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127-476: The service was started as a commercial test pilot in the city of Alicante in 2001 and later extended to some major cities such as Madrid and Barcelona in April 2004. In 2013, Movistar Imagenio was rebranded to Movistar TV. As of March 2006, coverage has yet reached the whole of Spain. Major cities and province capitals are covered, but not rural areas or minor cities. It is possible for users to check on-line if

254-542: A "Friend of Rome" and "Never to show goodwill to the Romans". Several modern historians have interpreted this as Hannibal swearing to be a lifelong enemy of Rome bent on revenge, while others hold that this interpretation is a distortion. Hamilcar probably landed at Gades in the summer of 237 BC. Whatever direct territorial control Carthage had had in the past in Iberia, this had been mostly lost by this time as Hamilcar

381-405: A 24-hour period, leading to severe flooding. Because of this irregularity, only 35 rainy days are observed on average per year, and the annual number of sunshine hours is more than 3,000. The record maximum temperature of 42.0 °C (107.6 °F) was observed on 13 August 2022. The record minimum temperature of −4.6 °C (23.7 °F) was recorded on 12 February 1956. The worst flooding in

508-524: A boundary along Cape Nao in Iberia was agreed upon, while Carthage had closed the Straits of Gibraltar to foreign shipping. Massalia had become friendly with Rome over the years, if not an outright ally by 237 BC, and this connection would become a significant factor in the power politics of the region. Hamilcar's immediate objective was to secure access to the gold and silver mines of Sierra Morena , either by direct and indirect control. Negotiations with

635-468: A certain direction uncovered a sandbar at the river mouth that was fordable and, under cover of night, the Punic army left Carthage and crossed the river. Hamilcar aimed to attack the small rebel band holding the bridge, but Spendius led the rebel force besieging Utica to confront Hamilcar. The Carthaginian army was caught in a pincer movement; Hamilcar pretended to retreat, and Spendius likely attempted to trap

762-592: A decisive battle was fought probably near the town of Leptis Minor . The Carthaginians destroyed the rebel army, after which the Libyan towns submitted to Carthage. When Utica and Hippo Acra held out, Hanno and Hamilcar besieged them, eventually receiving their surrender on terms. By the winter of 238 BC, the Mercenary revolt was over. Hanno and Hamilcar unleashed reprisals against the Numidian tribes that had sided with

889-785: A few kilometers from Alicante on the Mediterranean Sea lies Tabarca island. What was once a haven for Barbary pirates is now a tourist attraction. Other sights include: There are a dozen museums in Alicante. On exhibition at the Archaeological Museum of Alicante (MARQ) are local artifacts dating from 100,000 years ago until the early 20th century. The collection is divided into different rooms representing three divisions of archaeological methodology: ground, urban and underwater archaeology, with dioramas , audiovisual and interactive zones. The archaeological museum won

1016-642: A mercenary force under Hanno to retake the island in 239 BC, but this group also rebelled, killing Hanno and their Carthaginian officers and joining the rebels in Sardinia. The rebels requested Rome to take over Sardinia, which was turned down. Their heavy handedness with Sardinian natives caused native Sardinians to attack and expel the mercenaries by 237 BC. The expelled mercenaries took refuge in Italy and again requested Rome to take over Sardinia. Rome, which had dealt with Carthage with all due honor and courtesy during

1143-413: A number of prisoners and incorporated 3,000 of the enemy into his army. The Turdetani surrendered. Hamilcar then fought a 50,000 strong army under a chieftain named Indortes . The Iberian army fled before the battle was joined. Hamilcar besieged Indortes, tortured and crucified him after his surrender but allowed 10,000 of the captured enemy soldiers to go home. Having secured control over the mines, and

1270-569: A pitched battle. The Carthaginians needed to gain the far side of the Bagradas, so they could manoeuvre freely, but lacked the strength to force a crossing against the superior rebel force guarding against this. Hanno posted his army near Hippo Acra , where Matho's army was besieging the town. The rebels held the hills to the west of Carthage and the only bridge across the Bagradas river leading to Utica. Hamilcar observed that wind blowing from

