Altea

This article explains the Spanish coastal city of Altea; for the vehicle model named after her by the car brand Seat, see Seat Altea .

Altea municipality
View of the church
coat of arms	Map of Spain
Basic data
Autonomous Community :	Valencia
Province :	Alicante
Comarca :	Marina Baixa
Coordinates	38 ° 36 ′  N , 0 ° 3 ′  W Coordinates: 38 ° 36 ′  N , 0 ° 3 ′  W
Height :	61  msnm
Area :	35.30 km²
Residents :	22,290 (Jan. 1, 2019)
Population density :	631.44 inhabitants / km²
Postal code :	E-03590
Municipality number  ( INE ):	03018
administration
Mayor :	Andrés Ripoll ( PSOE )
Website :	www.altea.es
Location of the municipality

Marina below the Pueblo Mascarat district , in the background Punta Bombarda in L'Alfàs del Pi

View from the old town to the sea

Altea is a coastal city in the Alicante province of the Valencian Autonomous Community in Spain .

Altea had 22,290 inhabitants on January 1, 2019, with an area of ​​34.4 km². The city on the Mediterranean lives today mainly from tourism on the Costa Blanca , the development of which began here in the 1950s. In Altea is the Faculty of Fine Arts of the Miguel Hernández Elche University . The city is a member of the Douzelage Association of Cities .

geography

Geographical location

The city is located on the Bay of Altea, between Cape Mascarat in the north and Punta de la Bombarda in the south, at the mouth of the Río Algar in the Mediterranean Sea. The mountain range of the Sierra de Bernia delimits Altea from the interior. The urban area consists of two urban centers (Altea on the Mediterranean Sea and Altea la Vieja about one kilometer inland), as well as numerous residential areas called urbanizaciones in the vicinity of both centers.

Neighboring communities

In a counter-clockwise direction (starting from the north), Altea borders: The Comarca Marina Alta , the municipalities of Callosa d'En Sarrià , La Nucia and L'Alfàs del Pi .

history

It was founded by Iberians and Romans . After the Moorish rule, the Reconquista was carried out by Jacob I of Aragón in 1244 and the place was surrounded by a city wall, the remains of which can still be seen today. In 1279 it was granted city rights.

Culture and sights

Altea is considered the cultural center of the Valencia region. Over the years, many artists, musicians and writers have settled in the city. With the Villa Gadea , the city is home to a cultural institution that has been recognized by UNESCO as an international music school. The art center Casa de cultura and the concert and cultural center Palau Altea are also located in the city. In the Costera dels Matxos 2 a permanent exhibition of the German painter and graphic artist domiciled Schlotter .

Buildings

The church La Mare de Déu del Consol (Spanish Nuestra Señora del Consuelo ) with its domes made of blue and white tiles is worth seeing. It forms the center of the surrounding old town.

Nature and leisure

Several beaches with numerous bays and cliffs extend along the approximately 6 km long bay of Altea. These include: La Olla, Cap Negret, El Mascarat, La Roda and Cap Blanch. La Roda is the most visited beach section, as it is directly adjacent to the Altea promenade. In addition, the city has a sports palace, a 9-hole golf course and two larger harbors, the Puerto Deportivo Luis Campomanes , a sports and yacht harbor in the northeastern district of El Mascarat , and the Puerto de Altea south of the city center, which includes the fishing port and the yacht club Club Náutico de Altea .

economy

In addition to tourism, Altea has an important fishing port with 24 trawlers and an annual yield of around 2,370 t . Also in the waters of the municipality are two large mariculture in which sea bream , sea ​​bass and eagle fish are bred. Altea's agricultural products include, in particular, citrus fruits , almonds and Japanese medlars , which are sold under the protected designation of origin “Níspero de Callosa d'En Sarrià” .

traffic

The city can be reached via the AP-7 motorway (exit 64). The national road N 332 Valencia - Alicante also runs through Altea. The Alicante light rail line L9 connects Altea with the cities of Benidorm and Dénia . There are also bus connections to the surrounding area.

Partnerships

Altea is a member of the Douzelage . (See navigation bar below)

Personalities associated with Altea

• Eberhard Schlotter (1921–2014), painter and archaeologist
• Malte Sartorius (1933–2017), graphic artist, draftsman and university professor
• Gerd Wollschon (1944–2012), long-standing citizen
• Karl-Ludwig Sauer (* 1949), freelance artist
• Herbert Birken (1914–2007), writer

Web links

Commons : Altea  - collection of images, videos and audio files

• Altea digital (Spanish)

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Cifras oficiales de población resultantes de la revisión del Padrón municipal a 1 de enero . Population statistics from the Instituto Nacional de Estadística (population update).
2. ↑ Cofradías - Altea. (No longer available online.) In: fcpa.es. Archived from the original on January 21, 2015 ; Retrieved May 19, 2012 (Spanish). Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.  
3. ↑ Medlars from Callosa d'En Sarrià. In: spain.info. Retrieved May 7, 2013 .