Elche has more palm trees than people.
According to some estimates, there are between 200,000 and 300,000 trees here distributed across hundreds of orchards.
Palm trees have existed in Elche for some 2,500 years.
The first specimens were probably planted in the 5th century BC by Carthaginians who settled in south-east Spain.
The Palm Grove of Elche, Spain.
Most houses today are abandoned as the orchards have been purchased by the local council.
Historically, the orchards were planted for agricultural purposes.
The trees produced dates while the shade they provided benefited the cultivation of vegetables.
As the town spread in the 17th century, some of the orchards were cut down.
This process was exacerbated with the industrial revolution and the arrival of the railway in the 19th century.
It contains around 1000 palm trees, some of them around 300 years old.
Photo credit:Simon/Flickr
Photo credit:Concepcion Munoz/Flickr
