government to be occupied by General Franco's troops on 1 April 1939, and its harbour saw the last Republican government officials fleeing the country. Vicious air bombings were targeted on Alicante during the three years of civil conflict, most notably the bombing by the Italian Aviazione Legionaria of the Mercado on 25 May 1938 in which more than 300 civilians perished.

The port of Alicante was the site of the heroic episode of the British ship SS Stanbrook in 1939 at the end of the Spanish Civil War. Her captain Archibald Dickson decided to rescue thousands of Spanish Republicans families during the night of 28th March 1939 under the bombing of the Nazis.[8]

From 1954 onwards many pied-noirs settled in the city (as many as 30,000, although other sources decrease the amount tenfold).[9] Alicante had fostered strong links with Oran in the past, and a notable share of the population of the latter city during the French colonial period had ancestry in the province of Alicante.[9] The immigration process accelerated after the independence of Algeria in 1962.[9]

 
El Postiguet beach in 1957

The late 1950s and early 1960s saw the onset of a lasting transformation of the city by the tourist industry. Large buildings and complexes rose in nearby Albufereta, e.g. El Barco, and Playa de San Juan de Alicante, with the benign climate being the biggest draw to attract prospective buyers and tourists who kept the hotels reasonably busy. New construction benefited the whole economy, as the development of the tourism sector also spawned new businesses such as restaurants, bars, and other tourist-oriented enterprises. Also, the old airfield at Rabasa was closed and air traffic moved to the new El Altet Airport, which made a more convenient and modern facility for charter flights bringing tourists from northern European countries.

When Franco died in 1975, his successor Juan Carlos I played his part as the living symbol of the transition of Spain to a democratic constitutional monarchy. The governments of regional communities were given constitutional status as nationalities, and their governments were given more autonomy, including that of the Valencian region, the Generalitat Valenciana.

The Port of Alicante has been reinventing itself since the industrial decline the city suffered in the 1980s (with most mercantile traffic lost to Valencia's harbour). In recent years, the Port Authority has established it as one of the most important ports in Spain for cruises, with 72 calls to port made by cruise ships in 2007 bringing some 80,000 passengers and 30,000 crew to the city each year.[10] The moves to develop the port for more tourism have been welcomed by the city and its residents, but the latest plans to develop an industrial estate in the port have caused great controversy.

Geography edit

Alicante is located in the southeast of the Iberian Peninsula, on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea. Some orographic features rise over the largely flat terrain where the city is built on including the Cabo de la Huerta, the Serra Grossa, the Tosal and the Benacantil hills.

Located in an arid territory, Alicante lacks any meaningful permanent water stream.[11] There are however several stream beds correspondent to intermittent ramblas.[11] There was a swamp area in the northeast of the municipality, l'Albufereta, yet it was dried up in 1928.[11]

The municipality has two exclaves in the mainland: Monnegre (between the municipalities of San Vicente del Raspeig, Mutxamel, Busot and Jijona),[12] and Cabeçó d'Or; the latter comprises part of the namesake Cabeçó d'Or mountain (including the summit, 1209 metres above sea level).[13] The small island of Tabarca, 8 nautical miles to the south of the city, also belongs to the municipality.[14]

The foot of the main staircase of the City Hall Building (Ayuntamiento) is the zero point (cota cero), used as the point of reference for measuring the height above or below sea level of any point in Spain, due to the marginal tidal variations of the Mediterranean sea at Alicante.[15]

Economy edit

 
Port of Alicante

Until the global recession which started in 2008, Alicante was one of the fastest-growing cities in Spain. The boom depended partly on tourism directed to the beaches of the Costa Blanca and particularly on the second residence-construction boom which started in the 1960s and revived again by the late 1990s. Services and public administration also play a major role in the city's economy. The construction boom has raised many environmental concerns and both the local autonomous government and city council are under scrutiny by the European Union. The construction surge was the subject of hot debates among politicians and citizens alike. The latest of many public battles concerns the plans of the Port Authority of Alicante to construct an industrial estate on reclaimed land in front of the city's coastal strip, in breach of local, national, and European regulations. (See Port of Alicante for details).

 
Ciudad de la Luz

The city serves as the headquarters of the European Union Intellectual Property Office and a sizeable population of European public workers live there.

The campus of the University of Alicante lies in San Vicente del Raspeig, bordering the city of Alicante to the north. More than 25,000 students attend the university.[16]

Between 2005 and 2012 Ciudad de la Luz (Ciutat de la Llum), one of the largest film studios in Europe, had its base in Alicante. The studio shot Spanish and international movies such as Asterix at the Olympic Games by Frédéric Forestier and Thomas Langmann, and Manolete by Menno Meyjes. It was shut down in 2012 for violating European competition law.[17]

Government and administration edit

Luis Barcala of the People's Party has been the mayor of Alicante since 19 April 2018. He became mayor after the resignation of Gabriel Echávarri, when the councillor Nerea Belmonte defected from Guanyar Alacant and refused to support the Socialist Party replacement candidate Eva Montesinos.[18]

 
Plenary hall where the municipal council meets.

Gabriel Echávarri of the Socialist Party (PSOE) was the mayor of the city from 13 June 2015 until April 2018, following the municipal elections on 24 May 2015. He was supported by the votes from his group (6), plus those from leftist parties Guanyar Alacant (6) and Compromís (3), as well as from the centre-right party Ciudadanos (6). The People's Party (Partido Popular, PP), with only 8 elected seats, lost the majority. On April he resigned due to various judicial issues and was temporarily substituted by the councillor Eva Montesinos.[19]

In the previous municipal elections of May 2011, Sonia Castedo of People's Party won the elections with an absolute majority, but resigned in December 2014 due to her involvement in several corruption scandals, at present being under investigation. Her fellow party member Miguel Valor went on to become mayor up until Echávarri's election.

Climate edit

Alicante has mild winter temperatures, hot and sultry summers, and little rain, concentrated in equinoctial periods. Like the rest of the Province of Alicante itself, which has a range of dry climate types, the city has a hot semi-arid climate (BSh) according to the Köppen climate classification.[20] It is one of the driest cities in Europe.[21] Daily variations in temperature are generally small because of the stabilising influence of the sea, although occasional periods of westerly wind can produce temperature changes of 15 °C (27 °F) or more. Seasonal temperature variations are also relatively small, meaning that winters are mild and summers are hot. During the summer, due to the evaporation of warm Mediterranean waters, air humidity levels are high, making the day and night stuffy for much of the season. These high humidity levels increase the heat index.

The average rainfall is 311 mm (12.2 in) per year. The cold drop means that September and October are the wettest months. Rarely, the rainfall can be torrential, reaching over 100 mm (4 in) in a 24-hour period, leading to severe flooding. Because of this irregularity, only 35 rainy days are observed on average per year, and the annual number of sunshine hours is 2,851.