1397-610: A sizeable population of European public workers live there. The campus of the University of Alicante lies in San Vicente del Raspeig , bordering the city of Alicante to the north. More than 25,000 students attend the university. Between 2005 and 2012 Ciudad de la Luz ( Ciutat de la Llum ), one of the largest film studios in Europe, had its base in Alicante. The studio shot Spanish and international movies such as Asterix at

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1524-460: A small force and no money to hire new troops, Hamilcar's strategic goal probably was to maintain a stalemate, as he had neither the resources to win the war nor the authority to peacefully settle it. Hamilcar was in command of a mercenary army composed of multiple nationalities and his ability to successfully lead this force demonstrates his skill as field commander. He employed combined arms tactics, like Alexander and Pyrrhus , and his strategy

1651-523: A storm in 255 BC, added 220 new ships, and captured Panormus (modern Palermo ) in 254 BC; however, 150 ships were lost in another storm in 253 BC. The Romans had occupied most of Sicily by 249 BC and they besieged the last two Carthaginian strongholds – in the extreme west. The situation changed when the surprise attack on the Carthaginian fleet met defeat at the Battle of Drepana and

1778-597: A valley surrounded on three sides by mountains. The exact location of this valley has never been conclusively identified. It was probably some distance from Carthage because, while Hamilcar blockaded the valley exits and waited for the rebels to starve, Matho's army at Tunis did not intervene although the trapped rebels held out awaiting his arrival. After the trapped rebels ran out of food, pack animals and cavalry horses and finally resorted to cannibalism, Spendius, Autaritus and Zarzas, accompanied by seven others, went to Hamilcar's camp to seek terms. Hamilcar offered to allow all

1905-534: A valley, probably near Nepheris, and the rebels trapped his army, with the Libyans blocking the exit, Spendius and his troops camping near the Punic army and the Numidians covering Hamilcar's rear. Hamilcar's army was saved by pure luck – a Numidian chieftain, Naravas , who would later marry Hamilcar's third daughter, defected with 2,000 horsemen. Hamilcar exited the valley and, after a hard-fought battle , defeated

2032-402: A venue for outdoor musical concerts. At the end of the promenade is a monument by the artist Bañuls of the 19th century. Barrio de la Santa Cruz is a colourful quarter of the old city, situated southwest of Santa Bárbara castle. Its small houses climb up the hill leading to the walls and the castle, through narrow streets decorated with flags and tubs of flowers. L'Ereta Park is situated on

2159-840: Is a city and municipality in the Valencian Community , Spain . It is the capital of the province of Alicante and a historic Mediterranean port. The population of the city was 337,482 as of 2020 , the second-largest in the Valencian Community . The name of the city echoes the Arabic name Laqant ( لَقَنْت ), al-Laqant (اللَّقَنْت) or Al-qant ( القنت ), which in turn reflects the Latin Lucentum and Greek root Leuké (or Leuka ), meaning "white". The area around Alicante has been inhabited for over 7,000 years. The first tribes of hunter-gatherers moved gradually from Central Europe between 5000 and 3000 BC. Some of

2286-640: Is built on including the Cabo de la Huerta , the Serra Grossa , the Tosal and the Benacantil hills. Located in an arid territory, Alicante lacks any meaningful permanent water stream. There are however several stream beds correspondent to intermittent ramblas . There was a swamp area in the northeast of the municipality, l'Albufereta , yet it was dried up in 1928. The municipality has two exclaves in

2413-512: Is commonly identified with Elche , but given that it is situated close to Hamilcar's base at Akra Leuke from which he could readily draw reinforcement, it cannot be the place where the following events unfolded. It is possible that Hamilcar died battling the Vettoni, who lived across the Tagus west of Toledo and to the north of Turduli and northwest of Oretani territory. Orissus , chieftain of

