|
 If
you stand with your back to the Mediterranean any where on the Costa
Blanca, and look inland you will see mountains, some close, some
distant. Some residents know what lies beyond, many don’t, and many
think there is a primitive world of donkey tracks and rocks. In
actual fact it is a very green world with varying types of terrain,
modern cities and good roads. Consider Alcoi, 300 years ago, it was
a wealthy city of textile manufacturers, while Benidorm was a poor
fishing village. Alcoi still is a modern an up to date textile area,
the centre of the textile trade for Spain.
 Alcoi,
known as the city of bridges, is also a city of contrasts, between
the historic and the modern, known internationally as the home of
the ‘Moors and Christians Fiesta’. The Plaza España, the historical
hub of Alcoi is surrounded by classic architecture, including the
Parish Church of Santa Maria and Ayuntamiento. The plaza was
designed by the famous architect Santiago Calatrava (thanks, Nuria).
There are many walks around the narrow streets of grand old
buildings. Details of which can be found in the town hall.A short
way along the main N340 is the town of Cocentaina, another urban
area built under Moorish influence. The old part is centred around
the originally Moorish Palace of the 13th. century which was
renovated and extended by Ximén Perez de Corrella in the 1440’s. He
was made a Count by king of Aragon Alfonso XIII for his services as
a soldier. Adjacent to the Palace is the church of the Clarisas
Convent with it’s striking renaissance interior. A walk around the
narrow twisting streets of this Medieval quarter is quite
fascinating.
Mountains dominate this region, between which there is much
agriculture, cherries being an important crop, discovered to be
viable not long ago as they are ready approximately two weeks before
the rest of the European crops.
There are several mountain ranges in this area, the highest of which
is the Aitana range with a peak of 1558m. Nearby is the Serrella
range with it’s unusual pinnacle rock formations. All these mountain
zones have now been designated nature reserves.
Dotted around this whole area are small villages all with different
characters but all with friendly inhabitants. The highest being
Alcolecha , which is closely linked with historically with the
neighbouring village of Penáguila, both of which have Moorish and
historic buildings. |