The record maximum temperature of 42.0 °C (107.6 °F) was observed on 13 August 2022.[22] The record minimum temperature of −4.6 °C (23.7 °F) was recorded on 12 February 1956.[23] The worst flooding in the city's modern history occurred on 30 September 1997 when 270.2 mm (10.6 in) of rain fell within six hours.[24] Temperatures below 2 °C (36 °F) are very rare; the last recorded snowfall occurred in 1926.[25] Alicante enjoys one of the sunniest and warmest winter daytime temperatures in mainland Europe.[26]

Climate data for Alicante 81m (1981–2010), extremes (1960-present)[27]
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 29.8
(85.6)
29.4
(84.9)
32.6
(90.7)
33.8
(92.8)
37.0
(98.6)
38.4
(101.1)
41.4
(106.5)
42.0
(107.6)
38.4
(101.1)
36.2
(97.2)
30.6
(87.1)
26.6
(79.9)
42.0
(107.6)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 17.0
(62.6)
17.6
(63.7)
19.6
(67.3)
21.3
(70.3)
24.1
(75.4)
27.8
(82.0)
30.3
(86.5)
30.8
(87.4)
28.5
(83.3)
24.9
(76.8)
20.5
(68.9)
17.7
(63.9)
23.3
(73.9)
Daily mean °C (°F) 11.7
(53.1)
12.3
(54.1)
14.2
(57.6)
16.1
(61.0)
19.1
(66.4)
22.9
(73.2)
25.5
(77.9)
26.0
(78.8)
23.5
(74.3)
19.7
(67.5)
15.4
(59.7)
12.6
(54.7)
18.3
(64.9)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) 6.3
(43.3)
7.1
(44.8)
8.9
(48.0)
10.9
(51.6)
14.1
(57.4)
18.1
(64.6)
20.7
(69.3)
21.2
(70.2)
18.5
(65.3)
14.5
(58.1)
10.3
(50.5)
7.4
(45.3)
13.2
(55.8)
Record low °C (°F) −2.6
(27.3)
−1.8
(28.8)
−1.0
(30.2)
2.6
(36.7)
4.8
(40.6)
10.4
(50.7)
13.4
(56.1)
13.2
(55.8)
9.4
(48.9)
4.0
(39.2)
0.2
(32.4)
−2.5
(27.5)
−2.6
(27.3)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 23
(0.9)
22
(0.9)
23
(0.9)
29
(1.1)
28
(1.1)
12
(0.5)
4
(0.2)
7
(0.3)
56
(2.2)
47
(1.9)
36
(1.4)
25
(1.0)
311
(12.2)
Average precipitation days (≥ 1 mm) 3.6 3 3.4 4.1 4 1.8 0.6 1.1 3.3 4.5 4.2 3.8 37.4
Average relative humidity (%) 67 66 65 63 64 63 65 67 69 70 69 68 66
Mean monthly sunshine hours 181 180 227 247 277 302 330 304 250 217 173 164 2,851
Source 1: Agencia Estatal de Meteorología[28]
Source 2: Agencia Estatal de Meteorología[29]
Climatological normals for Alicante (period 1981-2010)[28]
Parameter Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Average number of Storm days 0.2 0.4 0.4 1.6 2.3 1.5 0.7 1.1 2.7 2.1 0.5 0.4
Mean number of days with fog 0.2 0.5 0.6 0.2 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.0 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.0
Average number of frost days 0.4 0.3 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.1
Average number of clear days 8 6.1 6.5 5.5 5.4 9.9 15.2 12.7 6.5 5.4 5.7 7
Average sea temperature:[30]
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
15 °C (59 °F) 14 °C (57 °F) 14 °C (57 °F) 16 °C (61 °F) 19 °C (66 °F) 22 °C (72 °F) 25 °C (77 °F) 26 °C (79 °F) 25 °C (77 °F) 23 °C (73 °F) 19 °C (66 °F) 17 °C (63 °F) 19.6 °C (67.3 °F)

Demographics edit

 
Alicantinos at the Rambla Méndez Núñez
Historical population
YearPop.±%
12502,500—    
13503,250+30.0%
14181,539−52.6%
16095,040+227.5%
16466,174+22.5%
171711,019+78.5%
173512,604+14.4%
175414,394+14.2%
176817,213+19.6%
178617,345+0.8%
YearPop.±%
179719,313+11.3%
180321,447+11.0%
185727,550+28.5%
186031,162+13.1%
187734,926+12.1%
188740,115+14.9%
189749,463+23.3%
190050,495+2.1%
191055,116+9.2%
192063,382+15.0%
YearPop.±%
193071,271+12.4%
194089,198+25.2%
1950101,791+14.1%
1960121,832+19.7%
1970181,550+49.0%
1981245,963+35.5%
1991265,473+7.9%
2001288,481+8.7%
2011334,329+15.9%
2020337,482+0.9%
Source: Historical population data sources: 1250–1609: estimates by historians; 1646: Vecindario del archivo del Reino de Valencia; 1717–1803: various censuses prepared by the governments of Spain; from 1857: national census.

The official population of Alicante in 2022 was 338,577 inhabitants and 768,194 in the metropolitan area "Alicante-Elche".[5] As of 2022, about 17.7% of the population is foreign, 62195 people, most of them immigrants who have arrived in the previous 20 years.[31] Besides which, there is an estimation of additional thousands coming from countries outside the EU (mostly from the African continent) that are under illegal alien status and therefore are not accounted for in official population figures.[32] The real percentage of foreign residents is higher, since the Alicante metropolitan area is home to many Northern European retirees who are officially still residents of their own countries.[original research?] A sizable number of semi-permanent residents are Spanish nationals who officially still live in other areas of Spain.

Nationalities with more than 1000 inhabitants (2022)[31]
Country of Birth Men Women Total
  Algeria 4845 3047 7892
  Colombia 2695 3234 5929
  Italy 2720 2104 4824
  Morocco 2252 1819 4071
  Romania 1829 2097 3926
  Russia 1176 1799 2975
  Venezuela 1075 1404 2479
  France 1239 1226 2465
  Ukraine 946 1285 2231
  Argentina 1037 1092 2129
  China 940 960 1900
  United Kingdom 801 616 1417
  Bulgaria 646 621 1267
  Ecuador 642 448 1090
  Germany 543 542 1085

Transportation edit

Alicante Airport outranks the Valencia Airport, being the busiest airport in the Valencian Community, and among the busiest airports in Spain after Madrid, Barcelona, Palma de Mallorca and Málaga. It is connected with Madrid and Barcelona by frequent Iberia and Vueling flights, and with many Western European cities through carriers such as Ryanair, Easyjet and Jet2.com. There are also regular flights to Algeria.

Alicante railway station is used by Cercanías Murcia/Alicante commuter rail services linking Alicante with suburbs and Murcia.[33] Long-range Renfe trains run frequently to Madrid, Barcelona, and Valencia.[34] In 2013, the Madrid–Levante high-speed rail network was extended to Alicante station, allowing AVE high-speed rail services to link to Madrid via Villena AV, Albacete-Los Llanos and Cuenca-Fernando Zóbel.