2540-674: Is no clear record of the political activity in Carthage at this time. The political clout of the incumbent leaders was probably weakened by the defeat in the First Punic War, their mismanagement of the Mercenary troops and finally the Sardinia Affair. In an effort to reestablish their position, they decided to make a scapegoat of Hamilcar Barca. Hamilcar Barca was blamed by the Carthaginian Leaders for causing

2667-591: Is one of the causes of the Second Punic War and held as the motivation of the subsequent military and political activities of Hamilcar. The aristocratic party had dominated Carthaginian politics since 248 BC. Hanno the Great was aligned with them and they espoused peaceful relations with Rome, even at the cost of abandoning overseas territories. Their choice to minimize the Sicilian operations while Hamilcar

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2794-547: Is powered by Alcatel-Lucent (formerly Lucent Technologies ) since 2006. Previously, Imagenio platform was an in-house development held by Telefónica I+D (the R&;D branch of Telefónica). In 2006, César Alierta (CEO of Telefónica ) signed an agreement with Patricia Russo (CEO of Lucent Technologies at that time) for the Imagenio base-technology transfer. Since November 2007, Imagenio incorporated new features that allow

2921-466: Is the latinization of Hamílkas ( ‹See Tfd› Greek : Ἁμίλκας ), the hellenized form of the common Semitic Phoenician-Carthaginian masculine given name ḤMLK ( Punic : 𐤇𐤌𐤋𐤊 ) or ḤMLQRT ( 𐤇𐤌𐤋𐤒𐤓𐤕 ), meaning " Melqart 's brother". The cognomen or epithet BRQ ( 𐤁𐤓𐤒 ) means " thunderbolt " or "shining". It is cognate with the Arabic name Barq, Maltese word Berqa,

3048-530: Is used by Cercanías Murcia/Alicante commuter rail services linking Alicante with suburbs and Murcia . Long-range Renfe trains run frequently to Madrid , Barcelona , and Valencia . In 2013, the Madrid–Levante high-speed rail network was extended to Alicante station, allowing AVE high-speed rail services to link to Madrid via Villena AV , Albacete-Los Llanos and Cuenca-Fernando Zóbel . Alicante Metropolitan-Tram connects different parts within

3175-567: The Arab conquest of Medina Laqant at the beginning of the 8th century. The Moors ruled southern and eastern Spain until the 13th century Reconquista (Reconquest). Alicante was conquered again in 1247 by the Castilian king Alfonso X , but later passed to the Kingdom of Valencia in 1296 with King James II of Aragon . It gained the status of Royal Village ( Vila Reial ) with representation in

3302-556: The Comitia Centuriata in Rome. The Romans rejected these terms and appointed ten commissioners, led by Quantius Lutatius Cerco, brother of the consul and himself consul in 240 BC, to reexamine the conditions. They added some conditions and amended some of the ones given by Lutatius: The last condition is mentioned by Polybius in place of the one regarding not making war on Syracuse. It is possible that Hamilcar Barca secured

3429-532: The Costa Blanca and particularly on the second residence-construction boom which started in the 1960s and revived again by the late 1990s. Services and public administration also play a major role in the city's economy. The construction boom has raised many environmental concerns and both the local autonomous government and city council are under scrutiny by the European Union. The construction surge

3556-619: The European Museum of the Year Award in 2004. Gravina Museum of Fine Arts presents several paintings and sculptures from the 16th century to the 19th century. Asegurada Museum of Contemporary Art houses a major collection of twentieth-century art, composed mainly of works donated by Eusebio Sempere . The most important festival, the Bonfires of Saint John ( Hogueras de San Juan / Fogueres de Sant Joan ), takes place during

