Elx Palm Grove. A World Heritage Site

Elx Palm Grove. A World Heritage Site

The Palm Grove Theme Area

The Palm Grove Theme Area is the result of several initiatives being carried out by Elx Town Hall in order to bring added value to the Palm Grove, thus continuing the commitment it acquired after UNESCO declared Elche’s Palm Grove as a World Heritage Site on November 30th 2000.

Firstly, there is the Route through the Palm Grove, that enables visitors to see some of the plantations that make up the historical Palm Grove. The route enables visitors to see palm plantations in their original state without any anachronistic elements.

Furthermore, the Palm Grove Interpretation Centre, located in the Hort de Sant Plàcid plantation will soon be open to the public. This plantation, in the very heart of the city, has a house-cum-workshop that is being refurbished as a museum, enabling visitors to learn more about the Palm Grove’s history and features. Outside, you can see its traditional irrigation system as well as the plant species that have been grown in the grove for centuries. There will also be demonstrations of how the palm trees are cared for and of crafts that use blanched palm leaves as their raw material.

Another important project under way is that of the interactive exhibition on irrigation in the Palm Grove, to be located in the Molí Real building, one of the most emblematic buildings in the Municipal Park. Water will be the star in this teaching centre since the historical lack of hydraulic resources has marked the city’s development and its very aesthetics.

Completing the package of initiatives is the planned enlargement of the Phoenix Station date palm and oasis agriculture research centre. This action will enable the public to visit some research areas so that they will see first-hand the lines of research being developed there. An international date palm documentation centre will also be opened on the same site.