Alicante Tram connects the city with outlying settlements along Costa Blanca. As of 2020, electric tram-trains run up to Benidorm, and diesel trains go further to Dénia.[35]

The city has regular ferry services to the Balearic Islands and Algeria.[36] The city is strongly fortified, with a spacious harbour.

Main sights edit

Amongst the most notable features of the city are the Castle of Santa Bárbara and the port of Alicante. The latter was the subject of bitter controversy in 2006–2007 as residents battled, successfully, to keep it from being changed into an industrial estate.

The Santa Bárbara castle is situated on Mount Benacantil, overlooking the city. The tower (La Torreta) at the top, is the oldest part of the castle, while part of the lowest zone and the walls were constructed later in the 18th century.

The promenade Explanada de España, lined by palm trees, is paved with 6.5 million marble floor tiles creating a wavy form. The Promenade extends from the Port of Alicante to the Gran Vía and ends at the famous statue of Mark Hersch. For the people of Alicante, the promenade is the meeting place for the traditional Spanish paseo, or stroll along the waterfront in the evenings, and a venue for outdoor musical concerts. At the end of the promenade is a monument by the artist Bañuls of the 19th century.

Barrio de la Santa Cruz is a colourful quarter of the old city, situated southwest of Santa Bárbara castle. Its small houses climb up the hill leading to the walls and the castle, through narrow streets decorated with flags and tubs of flowers.

L'Ereta Park is situated on the foothills of Mount Benacantil. It runs from the Santa Bárbara castle down to the old part of Alicante and consists of several levels, routes, decks, and rest stops which offer a panoramic view overlooking the city.

El Palmeral Park is one of the favourite parks of Alicante's citizens. It includes walking trails, children's playgrounds, ponds and brooks, picnic tables, and an auditorium for concerts.

Just a few kilometers from Alicante on the Mediterranean Sea lies Tabarca island. What was once a haven for Barbary pirates is now a tourist attraction.

Other sights include:

  • Basilica of Santa María (14th–16th centuries), built-in Gothic style over the former main mosque. Other features include the high altar, in Rococo style, and the portal, in Baroque style, both from the 18th century.
  • Co-cathedral of St. Nicholas of Bari (15th–18th centuries), also built over a mosque. It is the main church of Alicante and the bishop's seat.
  • Monastery of Santa Faz (15th century), located 5 kilometres (3 miles) outside the city, in Baroque style.
  • Defence towers of the Huerta de Alicante (15th–18th centuries), built to defend against the Barbary pirates. Today some 20 towers are still extant.
  • Baroque Casa de La Asegurada (1685), the most ancient civil building in the city. (c. XVII). Today it is home to the Museum of Contemporary Art of Alicante.
  • Casa consistorial de Alicante (18th century), also in Baroque style.
  • Convent of the Canónigas de San Agustín (18th century).
  • Gravina Palace (1748–1808), nowadays hosting Gravina Museum of Fine Arts.
  • Castle of San Fernando.

There are a dozen museums in Alicante. On exhibition at the Archaeological Museum of Alicante (MARQ) are local artifacts dating from 100,000 years ago until the early 20th century. The collection is divided into different rooms representing three divisions of archaeological methodology: ground, urban and underwater archaeology, with dioramas, audiovisual and interactive zones. The archaeological museum won the European Museum of the Year Award in 2004. Gravina Museum of Fine Arts presents several paintings and sculptures from the 16th century to the 19th century. Asegurada Museum of Contemporary Art houses a major collection of twentieth-century art, composed mainly of works donated by Eusebio Sempere.

Festivals edit

The most important festival, the Bonfires of Saint John (Hogueras de San Juan / Fogueres de Sant Joan), takes place during the summer solstice. This is followed a week later by five nights of firework and pyrotechnic contests between companies on the urban beach Playa del Postiguet. Another well-known festival is Moors and Christians (Moros y Cristianos) in Altozano or San Blas district. Overall, the city boasts a year-round nightlife for the enjoyment of tourists, residents, and a large student population of the University of Alicante. The nightlife social scene tends to shift to nearby Playa de San Juan during the summer months.

Every summer in Alicante, a two-month-long programme of music, theatre and dance is staged in the Paseo del Puerto.[37]

Sport edit

For the 2023/24 season Alicante has two football clubs in the top 4 levels of Spanish football; Hércules CF and CF Intercity. For the 2023/24 season Hércules compete in Segunda Federación, the 4th level and are well known as they played in La Liga (the Spanish Premier Division) during the 1996/1997 season and again in 2010/2011. They have had many famous players such as David Trezeguet, Royston Drenthe and Nelson Valdez. Hércules are also known for their victory over Barcelona in 1997 which led to Real Madrid winning the league. Home games are played at the 30,000-capacity José Rico Pérez Stadium.

The city's other club, Alicante CF, who played in the Third Division, was dissolved in 2014 due to economic problems. They were replaced in 2017 by newly formed club CF Intercity, who compete in Primera Federación, the 3rd level of Spanish football, in the 23/24 season and play at Estadio Antonio Solana.

Basketball club (HLA Alicante) Lucentum Alicante participates in the Spanish basketball league. It plays in the Centro de Tecnificación de Alicante.

Alicante serves as headquarters and the starting point of the Volvo Ocean Race, a yacht race around the world. The latest race sailed in January 2023.

Notable people edit

Twin towns – sister cities edit

Alicante is twinned with:[38]

See also edit

Notes edit

  1. ^ /ˌælɪˈkænti/, also UK: /-t/,[3] US: /ˌælɪˈkɑːnti, ˌɑːl-/,[4] Spanish: [aliˈkante]
  2. ^ Valencian: [alaˈkant]
  3. ^ The conurbation includes Alicante, San Vicente del Raspeig, Sant Joan d'Alacant, Mutxamel and El Campello. See Área metropolitana de Alicante-Elche for data and methodology.

