Pilar de la Horadada
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| Pilar de la Horadada | |||||
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| Location | |||||
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| Coordinates : 37° 52’N , 0°47'W Time Zone : CET (UTC+1) - summer: CEST (UTC+2) |
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| General information | |||||
| Native name | Pilar de la Horadada (Spanish) | ||||
| Spanish name | Pilar de la Horadada | ||||
| Founded | 15th century | ||||
| Postal code | 03190 (Pilar Town) 03191 (Pinar de Campoverde) 03192 (Torre de la Horadada) |
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| Area code | 34 (Spain) + 965 (Pilar de la Horadada) | ||||
| Website | http://www.pilardelahoradada.org | ||||
| Administration | |||||
| Country | Spain | ||||
| Autonomous Community | Comunidad Valenciana | ||||
| Province | Alicante | ||||
| Comarca | Vega Baja del Segura | ||||
| Mayor | Ignacio Ramos García (PSOE) | ||||
| Geography | |||||
| Land Area | 78.6 km² | ||||
| Altitude | 35 m AMSL | ||||
| Population | |||||
| Population | 19,631 (2006) | ||||
| Density | 249.7 hab./km² (2006) | ||||
Pilar de la Horadada is a town of the Province of Alicante, in the southeast of Spain. Located 78km south of Alicante, the city is the southernmost in the Communidad Valenciana. 1km north of San Pedro del Pinatar, the northernmost town in the Murcian Province. The town and its neighbouring villages (Pinar de Campoverde and Torre de la Horadada) are home to thousands of British, German and Northern European expatriates. San Javier Airport (Murcia) is within close proximity.
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[edit] Monuments and interesting places
- Paroquial Church of "Nuestra Señora del Pilar", placed in the centre of the town. It was built in 1981 on the same site as its predecessor. The bell tower of the original structure stands to this day. Its advocation is to the Blessed Virgin (Virgen del Pilar). In this building there are a lot of pieces of religious art, especially works from the local artists D. José María Sánchez Lozano and Manuel Ribera Girona.
- Watch Tower (15th Century), built to protect habitants of this town against the Mediterranean pirates. It is placed on the beach, in the nearby village of Torre de la Horadada.
- Río Seco (Pinar de Campoverde: a local river, without water for the majority of the year. The area is home to a lot of native animals and plants.
- Protected Zone of Sierra Escalona: place protected in order to preserve native animals, particularly, the birds.
- Archaeological Ruins of THIAR: old Roman town on the Vía Augusta, between ILLICI (Elche) and Carthago Nova (Cartagena), two of the most important Roman cities in Spain.
- The beaches of Pilar de la Horadada spread along five kilometres. There are long beaches with fine and white sand; These beaches are safe places and the allow the swim. Under the sea, one can see the marine biodiversity and the poseidonia. The quality of these beaches is recognised by F.E.E.E with its Blue Flags and by local authorities.
[edit] Festivals
- Festivals in honour to the Blessed Virgin: from the 29th September until the 30th October. We can emphasize in the major day evening (11th October) with its big floral tribute (Pilar de la Horadada is the second major town which produce flowers in all Spain), the 12th with the Solemn Mass and the procession, ant "Las carrozas" (1 week later).
- Summer festivals: Independence from the Orihuela Council, the 30th July 1986 .
- Festivals in the Pilar de la Horadada's small villages on the beach and in the countryside.
[edit] History
The town has been the location of many battles because its location at the historical frontier between two kingdoms: the Kingdom of Murcia (Castilla) and the Kingdom of Valencia. Pilar de la Horadada was a town with dry farmings and few houses known as Campo de la Horadada. After various centuries of agricultural economy, its agricultural and touristic breakthrough came with its independence from Orihuela in 1986. Co-operative societies such as Surinver and Teresa Hnos use a majority of the local plains for vegetable growing. Pilar de la Horadada is placed between the sea and the mountains and has a typically mediterranean climate.
- Resident : Pilareño (Male) or Pilareña (Female)
[edit] External links
| edit | Municipalities of Vega Baja del Segura |  |
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Albatera | Algorfa | Almoradí | Benejúzar | Benferri | Benijófar | Bigastro | Callosa de Segura | Catral | Cox | Daya Nueva | Daya Vieja | Dolores | Formentera del Segura | Granja de Rocamora | Guardamar del Segura | Jacarilla | Los Montesinos | Orihuela | Pilar de la Horadada | Rafal | Redován | Rojales | San Fulgencio | San Isidro | San Miguel de Salinas | Torrevieja |
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