El Palmar (Murcia)

El Palmar (or Place of Don Juan) is a district of 24,163 inhabitants (Regional Statistics Center of Murcia) belonging to the municipality of Murcia in the Region of Murcia (Spain), located on the slopes of the Sierra de El Puerto, belonging to the Sierra de Carrascoy, and next to the Reguerón channel, through which the Guadalentín river flows in the region of Huerta de Murcia.

Geography

Casa del Pino, surroundings of El Palmar

El Palmar is 75 m above sea level. Next to the main population center runs the Canal del Reguerón, an artificial channel built to prevent the floods of the Guadalentín river, whose mouth occurred indefinitely from Sangonera la Verde, with an intricate network of channels that was insufficient to evacuate its periodic avenues.

El Palmar is located southwest of the regional capital, Murcia, 5 km from it, in a strategic location for communications between Murcia and Campo de Cartagena. Nearby is the port of La Cadena.

El Palmar is located between the pre-coastal mountain range and the orchard on one side, next to the Guadalentín valley, favoring its condition as a crossroads, where numerous cultures have come together.

Demographics

Demographically, the population has increased considerably since the early 20th century century. Especially due to the establishment of various companies and organizations in the industrial and service sectors. In 2004 its population was 18,488 inhabitants, concentrated mainly in the urban nucleus, although there are also the population centers of Casillas, Buenavista, Barrio de la Victoria, San José de la Montaña and hamlets in the garden such as Los Lujanes, Los Huertas, Los Rojillos, also due to the large immigration from Maghreb, Latin American and Eastern European countries.

Economy

Economically, the main activity sector is services, followed in importance by the industrial, chemical, essence and firefighting sectors, since the town is located on one of Murcia's communication axes.

In El Palmar there are a large number of organizations and institutions, the Virgen de la Arrixaca Hospital (the largest in the Region), number one in kidney and liver transplants in Spain, with an associated university campus. The Psychiatric Hospital, MercaMurcia (located between El Palmar and Sangonera la Verde) are, among others, an example of this.

Agriculture, although historically it has been very important, currently occupies the least economic asset. The lands are mostly owned by small owners, dedicated mainly to tree crops, which need little care.

In the industrial sector, the Destilerías Bernal factory continues to operate in the district.

In May 2008, the Department of Financial Economics and Accounting of the University of Murcia presented an economic study that guarantees the economic viability of El Palmar as an independent municipality. This study shows that El Palmar would have current expenses of €11,415,000 compared to €13,895,000 in income, generating a surplus of €2,480,000.

History

Urban-wise, El Palmar has developed around the initial urban settlement located at the crossroads of the highway to Cartagena and the old one to Lorca and Mazarrón.

Castle of La Asomada from La Casa del Pino

Although archaeological remains in the area of La Paloma demonstrated the existence of a small Roman population that could be dated to the s. II a. C., and that, surely, could have the mission of resting and equipping those who made the trip along the so-called Vía Augusta, which connected the port city of Cartagena with the interior, crossing the pre-coastal mountain range through the port of La Cadena, the origin of the current nucleus of El Palmar should be sought in the XV century, when the lordship of Juan de Verástegui was created, alderman of the council of Murcia, who gave the town its name as Place of Don Juan.

In 1583 there were already two populated places: Torre de Verástegui, at the foot of the Sierra del Puerto, and El Palmar. In the XVII century El Palmar experienced a population increase, since in 1615, the alderman of Murcia and lord of the place, called Don Juan Verástegui also issued measures to attract population. In 1614 El Palmar was established as a parish by Bishop Francisco Martínez de Cenicero, who included in his jurisdiction Aljucer, San Ginés, Sangonera la Verde and Sangonera la Seca.

In the 18th century, due to the lack of descendants of the Verástegui family, El Lugar de Don Juan became the property of to the Lucas lineage. Later, in this same century, it became a royal place with an ordinary mayor, within the Murcia party. During the XIX century, El Palmar had its own town hall in two periods, until in 1854 it became a district of the municipality of Murcia.