References edit

  1. ^ Municipal Register of Spain 2018. National Statistics Institute.
  2. ^ "Gross domestic product (GDP) at current market prices by metropolitan regions". ec.europa.eu.
  3. ^ . Lexico UK English Dictionary. Oxford University Press. Archived from the original on 16 July 2021.
  4. ^ . Lexico UK English Dictionary US English Dictionary. Oxford University Press. Archived from the original on 16 July 2021.
  5. ^ a b . Ine.es. Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE). 2016. Archived from the original on 15 April 2016. Retrieved 15 April 2016.
  6. ^ Arslan, Shakib (1936). الحلل السندسية في الأخبار والآثار الأندلسية - Sindhis solutions in Andalusian news and effects (in Arabic).
  7. ^ "Laqant". Gran Enciclopedia Temática de la Comunidad Valenciana (in Valencian). Vol. Historia. Editorial Prensa Valenciana. 2009.
  8. ^ "Master Archibald Dickson | War Casualty Details 2782442".
  9. ^ a b c Garrigós Monerris & Daniel Villa 2009, p. 60.
  10. ^ . Diariocrítico de la Comunidad Valenciana (in Spanish). 16 May 2007. Archived from the original on 20 July 2011.
  11. ^ a b c Martínez Martínez 2014, p. 87.
  12. ^ "Estudio de paisaje del municipio de alicante" (PDF). Ayuntamiento de Alicante. p. 34. Archived (PDF) from the original on 9 October 2022.
  13. ^ "Busot reparará el vértice geodésico del Cabeçó D'Or". Alicante Press. 7 April 2019.
  14. ^ "Isla de Tabarca". Instituto Geológico y Minero de España.
  15. ^ . alicante-ayto.es (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 10 June 2009.
  16. ^ "Annual Report for academic year 2018–19". University of Alicante (in Spanish).
  17. ^ "Adiós a los estudios de cine Ciudad de la Luz | Cine y Tele". 14 February 2019. Retrieved 27 February 2019.
  18. ^ "El PP recupera Alicante al fracasar el pacto del PSOE con la tránsfuga de Podemos. Noticias de Comunidad Valenciana". El Confidencial (in Spanish). 20 April 2018. Retrieved 27 February 2019.
  19. ^ Sánchez, Manrique C. (23 March 2018). "El alcalde de Alicante firma su dimisión, que hará efectiva el 9 de abril". El País (in Spanish). ISSN 1134-6582. Retrieved 18 April 2018.
  20. ^ "Iberian Climate Atlas" (PDF). www.aemet.es. Archived (PDF) from the original on 9 October 2022. Retrieved 9 August 2021.
  21. ^ iAgua, redaccion (22 March 2017). "¿Cuáles son las zonas más áridas de España?". iAgua (in Spanish). Retrieved 19 March 2024.
  22. ^ "Alicante/Alacant Aeropuerto". Agencia Estatal de Meteorología. Retrieved 15 January 2017.
  23. ^ "Valores extremos. Alicante/Alacant". Agencia Estatal de Meteorología. Retrieved 15 January 2017.
  24. ^ D. Prats Rico; M.F. Chillón Arias (1 May 2001). "A reverse osmosis potable water plant at Alicante University: first years of operation". Desalination. 137 (1–3): 92. doi:10.1016/S0011-9164(01)00215-6. As can be observed, torrential rain was registered in Alicante on 30th September 1997 (270L/m2). This occurred during an interval of only 6h, causing widespread flooding in the city.
  25. ^ [Snow in the City of Alicante]. myartsonline.com (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 7 February 2017. Retrieved 15 January 2017.
  26. ^ . Archived from the original on 21 June 2020. Retrieved 20 June 2020.
  27. ^ "Guía resumida del clima en España (1981-2010)". Agencia Estatal de Meteorología. Retrieved 15 January 2017.
  28. ^ a b "Valores climatológicos normales. Alicante/Alacant". Agencia Estatal de Meteorología. Retrieved 26 September 2014.
  29. ^ "Guía resumida del clima en España. Alicante/Alacant". Agencia Estatal de Meteorología. Retrieved 29 June 2020.
  30. ^ "Alicante Climate". Seatemperature.org.
  31. ^ a b "Población de Alicante". Ayuntamiento de Alicante. 4 March 2015. Retrieved 11 March 2023.
  32. ^ "Pateras en Alicante: una tendencia al alza pero todavía lejos de convertirse en 'punto caliente'". El Español. June 2021.
  33. ^ "Murcia/Alicante". RENFE Cercanías.
  34. ^ . Horarios.renfe.es. Archived from the original on 20 July 2011. Retrieved 11 March 2011.
  35. ^ "TRAM Alicante". Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat Valenciana.[permanent dead link]
  36. ^ . Aferry.co.uk. Archived from the original on 26 February 2011. Retrieved 11 March 2011.
  37. ^ "Alicante Festivals". Alicante.com. Retrieved 11 March 2011.
  38. ^ "Curiosas anécdotas de la ciudad de Alicante". lalonja-alicante.com (in Spanish). La Lonja. 6 April 2020. Retrieved 3 December 2020.
  39. ^ . 12endigital.es (in Spanish). 12 en digital. 5 September 2018. Archived from the original on 24 October 2021. Retrieved 3 December 2020.
  40. ^ "ערים תאומות". herzliya.muni.il (in Hebrew). Herzliya. Retrieved 3 December 2020.
  41. ^ Pascual, C. (20 March 2020). "La ciudad china de Wenzhou, hermanada con Alicante, ofrece un avión cargado de material sanitario". Información (in Spanish). Retrieved 3 December 2020.

Bibliography edit

  • Garrigós Monerris, José Ignacio; Daniel Villa, Aurora (2009). "Inmigración y proyectos migratorios. El caso de una pied-noir en Alicante" (PDF). Papers. 94 (94): 59–77. doi:10.5565/rev/papers/v94n0.689. ISSN 2013-9004. Archived (PDF) from the original on 9 October 2022.
  • Martínez Martínez, Jorge (2014). "Estudio de la isla de calor de la ciudad de Alicante" (PDF). Investigaciones Geográficas (62). Alicante: Universidad de Alicante: 83–99. doi:10.14198/INGEO2014.62.06. ISSN 0213-4691. Archived (PDF) from the original on 9 October 2022.

External links edit

  • Official website of the Diputación Provincial de Alicante (in Valencian and Spanish)
  • Postal codes in Alicante