3683-577: The Oretani tribe, came to the assistance of the besieged town. There are several versions to what happened next: Orissus offered to aid Hamilcar, then attacked the Punic army, and Hamilcar drowned during a retreat across the Jucar river; the Oretani sent ox-driven carts to the Carthaginian position, then set them on fire and Hamilcar died in the resulting melee; Hamilcar accepted an offer to parley, then led

3810-621: The Straits of Gibraltar into Iberia from West Africa or, having returned to Carthage after the African activities, sailed along the African coast to Gades . Hasdrubal the Fair and Hannibal , then a child of nine, accompanied Hamilcar; it is not known who led Hamilcar's supporters in Carthage in the absence of Hamilcar and Hasdrubal. Prior to his departure from Carthage, Hamilcar made sacrifices to obtain favorable omens and Hannibal swore never to be

3937-637: The Third Division , was dissolved in 2014 due to economic problems. They were replaced the same year by newly formed club CFI Alicante . Basketball club (HLA Alicante) Lucentum Alicante participates in the Spanish basketball league . It plays in the Centro de Tecnificación de Alicante . Alicante serves as headquarters and the starting point of the Volvo Ocean Race , a yacht race around

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4064-561: The University of Alicante . The nightlife social scene tends to shift to nearby Playa de San Juan during the summer months. Every summer in Alicante, a two-month-long programme of music, theatre and dance is staged in the Paseo del Puerto. For the 2023/24 season Alicante has two football clubs in the top 4 levels of Spanish football; Hércules CF and CF Intercity . For the 2023/24 season Hércules compete in Segunda Federación ,

4191-555: The Valencia Airport , being the busiest airport in the Valencian Community , and among the busiest airports in Spain after Madrid , Barcelona , Palma de Mallorca and Málaga . It is connected with Madrid and Barcelona by frequent Iberia and Vueling flights, and with many Western European cities through carriers such as Ryanair , EasyJet and Jet2 . There are also regular flights to Algeria . Alicante railway station

4318-403: The port of Alicante . The latter was the subject of bitter controversy in 2006–2007 as residents battled, successfully, to keep it from being changed into an industrial estate. The Santa Bárbara castle is situated on Mount Benacantil , overlooking the city. The tower ( La Torreta ) at the top, is the oldest part of the castle, while part of the lowest zone and the walls were constructed later in

4445-463: The " Tartessian " tribes were successfully concluded, but Hamilcar faced hostility from the Turdetani or Turduli tribe, near the foothills of modern Seville and Córdoba . The Iberians had support from Celtiberian tribes and were under the command of two chieftains, Istolatios and his brother. Hamilcar defeated the confederates, killed the leaders and several of their soldiers, while he released

4572-513: The 18th century. The promenade Explanada de España , lined by palm trees, is paved with 6.5 million marble floor tiles creating a wavy form. The Promenade extends from the Port of Alicante to the Gran Vía and ends at the famous statue of Mark Hersch. For the people of Alicante, the promenade is the meeting place for the traditional Spanish paseo , or stroll along the waterfront in the evenings, and

4699-538: The 1920s saw numerous alicantinos drafted to fight in the long and bloody campaigns in the former Spanish protectorate (northern Morocco) against the Rif rebels. The political unrest of the late 1920s led to the victory of Republican candidates in local council elections throughout the country, and the abdication of King Alfonso XIII . The proclamation of the Second Spanish Republic was much celebrated in

4826-477: The 19th century witnessed a sharp recovery of the local economy with increasing international trade and the growth of the city harbour leading to increased exports of several products (particularly during World War I when Spain was a neutral country). During the early 20th century, Alicante was a minor capital that took profit from the benefit of Spain's neutrality during World War I, and it provided new opportunities for local industry and agriculture. The Rif War in

4953-610: The 4th level and are well known as they played in La Liga (the Spanish Premier Division) during the 1996/1997 season and again in 2010/2011. They have had many famous players such as David Trezeguet , Royston Drenthe and Nelson Valdez . Hércules are also known for their victory over Barcelona in 1997 which led to Real Madrid winning the league. Home games are played at the 30,000-capacity José Rico Pérez Stadium . The city's other club, Alicante CF , who played in

