Huerto del Cura

- Palm gardens, Dama de Elche, Imperial Palm Tree


In the municipal area of Elche you can find between 2-300.000 palm trees. Most specialists believe that they were planted by the Phoenicians almost 3000 years ago. Everywhere in the city of Elche you can find tall palm trees, as well as large palm gardens -so called huertas, but the Huerta del Cura is the most popular and most organized one. For a small entrance fee you can visit this beautiful palm garden, that is situated only a few blocks from the city center. It is much smaller then you might expect, only about 13 000 m², where about 1000 palm trees grow. The palm trees can be 30m high, and there are both males and females among them. You can also find cactuses, lemon, orange -and pomegranate trees, turtles, butterflies and peacocks in Huerto del Cura. In Elche "Huerto" means a small plot of land on which palm trees are grown. Each palm is named after its owner. Huerto del Cura is named after Chapel José Castaño, a local that owned the garden until 1918.

Notable sites in the garden are:
The House and the Chapel, built in 1940 in local style. The wide porch is supported by pillars from palm trees!
The Imperial Palm Tree
, the main reason for the popularity of the Huerto. Dedicated to Empress Elisabeth of Austria in 1894.
Statue of Juan Orts Román
, expert and owner of this huerto from 1940-58.
Statue of King Jaime I the Conqueror
, who released Elche from the Arab rule in 1265. He also protected the palm gardens.
Tower of Babel
, sculpture by Alicante artist Eusebio Sempere. Sempere won the Prince of Austurias Price with this sculpture in 1983.
La Dama de Elche
, a famous Iberian bust found in Elche in 1897. The original Lady of Elche is in the National Arqueological Museum in Madrid though. Souvenirs with the lady are popular, somewhat of a symbol for Elche.
The Phoenix Dactylifera
, the star of the garden, is the first tree-shaped plant that has been domesticated by civilized man.

Huerto del Cura 01 - entrance to the palm garden Huerto del Cura 02 - the House and the Chapel, built in 1940 in local style. The wide porch is supported by pillars from palm trees! Huerto del Cura 03 - the chapel Huerto del Cura 04 - the chapel Huerto del Cura 05 Huerto del Cura 06 - La Dama de Elche, a famous Iberian bust found in Elche in 1897. The original Lady of Elche is in Madrid though. Huerto del Cura 07 Huerto del Cura 08 - in the palm garden many palms have names after royalties. Huerto del Cura 09 - The Imperial Palm Tree, the main reason for the popularity of the Huerto. Dedicated to Empress Elisabeth of Austria in 1894. Huerto del Cura 10 - The Imperial Palm Tree, the main reason for the popularity of the Huerto. Dedicated to Empress Elisabeth of Austria in 1894. Huerto del Cura 11 - The Imperial Palm Tree, the main reason for the popularity of the Huerto. Dedicated to Empress Elisabeth of Austria in 1894. Huerto del Cura 12 - Statue of King Jaime I the Conqueror, who released Elche from the Arab rule in 1265. Huerto del Cura 13 Huerto del Cura 15 Huerto del Cura 16 Huerto del Cura 17 Huerto del Cura 18 - Statue of Juan Orts Román, expert and owner of  this huerto from 1940-58. Huerto del Cura 19 Huerto del Cura 20 Huerto del Cura 21 Huerto del Cura 22 Huerto del Cura 23 Huerto del Cura 24 - the pond Huerto del Cura 25 - the pond Huerto del Cura 26  - the pond Huerto del Cura 27 Huerto del Cura 28 Huerto del Cura 29  - the pond Huerto del Cura 30 - tall palm trees Huerto del Cura 31 Huerto del Cura 32 - lots of cactuses can also be found in the garden. Huerto del Cura 33 Huerto del Cura 34 Huerto del Cura 35 Huerto del Cura 36 Huerto del Cura 37 Huerto del Cura 38 Huerto del Cura 39 - turtles Huerto del Cura 40 - turtle pond and fountain Huerto del Cura 41 Huerto del Cura 42 Huerto del Cura 43 - "Tower of Babel", sculpture by  Alicante artist Eusebio Sempere. 
Huerto del Cura 44 - "Tower of Babel", Sempere won the Prince of Austurias Price with this sculpture in 1983. Huerto del Cura 45 Huerto del Cura 46 Huerto del Cura 47 Huerto del Cura 48 - La Dama de Elche, a famous Iberian bust found in Elche in 1897. The original Lady of Elche is in Madrid though. Huerto del Cura 49 - entrance