alicante, this, article, about, city, spain, province, province, wine, region, other, uses, disambiguation, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, materi. This article is about a city in Spain For the Alicante province see Province of Alicante For the Alicante wine region see Alicante DO For other uses see Alicante disambiguation This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Alicante news newspapers books scholar JSTOR November 2022 Learn how and when to remove this template message Alicante a Valencian Alacant b is a city and municipality in the Valencian Community Spain It is the capital of the province of Alicante and a historic Mediterranean port The population of the city was 337 482 as of 2020 update the second largest in the Valencian Community 5 c Alicante Alicante Spanish Alacant Valencian MunicipalityView of the harbour with the Castle of Santa Barbara in the foregroundExplanada de EspanaGran SolCo cathedralCasa CarbonellCity hallBeach of El PostiguetFlagCoat of armsLocation of AlicanteAlicanteShow map of Valencian CommunityAlicanteShow map of SpainCoordinates 38 20 43 N 0 28 59 W 38 34528 N 0 48306 W 38 34528 0 48306CountrySpainAutonomous CommunityValencian CommunityProvinceAlicanteComarcaAlacantiFounded324 BCGovernment MayorLuis Barcala PP Area Total201 27 km2 77 71 sq mi Elevation AMSL 3 m 10 ft Population 2022 1 1 1 Total348 901 Rank10 Density1 700 km2 4 500 sq mi Demonyms alicantino na es alacanti ina va GDP 2 Metro 34 014 billion 2020 Time zoneUTC 1 CET Summer DST UTC 2 CEST Postal code03000 03016Area code 34 ES 96 A Administrative Divisions12Neighborhoods45ClimateBShWebsitewww alicante es Contents 1 Toponymy 2 History 3 Geography 4 Economy 5 Government and administration 6 Climate 7 Demographics 8 Transportation 9 Main sights 10 Festivals 11 Sport 12 Notable people 13 Twin towns sister cities 14 See also 15 Notes 16 References 16 1 Bibliography 17 External linksToponymy editThe name of the city echoes the Arabic name Laqant ل ق ن ت al Laqant الل ق ن ت or Al qant القنت 6 which in turn reflects the Latin Lucentum 7 and Greek root Leuke or Leuka meaning white History editMain articles History of Alicante and Timeline of Alicante The area around Alicante has been inhabited for over 7000 years The first tribes of hunter gatherers moved down gradually from Central Europe between 5000 and 3000 BC Some of the earliest settlements were made on the slopes of Mount Benacantil By 1000 BC Greek and Phoenician traders had begun to visit the eastern coast of Spain establishing small trading ports and introducing the native Iberian tribes to the alphabet iron and the pottery wheel The Carthaginian general Hamilcar Barca established the fortified settlement of Akra Leuke Greek Ἄkra Leykh meaning White Mountain or White Point in the mid 230s BC which is generally presumed to have been on the site of modern Alicante nbsp Archeological site of Tossal de Manises ancient Iberian Carthaginian Roman city of Akra Leuke or Lucentum Although the Carthaginians conquered much of the land around Alicante the Romans would eventually rule Hispania Tarraconensis for over 700 years By the 5th century AD Rome was in decline and the Roman predecessor town of Alicante known as Lucentum Latin was more or less under the control of the Visigothic warlord Theudimer and thereafter under Visigothic rule from 400 to 700 A D The Goths did not put up much resistance to the Arab conquest of Medina Laqant at the beginning of the 8th century The Moors ruled southern and eastern Spain until the 13th century Reconquista Reconquest Alicante was conquered again in 1247 by the Castilian king Alfonso X but later passed to the Kingdom of Valencia in 1296 with King James II of Aragon It gained the status of Royal Village Vila Reial with representation in the medieval Valencian Parliament Corts Valencianes After several decades of being the battlefield where the Crown of Castile and the Crown of Aragon clashed Alicante became a major Mediterranean trading station exporting rice wine olive oil oranges and wool But between 1609 and 1614 King Felipe III expelled thousands of Moriscos who had remained in Valencia after the Reconquista due to their cooperation with Barbary pirates who continually attacked coastal cities and caused much harm to trade This act cost the region dearly with so many skilled artisans and agricultural labourers gone the feudal nobility found itself sliding into bankruptcy Conditions worsened in the early 18th century after the War of Spanish Succession Alicante went into a long slow decline surviving through the 18th and 19th centuries by making shoes and growing agricultural produce such as oranges and almonds and thanks to its fisheries The end of the 19th century witnessed a sharp recovery of the local economy with increasing international trade and the growth of the city harbour leading to increased exports of several products particularly during World War I when Spain was a neutral country During the early 20th century Alicante was a minor capital that took profit from the benefit of Spain s neutrality during World War I and that provided new opportunities for local industry and agriculture The Rif War in the 1920s saw numerous alicantinos drafted to fight in the long and bloody campaigns in the former Spanish protectorate northern Morocco against the Rif rebels The political unrest of the late 1920s led to the victory of Republican candidates in local council elections throughout the country and the abdication of King Alfonso XIII The proclamation of the Second Spanish Republic was much celebrated in the city on 14 April 1931 The Spanish Civil War broke out on 17 July 1936 Alicante was the last city loyal to the Republican government to be occupied by General Franco s troops on 1 April 1939 and its harbour saw the last Republican government officials fleeing the country Vicious air bombings were targeted on Alicante during the three years of civil conflict most notably the bombing by the Italian Aviazione Legionaria of the Mercado on 25 May 1938 in which more than 300 civilians perished The port of Alicante was the site of the heroic episode of the British ship SS Stanbrook in 1939 at the end of the Spanish Civil War Her captain Archibald Dickson decided to rescue thousands of Spanish Republicans families during the night of 28th March 1939 under the bombing of the Nazis 8 From 1954 onwards many pied noirs settled in the city as many as 30 000 although other sources decrease the amount tenfold 9 Alicante had fostered strong links with Oran in the past and a notable share of the population of the latter city during the French colonial period had ancestry in the province of Alicante 9 The immigration process accelerated after the independence of Algeria in 1962 9 nbsp El Postiguet beach in 1957 The late 1950s and early 1960s saw the onset of a lasting transformation of the city by the tourist industry Large buildings and complexes rose in nearby Albufereta e g El Barco and Playa de San Juan de Alicante with the benign climate being the biggest draw to attract prospective buyers and tourists who kept the hotels reasonably busy New construction benefited the whole economy as the development of the tourism sector also spawned new businesses such as restaurants bars and other tourist oriented enterprises Also the old airfield at Rabasa was closed and air traffic moved to the new El Altet Airport which made a more convenient and modern facility for charter flights bringing tourists from northern European countries When Franco died in 1975 his successor Juan Carlos I played his part as the living symbol of the transition of Spain to a democratic constitutional monarchy The governments of regional communities were given constitutional status as nationalities and their governments