Timeline

• 1587 - El Palmar had 30 neighbors.
• 1590 - Juan de Verástegui regidor de Murcia.
• 1600 - First dates of the books of the parish of the Pure of El Palmar.
• 1615 - El Palmar is sent.
• 1623 - La Purísima and San Roque patterns are named.
• 1733 - The Regatta is excavated.
• 1782 - Works of the Puerto de la Cadena due to the Count of Floridablanca.
• 1809 - El Palmar has 4450 neighbors.
• 1811 - For epidemics 350 people die.
• 1821-1823 - First Town Hall of El Palmar.
• 1836-1854 - Second Town Hall of El Palmar.
• 1854 - First pedantic mayor.
• 1870 - Bernal Family starts its industrial activity in El Palmar.
• 1900 - Tram El Palmar to Murcia.
• 1906 - The General Directorate of Public Works authorizes the Murcia Electric Tramroad Company to replace the blood engine with the electric in the Murcia to El Palmar tram.
• 1911 - Inauguration of Bernal Theatre.
• 1915 - The Bernal House imports the breeds of porcine "Yorkshire" and "Berkshire-Vel" whose species were distributed by the orchard in order to improve the existing ones. With studs of those races was obtained the "York-Vel-Murciano" which was later called "Chato Murciano" making himself pay with esteem over other classes.
• 1949 - On February 16 they arrive in El Palmar boats, coming from Cartagena, with their seafarers' dots, in case they had to provide assistance in the area of the Canal del Reguerón, for their disobedience.
• 1950 - On 7 December the new bridge of the Reguerón was opened to the traffic at the Ctra.de Murcia to Cartagena whose cost amounted to 7 million pesetas.
• 1953 - On March 18, the works of the Reguerón were inaugurated by the Minister of Public Works, Count of Vallellano.
• 1965 - On 19 February, his Royal Highness Prince Don Juan Carlos de Borbón visits Conservas and Destilerías Bernal, S.A.
• 1965 - On December 31, it was opened by Minister Camilio Alonso Vega, the Psychiatric Hospital dependent on the Murcia Provincial Council.
• 1990 - On 9 August, El Palmar is shocked by a very serious accident as a result of the crash of a CAMPSA tank, loaded with 28,000 litres of fuel, with several vehicles, of which 8 people died
• 2003 - The Bernal Theatre's reenactment.
• 2008 - The works of the MU-31 motorway begin.
• 2009 - Presented file of municipal segregation before the Autonomous Community.

Symbols

In addition to the symbols that identify El Palmar as a district of the municipality of Murcia, other symbols have been designed for the town.

• 

  Flag of El Palmar.

Historical Heritage

La Asomada Castle

The castle of La Asomada, also called Puerto de la Cadena or Castillo del Morrón, rises 541 meters above sea level (250 meters above the boulevard of El Puerto), in the town of El Palmar or Lugar of Don Juan of the municipal term of Murcia.

This is an Arab castle built in the XII century, (although this location may have been used by other cultures such as the Argaric, Iberian, and Roman).

The castle, which was never finished, had the mission of guarding and defending the passage of the port of La Cadena. Its plan is quadrangular, the walls are made of mortar and mortar, it had an emergency cistern and 3 towers facing north, in addition of an entrance facing SE.

It has been declared an Asset of Cultural Interest.

Portazgo Castle

A set of Andalusian fortifications located in the port of La Cadena, made up of two buildings: the lower portazgo and the upper portazgo. Strategic complex that exercised effective control of communications between the coast and the interior, hence the name it acquired in Christian times: Portazgo.

They have been declared an Asset of Cultural Interest.

Facade of the church of La Purísima de El Palmar

Parish Church of La Purísima

At first the church of El Palmar was built as an annex to the cathedral of Santa María in Murcia. This primitive hermitage was built by Juan Verastegui, and was dedicated to the mystery of Mary in her purest conception.

In 1614 the bishop of Cartagena, Francisco Martínez de Cenicero, erected the parish of the Purísima Concepción in El Palmar, which belonged to the jurisprudence of the parish of Santa María and to which neighboring places such as Aljucer subscribed, Sangonera la Verde, Sangonera la Seca and, until recently, San Ginés.

This situation continued until 1795, the year in which the Immaculate Conception of El Palmar became a perpetual vicarage.

Transportation

Bus

The urban public transport service is operated by TMP Murcia, which connects the district with the city of Murcia.

The municipality's road passenger service is included within the Movibus brand, the interurban public transport system in the Region of Murcia (Spain), which includes regionally owned bus services. The concession lines MUR-001 "Alcantarilla - Murcia" are operated by ALSA (TUCARSA), while those of the concession MUR-003 "Molina de Segura - Murcia" They are operated by Interbus.

It also has connections with Alhama de Murcia, Cartagena, Fuente Álamo, Pilar de la Horadada, Los Urrutias, San Pedro del Pinatar, La Unión and La Manga, among others.

By road

• A-30 (Autovía de Murcia, former N-301): runs between Cartagena and Albacete and links with the motorway of Alicante (A-31) towards Madrid.

• MU-30 (Autovía El Palmar-Alcantarilla): link the A-30 motorway, at the height of the Reguerón, with the A-7/E-15 motorway and the C-415 motorway (Autovía del Noroeste) west of Alcantarilla.

• MU-31 (Connexion between A-30 and MU-30, under construction): link the A-30 motorway, on the La Paloma link, with the MU-30 motorway at the height of the West Industrial Polígone.

Train

El Palmar does not have a train station but the Murcia del Carmen station is located less than 10 minutes away and connects the city with Madrid, via Albacete, and with everything from the east to Montpellier. The high-speed network (AVE) that will connect Murcia with Madrid and the Valencian Community is also under construction.

Education

El Palmar has several infant, primary and secondary education centers:

• IES Sierra de Carrascoy (formerly IES El Palmar)
• IES Marquis de los Vélez
• Catholic College Concertado San Vicente de Paúl
• CEIP City of Peace
• CEIP New Schools
• CEIP Gloria Fuertes
• CEIP José María Párraga
• CEIP Santa Rosa de Lima
• CEIP The Rosales
• El Limonar International School (private and bilingual school)
• CEIP Pintor Pedro Cano
• Los Rosales Children ' s School (dependent of the Autonomous Community)
• El Lugarico Children's School (dependant to the City of Murcia)
• CEIP Luisen