Understanding the Urban Development of Alicante
1. The Old Town
The Old Town is located on the slopes of Benacantil, a site of strategic defensive nature, with origins dating back to medieval times. The Roman antecedents lie in Manises. It conserves remnants of walls for defense, tax, and sanitation purposes. The map is irregular, featuring narrow streets and plazas. The urban growth is compact, taking full advantage of the space. You can find low-rise buildings from the nineteenth century, typically four to five stories high. Remains of historic buildings and art, such as the Gothic facade of Santa María, are still present. The land use was primarily residential, with craft and commercial activities. However, there are problems related to the deterioration of buildings and aging, which require demographic revitalization.
2. The Expansion of the 19th and 20th Centuries
This period spans the second half of the nineteenth century and the first half of the twentieth century, marked by the demolition of the wall and expansion towards adjacent areas. The layout is flat, with few avenues, and follows an orthogonal pattern, primarily serving the middle class. The expansion continued until reaching the railroad station, with Alfonso set as a central point.
A. The Bourgeois Expansion
This area features a larger octagonal plan, with streets providing access to the main tracks. The urban fabric was initially of low density, but as the twentieth century progressed, processes such as the renewal of public squares and increased building height emerged. The land use from the 1950s to 1960s saw a significant increase in services.
B. Class Neighborhoods and Industrial Facilities
These neighborhoods arose from the construction of the railway, leading to the establishment of factories (e.g., Benalua) and the growth of laborer neighborhoods, such as San Gabriel and later, Virgen del Remedio. These areas host immigrants from the interior, characterized by low-quality buildings with deficiencies in services and equipment.
C. The Garden Suburbs
In Alicante, there are not many garden suburbs. These areas are characterized by open-frame houses with gardens, located in parts of the plain, resembling a garden city.
3. Regional Subsystems
The periphery of Alicante features the urban cemetery, which developed further from the 1960s onward. Industrial development was not as pronounced as in Elche, but tourism, services, and construction flourished.
A. Residential Areas
These neighborhoods, initially distant from the traditional core, stand out for their standardized buildings made in series, such as Virgen del Remedio and Juan 23. The urban fabric is characterized by high-density areas with a shortage of green spaces.
B. Industrial Areas
The bulk of industry is located near the road to Madrid, with another industrial area emerging between the cemetery and Babel, Rabasa.
C. Areas of Equipment
These areas are found along Avenida de Denia, Valencia. All these developments arose in the urban fringe from the 1960s, providing cheaper land and more space, completing a comprehensive peri-urban fringe where urban Alicante and companies intersect along the roads.