were given more autonomy including that of the Valencian region the Generalitat Valenciana The Port of Alicante has been reinventing itself since the industrial decline the city suffered in the 1980s with most mercantile traffic lost to Valencia s harbour In recent years the Port Authority has established it as one of the most important ports in Spain for cruises with 72 calls to port made by cruise ships in 2007 bringing some 80 000 passengers and 30 000 crew to the city each year 10 The moves to develop the port for more tourism have been welcomed by the city and its residents but the latest plans to develop an industrial estate in the port have caused great controversy Geography editAlicante is located in the southeast of the Iberian Peninsula on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea Some orographic features rise over the largely flat terrain where the city is built on including the Cabo de la Huerta the Serra Grossa the Tosal and the Benacantil hills Located in an arid territory Alicante lacks any meaningful permanent water stream 11 There are however several stream beds correspondent to intermittent ramblas 11 There was a swamp area in the northeast of the municipality l Albufereta yet it was dried up in 1928 11 The municipality has two exclaves in the mainland Monnegre between the municipalities of San Vicente del Raspeig Mutxamel Busot and Jijona 12 and Cabeco d Or the latter comprises part of the namesake Cabeco d Or mountain including the summit 1209 metres above sea level 13 The small island of Tabarca 8 nautical miles to the south of the city also belongs to the municipality 14 The foot of the main staircase of the City Hall Building Ayuntamiento is the zero point cota cero used as the point of reference for measuring the height above or below sea level of any point in Spain due to the marginal tidal variations of the Mediterranean sea at Alicante 15 Economy edit nbsp Port of Alicante Until the global recession which started in 2008 Alicante was one of the fastest growing cities in Spain The boom depended partly on tourism directed to the beaches of the Costa Blanca and particularly on the second residence construction boom which started in the 1960s and revived again by the late 1990s Services and public administration also play a major role in the city s economy The construction boom has raised many environmental concerns and both the local autonomous government and city council are under scrutiny by the European Union The construction surge was the subject of hot debates among politicians and citizens alike The latest of many public battles concerns the plans of the Port Authority of Alicante to construct an industrial estate on reclaimed land in front of the city s coastal strip in breach of local national and European regulations See Port of Alicante for details nbsp Ciudad de la Luz The city serves as the headquarters of the European Union Intellectual Property Office and a sizeable population of European public workers live there The campus of the University of Alicante lies in San Vicente del Raspeig bordering the city of Alicante to the north More than 25 000 students attend the university 16 Between 2005 and 2012 Ciudad de la Luz Ciutat de la Llum one of the largest film studios in Europe had its base in Alicante The studio shot Spanish and international movies such as Asterix at the Olympic Games by Frederic Forestier and Thomas Langmann and Manolete by Menno Meyjes It was shut down in 2012 for violating European competition law 17 Government and administration editSee also List of mayors of Alicante Luis Barcala of the People s Party has been the mayor of Alicante since 19 April 2018 He became mayor after the resignation of Gabriel Echavarri when the councillor Nerea Belmonte defected from Guanyar Alacant and refused to support the Socialist Party replacement candidate Eva Montesinos 18 nbsp Plenary hall where the municipal council meets Gabriel Echavarri of the Socialist Party PSOE was the mayor of the city from 13 June 2015 until April 2018 following the municipal elections on 24 May 2015 He was supported by the votes from his group 6 plus those from leftist parties Guanyar Alacant 6 and Compromis 3 as well as from the centre right party Ciudadanos 6 The People s Party Partido Popular PP with only 8 elected seats lost the majority On April he resigned due to various judicial issues and was temporarily substituted by the councillor Eva Montesinos 19 In the previous municipal elections of May 2011 Sonia Castedo of People s Party won the elections with an absolute majority but resigned in December 2014 due to her involvement in several corruption scandals at present being under investigation Her fellow party member Miguel Valor went on to become mayor up until Echavarri s election Climate editAlicante has mild winter temperatures hot and sultry summers and little rain concentrated in equinoctial periods Like the rest of the Province of Alicante itself which has a range of dry climate types the city has a hot semi arid climate BSh according to the Koppen climate classification 20 It is one of the driest cities in Europe 21 Daily variations in temperature are generally small because of the stabilising influence of the sea although occasional periods of westerly wind can produce temperature changes of 15 C 27 F or more Seasonal temperature variations are also relatively small meaning that winters are mild and summers are hot During the summer due to the evaporation of warm Mediterranean waters air humidity levels are high making the day and night stuffy for much of the season These high humidity levels increase the heat index The average rainfall is 311 mm 12 2 in per year The cold drop means that September and October are the wettest months Rarely the rainfall can be torrential reaching over 100 mm 4 in in a 24 hour period leading to severe flooding Because of this irregularity only 35 rainy days are observed on average per year and the annual number of sunshine hours is 2 851 The record maximum temperature of 42 0 C 107 6 F was observed on 13 August 2022 22 The record minimum temperature of 4 6 C 23 7 F was recorded on 12 February 1956 23 The worst flooding in the city s modern history occurred on 30 September 1997 when 270 2 mm 10 6 in of rain fell within six hours 24 Temperatures below 2 C 36 F are very rare the last recorded snowfall occurred in 1926 25 Alicante enjoys one of the sunniest and warmest winter daytime temperatures in mainland Europe 26 Climate data for Alicante 81m 1981 2010 extremes 1960 present 27 Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year Record high C F 29 8 85 6 29 4 84 9 32 6 90 7 33 8 92 8 37 0 98 6 38 4 101 1 41 4 106 5 42 0 107 6 38 4 101 1 36 2 97 2 30 6 87 1 26 6 79 9 42 0 107 6 Mean daily maximum C F 17 0 62 6 17 6 63 7 19 6 67 3 21 3 70 3 24 1 75 4 27 8 82 0 30 3 86 5 30 8 87 4 28 5 83 3 24 9 76 8 20 5 68 9 17 7 63 9 23 3 73 9 Daily mean C F 11 7 53 1 12 3 54 1 14 2 57 6 16 1 61 0 19 1 66 4 22 9 73 2 25 5 77 9 26 0 78 8 23 5 74 3 19 7 67 5 15 4 59 7 12 6 54 7 18 3 64 9 Mean daily minimum C F 6 3 43 3 7 1 44 8 8 9 48 0 10 9 51 6 14 1 57 4 18 1 64 6 20 7 69 3 21 2 70 2 18 5 65 3 14 5 58 1 10 3 50 5 7 4 45 3 13 2 55 8 Record low C F 2 6 27 3 1 8 28 8 1 0 30 2 2 6 36 7 4 8 40 6 10 4 50 7 13 4 56 1 13 2 55 8 9 4 48 9 4 0 39 2 0 2 32 4 2 5 27 5 2 6 27 3 Average precipitation mm inches 23 0 9 22 0 9 23 0 9 29 1 1 28 1 1 12 0 5 4 0 2 7 0 3 56 2 2 47 1 9 36 1 4 25 1 0 311 12 2 Average precipitation days 1 mm 3 6 3 3 4 4 1 4 1 8 0 6 1 1 3 3 4 5 4 2 3 8 37 4 Average relative humidity 67 66 65 63 64 63 65 67 69 70 69 68 66 Mean monthly sunshine hours 181 180 227 247 277 302 330 304 250 217 173 164 2 851 Source 1 Agencia Estatal de Meteorologia 28 Source 2 Agencia Estatal de Meteorologia 29 Climatological normals