Orihuela is a city and municipality located at the feet of the Sierra de Orihuela mountains in the province of Alicante, Spain. The city of Orihuela had a population of 33,943 inhabitants at the beginning of 2013. The municipality has a total area of 367.19 km², and stretches all the way down to the Mediterranean coast, west of Torrevieja, and had a total population of 92,000 inhabitants at the beginning of 2013. This includes not only the city of Orihuela, but also the coastal tourist development hub (urbanización turística) of Dehesa de Campoamor with 33,277 inhabitants (2013) and a few other villages.
The river Segura flows through Orihuela. The city was settled by Romans who called it Orcelis and subsequently Aurariola.
Main sights
- Orihuela Cathedral – built between the 14th and 16th centuries
- Orihuela Castle – ruins of a mountaintop Arab castle
- Church of Santa Justa y Rufina
- Baroque church of Santo Domingo.
The medieval town center houses five National Monuments and an urban layout that is the result of its former rank as a University Centre and Episcopal See.
The holiday celebrations: the processions of Holy Week, and the parades of Moors and Christians, in July, are well-known celebrations.
In September 2012 the shopping mall La Zenia Boulevard opened and became the largest shopping mall in the Costa Blanca and Costa Cálida region with 150 stores and 20 restaurants and bars.
