Elche

Elche is surrounded by a remarkable palm grove, laid out with irrigation channels that recall the agriculture of Islamic Iberia. Among its gardens stands a town with a distinctive tradition of sacred theatre. The Mystery Play of Elche tells of the death, Assumption and coronation of the Virgin through song, procession and elaborate machinery that brings heavenly figures down into the church. In 1609 the town council took responsibility for organising the performance, ensuring the continuation of a drama rooted in the later Middle Ages.