for Alicante period 1981 2010 28 Parameter Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Average number of Storm days 0 2 0 4 0 4 1 6 2 3 1 5 0 7 1 1 2 7 2 1 0 5 0 4 Mean number of days with fog 0 2 0 5 0 6 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 Average number of frost days 0 4 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 Average number of clear days 8 6 1 6 5 5 5 5 4 9 9 15 2 12 7 6 5 5 4 5 7 7 Average sea temperature 30 Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year 15 C 59 F 14 C 57 F 14 C 57 F 16 C 61 F 19 C 66 F 22 C 72 F 25 C 77 F 26 C 79 F 25 C 77 F 23 C 73 F 19 C 66 F 17 C 63 F 19 6 C 67 3 F Demographics edit nbsp Alicantinos at the Rambla Mendez Nunez Historical populationYearPop 12502 500 13503 250 30 0 14181 539 52 6 16095 040 227 5 16466 174 22 5 171711 019 78 5 173512 604 14 4 175414 394 14 2 176817 213 19 6 178617 345 0 8 YearPop 179719 313 11 3 180321 447 11 0 185727 550 28 5 186031 162 13 1 187734 926 12 1 188740 115 14 9 189749 463 23 3 190050 495 2 1 191055 116 9 2 192063 382 15 0 YearPop 193071 271 12 4 194089 198 25 2 1950101 791 14 1 1960121 832 19 7 1970181 550 49 0 1981245 963 35 5 1991265 473 7 9 2001288 481 8 7 2011334 329 15 9 2020337 482 0 9 Source Historical population data sources 1250 1609 estimates by historians 1646 Vecindario del archivo del Reino de Valencia 1717 1803 various censuses prepared by the governments of Spain from 1857 national census The official population of Alicante in 2022 was 338 577 inhabitants and 768 194 in the metropolitan area Alicante Elche 5 As of 2022 about 17 7 of the population is foreign 62195 people most of them immigrants who have arrived in the previous 20 years 31 Besides which there is an estimation of additional thousands coming from countries outside the EU mostly from the African continent that are under illegal alien status and therefore are not accounted for in official population figures 32 The real percentage of foreign residents is higher since the Alicante metropolitan area is home to many Northern European retirees who are officially still residents of their own countries original research A sizable number of semi permanent residents are Spanish nationals who officially still live in other areas of Spain Nationalities with more than 1000 inhabitants 2022 31 Country of Birth Men Women Total nbsp Algeria 4845 3047 7892 nbsp Colombia 2695 3234 5929 nbsp Italy 2720 2104 4824 nbsp Morocco 2252 1819 4071 nbsp Romania 1829 2097 3926 nbsp Russia 1176 1799 2975 nbsp Venezuela 1075 1404 2479 nbsp France 1239 1226 2465 nbsp Ukraine 946 1285 2231 nbsp Argentina 1037 1092 2129 nbsp China 940 960 1900 nbsp United Kingdom 801 616 1417 nbsp Bulgaria 646 621 1267 nbsp Ecuador 642 448 1090 nbsp Germany 543 542 1085Transportation editAlicante Airport outranks the Valencia Airport being the busiest airport in the Valencian Community and among the busiest airports in Spain after Madrid Barcelona Palma de Mallorca and Malaga It is connected with Madrid and Barcelona by frequent Iberia and Vueling flights and with many Western European cities through carriers such as Ryanair Easyjet and Jet2 com There are also regular flights to Algeria Alicante railway station is used by Cercanias Murcia Alicante commuter rail services linking Alicante with suburbs and Murcia 33 Long range Renfe trains run frequently to Madrid Barcelona and Valencia 34 In 2013 the Madrid Levante high speed rail network was extended to Alicante station allowing AVE high speed rail services to link to Madrid via Villena AV Albacete Los Llanos and Cuenca Fernando Zobel Alicante Tram connects the city with outlying settlements along Costa Blanca As of 2020 update electric tram trains run up to Benidorm and diesel trains go further to Denia 35 The city has regular ferry services to the Balearic Islands and Algeria 36 The city is strongly fortified with a spacious harbour Main sights editAmongst the most notable features of the city are the Castle of Santa Barbara and the port of Alicante The latter was the subject of bitter controversy in 2006 2007 as residents battled successfully to keep it from being changed into an industrial estate The Santa Barbara castle is situated on Mount Benacantil overlooking the city The tower La Torreta at the top is the oldest part of the castle while part of the lowest zone and the walls were constructed later in the 18th century The promenade Explanada de Espana lined by palm trees is paved with 6 5 million marble floor tiles creating a wavy form The Promenade extends from the Port of Alicante to the Gran Via and ends at the famous statue of Mark Hersch For the people of Alicante the promenade is the meeting place for the traditional Spanish paseo or stroll along the waterfront in the evenings and a venue for outdoor musical concerts At the end of the promenade is a monument by the artist Banuls of the 19th century Barrio de la Santa Cruz is a colourful quarter of the old city situated southwest of Santa Barbara castle Its small houses climb up the hill leading to the walls and the castle through narrow streets decorated with flags and tubs of flowers L Ereta Park is situated on the foothills of Mount Benacantil It runs from the Santa Barbara castle down to the old part of Alicante and consists of several levels routes decks and rest stops which offer a panoramic view overlooking the city El Palmeral Park is one of the favourite parks of Alicante s citizens It includes walking trails children s playgrounds ponds and brooks picnic tables and an auditorium for concerts Just a few kilometers from Alicante on the Mediterranean Sea lies Tabarca island What was once a haven for Barbary pirates is now a tourist attraction Other sights include Basilica of Santa Maria 14th 16th centuries built in Gothic style over the former main mosque Other features include the high altar in Rococo style and the portal in Baroque style both from the 18th century Co cathedral of St Nicholas of Bari 15th 18th centuries also built over a mosque It is the main church of Alicante and the bishop s seat Monastery of Santa Faz 15th century located 5 kilometres 3 miles outside the city in Baroque style Defence towers of the Huerta de Alicante 15th 18th centuries built to defend against the Barbary pirates Today some 20 towers are still extant Baroque Casa de La Asegurada 1685 the most ancient civil building in the city c XVII Today it is home to the Museum of Contemporary Art of Alicante Casa consistorial de Alicante 18th century also in Baroque style Convent of the Canonigas de San Agustin 18th century Gravina Palace 1748 1808 nowadays hosting Gravina Museum of Fine Arts Castle of San Fernando There are a dozen museums in Alicante On exhibition at the Archaeological Museum of Alicante MARQ are local artifacts dating from 100 000 years ago until the early 20th century The collection is divided into different rooms representing three divisions of archaeological methodology ground urban and underwater archaeology with dioramas audiovisual and interactive zones The archaeological museum won the European Museum of the Year Award in 2004 Gravina Museum of Fine Arts presents several paintings and sculptures from the 16th century to the 19th century Asegurada Museum of Contemporary Art houses a major collection of twentieth century art composed mainly of works donated by Eusebio Sempere Festivals editThe most important festival the Bonfires of Saint John Hogueras de San Juan Fogueres de Sant Joan takes place during the summer solstice This is followed a week later by five nights of firework and pyrotechnic contests between companies on the urban beach Playa del Postiguet Another well known festival is Moors and Christians Moros y Cristianos in Altozano or San Blas district Overall the city boasts a year round nightlife for the