The
region of the Vega Baja is located in the province of
Alicante and is made up by all the land which starts
from the border with the province of Murcia and ends
at the Viñalopó river which marks the beginning
of the municipality of Elche.
Literally, “Vega Baja” means:
VEGA “fertile valley” and BAJA refers to the
lower part of the river. This definition is very accurate
as the Vega Baja region is an extension of the highly productive “Huerta” of
Murcia (huerta: market garden). The stable all year round
mild temperature and humidity plus a complex irrigation
system, originally set up by the Moors over 700 year
ago, make the Vega Baja one of the largest producers of
fresh vegetables and citrus fruits in Spain and probably
in Europe. Towns such as Almoradí (artichokes) and
Pilar de la Horadada (iceberg lettuce) have specialised
in certain areas, allowing the inhabitants of many of these
towns to be quite wealthy due to such a large turnover
of crop a year.
Historically, Orihuela has
always been the “capital” of
the region because of its political and religious importance
although in the last 15 years, in so much as population
and economy, Torrevieja can be considered the town of most
influence in the region.
Orihuela’s history is by far the most documented
over the centuries. From its origins as a fortified settlement,
through its islamic occupation and later on its ecclesiastic
control over most of the south east of Spain. With two
cathedrals, Santo Domingo Monastery and a multitude of
chapels, shrines and Christian monuments, it can be considered
a “sin” not to visit its narrow streets full
of tell tale Arabic features but dominated by catholic
devotion.
Long gone is Orihuela’s
strangle hold of the region and nowadays the inhabitants
are more concerned with the preservation of their architectural
heritage rather than the religious value these represent.
The Vega Baja is not only a fertile
valley but a region full of history, culture and tradition,
evident in the myriad of small villages and towns that
dot its landscape. Miracles, invasions, conquests and an
impressive economic revolution (due to agriculture and
construction) have put it on the world map and with the
advent of the AVE (high speed train) having a stop in the
Vega Baja, things can only get better.
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