El Barrio de Santa Cruz, walking through history
Last week we visited El Barrio de Santa Cruz. This is a
small part of Alicante
with lots of history, culture and heritage. The unique
area makes you feel as though you have been transported to another country like
Greece because of the blue and white buildings that make up this area. It is
located on the hills by the Castillo de Santa Barbara, meaning that many people
discover this location on their way down from the castle, making it a
undiscovered gem of Alicante.
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| This photo was taken by Ksenia in El Barrio de Santa Cruz showing our whole group |
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| This photo was taken by Ksenia, showing Lina, Silvia and Catherine |
History
El Barrio de Santa Cruz, is one
of the oldest areas of Alicante and holds a lot of history. The history of this
area is strongly linked to religion. For
instance the Brotherhood of the Holy Cross which has been operating in the area
for centuries and play a large role in the Holy Week parades of Alicante.
During the Spanish Civil War the first step in the procession known as the
“decendiemento” was burned. This is important as during this time much of the
heritage of this area was not celebrated. It was not reintroduced until 1946
when the Holy Week processions were brought back.
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| This photo was taken by Silvia, showing a very typical street within Santa Cruz |
In the
past the area has ben inhabited by many different cultures; Roman, Moorish and
Greek. This has had an affect on the architecture and colouring of this area. Moreover
some of the first people to live in the area were port workers as it is close
to the coast, so the distance to work was minimal.
Located
on the street called Carrer de San Anton there is an image of the saint where
girls, traditionally go to ask for a boyfriend or to cure the sick.
Socio-cultural Significance
Santa Cruz is similar to a small
town although it is within a big city. This I due to the fact that everyone
knows one another and its relaxed atmosphere. Also it is characterised by the
flowers in colourful pots that surround many of the buildings giving the area a
beautiful look and smell. This is important as it is typical of many smaller
spanish communities.
One of
the most important parts of the culture within Santa Cruz is Holy Week, just
before Easter. These processions are very typical of Spain during this period
in the year. Many of the processions in Alicante begin within Santa Cruz, and
from there they make their way down through the rest of El Barrio towards La
Rambla (the Main Street) or the coast. This is culturally significant because “Semana Santa” is a very important part
of the Catholic religion which has a large influence of the practices within
Spain. In addition many residents take
part in these processions making it a community affair.
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| This photo taken by Silvia, shows a typical bar/ restaurant that are all over the neighbourhood. |
Tourist/ Our view
El Barrio de Santa Cruz is very beautiful. It is fairly
difficult to find unless you know where it is. However when you do find it, it
is spectacular. Also after all the steps you have to climb to find it, you are
not disappointed in the least with what you discover. There are many beautiful
and typically Spanish bars and restaurants that you can sit outside and enjoy
the surroundings. The atmosphere is so different from any other part of the
city, as even though you are in the heart of Alicante it is quiet and peaceful,
giving people a much needed escape from the busy hustle and bustle.
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| This photo shows another typical street within the neighbourhood |
It is
not somewhere for people who struggle with mobility as you can not access it easily
due to the many steps you have to climb. Also once you arrive the method of
getting around is stairs which continues to be difficult for these people. Even
we struggled with the steps, as there were hundreds of them. This may be an
aspect that could be improved in the future, although we can not really see how
this would be approached.
Moreover
this is the perfect location for a relaxing afternoon as it does not cost
anything to go for a walk, this is perfect for us students who never have any
money. You can also go at any time as it is a public area, although late at
night you should be quiet and respectable as this is a residential area.
Bibliography
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