enjoyment of tourists residents and a large student population of the University of Alicante The nightlife social scene tends to shift to nearby Playa de San Juan during the summer months Every summer in Alicante a two month long programme of music theatre and dance is staged in the Paseo del Puerto 37 Sport editFor the 2023 24 season Alicante has two football clubs in the top 4 levels of Spanish football Hercules CF and CF Intercity For the 2023 24 season Hercules compete in Segunda Federacion the 4th level and are well known as they played in La Liga the Spanish Premier Division during the 1996 1997 season and again in 2010 2011 They have had many famous players such as David Trezeguet Royston Drenthe and Nelson Valdez Hercules are also known for their victory over Barcelona in 1997 which led to Real Madrid winning the league Home games are played at the 30 000 capacity Jose Rico Perez Stadium The city s other club Alicante CF who played in the Third Division was dissolved in 2014 due to economic problems They were replaced in 2017 by newly formed club CF Intercity who compete in Primera Federacion the 3rd level of Spanish football in the 23 24 season and play at Estadio Antonio Solana Basketball club HLA Alicante Lucentum Alicante participates in the Spanish basketball league It plays in the Centro de Tecnificacion de Alicante Alicante serves as headquarters and the starting point of the Volvo Ocean Race a yacht race around the world The latest race sailed in January 2023 Notable people editSee also List of Alicante citizensTwin towns sister cities editSee also List of twin towns and sister cities in Spain Alicante is twinned with 38 nbsp Alexandria Egypt nbsp Brighton and Hove England UK nbsp Carloforte Italy 39 nbsp Herzliya Israel 40 nbsp Leon Nicaragua nbsp Matanzas Cuba nbsp Nice France nbsp Oran Algeria nbsp Toyooka Japan 1996 nbsp Wenzhou China 41 See also editCastrum Album St Nicholas DayNotes edit ˌ ae l ɪ ˈ k ae n t i also UK t eɪ 3 US ˌ ae l ɪ ˈ k ɑː n t i ˌ ɑː l 4 Spanish aliˈkante Valencian alaˈkant The conurbation includes Alicante San Vicente del Raspeig Sant Joan d Alacant Mutxamel and El Campello See Area metropolitana de Alicante Elche for data and methodology References edit Municipal Register of Spain 2018 National Statistics Institute Gross domestic product GDP at current market prices by metropolitan regions ec europa eu Alicante Lexico UK English Dictionary Oxford University Press Archived from the original on 16 July 2021 Alicante Lexico UK English Dictionary US English Dictionary Oxford University Press Archived from the original on 16 July 2021 a b List of place name Population of the Continuous Municipal Register by Population Unit Ine es Instituto Nacional de Estadistica INE 2016 Archived from the original on 15 April 2016 Retrieved 15 April 2016 Arslan Shakib 1936 الحلل السندسية في الأخبار والآثار الأندلسية Sindhis solutions in Andalusian news and effects in Arabic Laqant Gran Enciclopedia Tematica de la Comunidad Valenciana in Valencian Vol Historia Editorial Prensa Valenciana 2009 Master Archibald Dickson War Casualty Details 2782442 a b c Garrigos Monerris amp Daniel Villa 2009 p 60 El puerto de Alicante registrara 72 escalas de cruceros durante 2007 Diariocritico de la Comunidad Valenciana in Spanish 16 May 2007 Archived from the original on 20 July 2011 a b c Martinez Martinez 2014 p 87 Estudio de paisaje del municipio de alicante PDF Ayuntamiento de Alicante p 34 Archived PDF from the original on 9 October 2022 Busot reparara el vertice geodesico del Cabeco D Or Alicante Press 7 April 2019 Isla de Tabarca Instituto Geologico y Minero de Espana Ayuntamiento de Alicante Edificios Singulares alicante ayto es in Spanish Archived from the original on 10 June 2009 Annual Report for academic year 2018 19 University of Alicante in Spanish Adios a los estudios de cine Ciudad de la Luz Cine y Tele 14 February 2019 Retrieved 27 February 2019 El PP recupera Alicante al fracasar el pacto del PSOE con la transfuga de Podemos Noticias de Comunidad Valenciana El Confidencial in Spanish 20 April 2018 Retrieved 27 February 2019 Sanchez Manrique C 23 March 2018 El alcalde de Alicante firma su dimision que hara efectiva el 9 de abril El Pais in Spanish ISSN 1134 6582 Retrieved 18 April 2018 Iberian Climate Atlas PDF www aemet es Archived PDF from the original on 9 October 2022 Retrieved 9 August 2021 iAgua redaccion 22 March 2017 Cuales son las zonas mas aridas de Espana iAgua in Spanish Retrieved 19 March 2024 Alicante Alacant Aeropuerto Agencia Estatal de Meteorologia Retrieved 15 January 2017 Valores extremos Alicante Alacant Agencia Estatal de Meteorologia Retrieved 15 January 2017 D Prats Rico M F Chillon Arias 1 May 2001 A reverse osmosis potable water plant at Alicante University first years of operation Desalination 137 1 3 92 doi 10 1016 S0011 9164 01 00215 6 As can be observed torrential rain was registered in Alicante on 30th September 1997 270L m2 This occurred during an interval of only 6h causing widespread flooding in the city Nieve en la Ciudad de Alicante Snow in the City of Alicante myartsonline com in Spanish Archived from the original on 7 February 2017 Retrieved 15 January 2017 Alicante Airport Time and Weather ALC Airport Time and Weather Archived from the original on 21 June 2020 Retrieved 20 June 2020 Guia resumida del clima en Espana 1981 2010 Agencia Estatal de Meteorologia Retrieved 15 January 2017 a b Valores climatologicos normales Alicante Alacant Agencia Estatal de Meteorologia Retrieved 26 September 2014 Guia resumida del clima en Espana Alicante Alacant Agencia Estatal de Meteorologia Retrieved 29 June 2020 Alicante Climate Seatemperature org a b Poblacion de Alicante Ayuntamiento de Alicante 4 March 2015 Retrieved 11 March 2023 Pateras en Alicante una tendencia al alza pero todavia lejos de convertirse en punto caliente El Espanol June 2021 Murcia Alicante RENFE Cercanias RENFE destinations from ALACANT TERMINAL Horarios renfe es Archived from the original on 20 July 2011 Retrieved 11 March 2011 TRAM Alicante Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat Valenciana permanent dead link Alicante Ferry Port Aferry co uk Archived from the original on 26 February 2011 Retrieved 11 March 2011 Alicante Festivals Alicante com Retrieved 11 March 2011 Curiosas anecdotas de la ciudad de Alicante lalonja alicante com in Spanish La Lonja 6 April 2020 Retrieved 3 December 2020 El Alcalde recibe a una delegacion de la ciudad de Carloforte hermanada con Alicante 12endigital es in Spanish 12 en digital 5 September 2018 Archived from the original on 24 October 2021 Retrieved 3 December 2020 ערים תאומות herzliya muni il in Hebrew Herzliya Retrieved 3 December 2020 Pascual C 20 March 2020 La ciudad china de Wenzhou hermanada con Alicante ofrece un avion cargado de material sanitario Informacion in Spanish Retrieved 3 December 2020 Bibliography edit Garrigos Monerris Jose Ignacio Daniel Villa Aurora 2009 Inmigracion y proyectos migratorios El caso de una pied noir en Alicante PDF Papers 94 94 59 77 doi 10 5565 rev papers v94n0 689 ISSN 2013 9004 Archived PDF from the original on 9 October 2022 Martinez Martinez Jorge 2014 Estudio de la isla de calor de la ciudad de Alicante PDF Investigaciones Geograficas 62 Alicante Universidad de Alicante 83 99 doi 10 14198 INGEO2014 62 06 ISSN 0213 4691 Archived PDF from the original on 9 October 2022 External links editOfficial website of the Diputacion Provincial de Alicante in Valencian and Spanish Postal codes in Alicante Alicante at Wikipedia s sister projects nbsp Media from Commons nbsp Travel guides from Wikivoyage Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Alicante amp oldid 1221028816, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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