Torrevieja City Hall

The first thing that draws the attention of Torrevieja is its surroundings, which include two salty lagoons, one pink and one green, which make up the Natural Park of Lagunas de La Mata and Torrevieja. Between the two they occupy a total of 3,700 Has., No less than 52% of the local territory, and collect a huge biological wealth recognized both nationally and internationally. For this reason, we must speak from the beginning of a singular tourist municipality, where the environment stands as an important tourist asset. The origin of Torrevieja is no less curious. Everything begins with the fishing activity, back in the 18th century, when the fishermen and sailors began to use the Torrevieja coast to take refuge in the days of "bad sea". From that time, at that time, people began to welcome sailors from different origins, especially Neapolitan and Genoese emigrants, something that is easy to see in Torrevieja, where Italian surnames like Parodi, Zechini, Boracino, Fortepiani stand out. , etc. By the way, do you know why Torrevieja is called Torrevieja? To speak of this city is to speak fundamentally of two things: salt and sea. Salt first, because it is the true origin of this town. Since ancient times, the torrevejense space has been a favorable place for the exploitation of the salt generated in the Torrevieja Lagoon, which led to the administration of Royal Salinas, located in the nearby hamlet, in Torrevieja in 1803. of La Mata. This has been the true origin of the city, by allowing population fixation. This is how the torrevejenses began to develop a town whose name comes from the old watchtower, or Old, located in the Eras de la Sal, the old salt jetty. It is in these moments when different activities are developed, among which will be highlighted the maritime trade of salt with destination in various ports of the Caribbean. This precious mineral was exchanged for exotic products such as sugar cane, mahogany wood, etc. As a result of those round trips, the habanera was born, the torrevejense song par excellence, which the sailors adapted as a way of expressing the experiences they had during their long journeys.