5080-835: The Assyrian Neo-Aramaic name Barkho, and the Hebrew name Barak and equivalent to the Greek Keraunos , which was borne by many commanders contemporary with Hamilcar and his son Hannibal. Little is known about the origins or history of the Barca family prior to the Punic Wars. According to the Dictionary of African Biography, it has been suggested that the Barca family originally came from Cyrene , i.e., modern-day Libya. Lance Serge states that Hamilcar's family

5207-537: The Carthaginian Senate for recruiting and training a new army, with the immediate goal of securing the African domain of Carthage. As this was in line with the goal of the "Peace Party" of Hanno the Great, probably no serious opposition was offered. Training for the army was obtained in some Numidian forays, then Hamilcar marched the army westwards to the Pillars of Hercules . Hasdrubal the Fair commanded

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5334-518: The Carthaginians in Spain until 226 BC. After the establishment of Akra Leuke, Hamilcar began to move northwest but no records of his campaigns exist. Hamilcar had split his forces in the winter of 228 BC, Hasdrubal the Fair was sent on a separate campaign, while Hamilcar besieged an Iberian town, then sent the bulk of his troops to winter quarters at Akra Leuke. Hamilcar's sons, Hannibal and Hasdrubal, had accompanied him. The town, called Helike,

5461-601: The City Hall Building ( Ayuntamiento ) is the zero point ( cota cero ), used as the point of reference for measuring the height above or below sea level of any point in Spain, due to the marginal tidal variations of the Mediterranean sea at Alicante. Until the Great Recession , Alicante was one of the fastest-growing cities in Spain. The boom depended partly on tourism directed to the beaches of

5588-440: The Fair with an army to Africa to quell a Numidian rebellion in 236 BC. Hasdrubal defeated the rebels, killing 8,000 and taking 2,000 prisoners before returning to Iberia. Hamilcar, after subduing Turdetania next moved east from Gades towards Cape Nao. He met fierce resistance from the Iberia tribes, even the friendly Bastetani offered battle. Four years of constant campaigns, details of which are not known, saw Hamilcar subdue

5715-648: The Fair . Hamilcar commanded the Carthaginian land forces in Sicily from 247   BC to 241   BC, during the latter stages of the First Punic War . He kept his army intact and led a successful guerrilla war against the Romans in Sicily. Hamilcar retired to Carthage after the peace treaty in 241   BC, following the defeat of Carthage. When the Mercenary War broke out in 239   BC, Hamilcar

5842-728: The Italian Aviazione Legionaria of the Mercado on 25 May 1938 in which more than 300 civilians perished. The port of Alicante was the site of the heroic episode of the British ship SS Stanbrook in 1939 at the end of the Spanish Civil War . Her captain Archibald Dickson decided to rescue thousands of Spanish Republicans families during the night of 28 March 1939 under the bombing of

5969-514: The Mercenary War by making unrealistic promises to his soldiers, especially the Celts , during his command in Sicily. This event may have taken place as early as 241 BC or more likely in 237 BC. The influence Hamilcar enjoyed among the people and the opposition party enabled him to avoid standing trial. Furthermore, Hamilcar allied with Hasdrubal the Fair , his future son in law, to restrict

6096-563: The Nazis. From 1954 onward, many pied-noirs settled in the city (as many as 30,000, although other sources decrease the amount tenfold). Alicante had fostered strong links with Oran in the past, and a notable share of the population of the latter city during the French colonial period had ancestry in the province of Alicante. The immigration process accelerated after the independence of Algeria in 1962 . The late 1950s and early 1960s saw

6223-520: The Olympic Games by Frédéric Forestier and Thomas Langmann, and Manolete by Menno Meyjes . It was shut down in 2012 for violating European competition law. Luis Barcala of the People's Party has been the mayor of Alicante since 19 April 2018. He became mayor after the resignation of Gabriel Echávarri, when the councillor Nerea Belmonte defected from Guanyar Alacant and refused to support

6350-445: The Punic army pass under the yoke. Lutatius did not press the issue further, and the Carthaginian soldiers were later allowed to leave Sicily under arms with their honor intact, and without any token of submission – a rare gesture granted by the Romans to a defeated enemy. Roman deserters may have been surrendered on a later date. Lutatius did not have the authority to ratify the agreement he made with Hamilcar, so he forwarded them to

6477-421: The Roman garrison, and positioned his army between the Roman forces stationed at the summit and their camp at the base of the mountain. He removed the population to Drepana. Hamilcar continued his activities unhindered from his position for another two years, being supplied by road from Drepana, although Carthaginian ships had been withdrawn from Sicily by this time and no naval raids were launched. During one of

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6604-404: The Romans soon after, and when the Roman consul requested a truce to bury his dead, Hamilcar replied that his quarrel was with the living only and the dead had already settled their dues, and granted the truce. The actions of Hamilcar, and his immunity to defeat, plus the stalemate at the siege of Lilybaeum caused the Romans to start building a fleet in 243 BC to seek a decision at sea. However,

6731-498: The Romans which would be independent of political interference from Carthage, and the campaigns would enhance the reputation of Hamilcar Barca. Hamilcar's political clout in Carthage may have been enough to stifle any opposition in Carthage against his Iberian venture, or he did face stiff opposition and had used the booty from his Iberian campaigns to buy his way out. Whatever the case, Hamilcar enjoyed uninterrupted command in Iberia during his stay there. Hamilcar's army either crossed

6858-484: The Socialist Party replacement candidate Eva Montesinos. Gabriel Echávarri of the Socialist Party (PSOE) was the mayor of the city from 13 June 2015 until April 2018, following the municipal elections on 24 May 2015. He was supported by the votes from his group (6), plus those from leftist parties Guanyar Alacant (6) and Compromís (3), as well as from the centre-right party Ciudadanos (6). The People's Party ( Partido Popular , PP), with only 8 elected seats, lost

6985-441: The Valencian region, the Generalitat Valenciana . The Port of Alicante has been reinventing itself since the industrial decline the city suffered in the 1980s (with most mercantile traffic lost to Valencia's harbour). In recent years, the Port Authority has established it as one of the most important ports in Spain for cruises, with 72 calls to port made by cruise ships in 2007 bringing some 80,000 passengers and 30,000 crew to

7112-440: The area between Gades and Cape Nao. In the process, Hamilcar created a professional army of Iberians, Africans, Numidians and other mercenaries that Hasdrubal the Fair would inherit and Hannibal would later lead across the Alps to immortality. By 231 BC, Hamilcar Barca had consolidated his Iberian territorial gains and established the city of Akra Leuke ( Alicante ), probably in 235 BC, to guard Punic holdings, and possibly took over

7239-527: The area of Massalian colonies near the mouth of Sucro River. Massalia, probably alarmed by the Carthaginian advance towards their area of influence, mentioned this expansion to the Romans, who decided to investigate the matter. While Hamilcar campaigned in Iberia, Rome was entangled in Sardinia, Corsica and Liguria, where the natives had put up stiff resistance against Roman occupation – campaigns had been fought in these areas between 236 – 231 BC to retain and expand Roman dominion. Rome suspected Carthage of aiding

7366-436: The army of Matho at Tunis. He divided his army: Hannibal took half of the soldiers and camped to the north of Tunis, while Hamilcar camped to the south, thus hemming in Matho's army in Tunis. Hamilcar crucified Spendius and other rebel hostages outside Tunis to terrorize Matho, but this backfired when the rebels were able to surprise and defeat Hannibal's army due to their lax discipline. Punic survivors fled, and all their baggage

7493-544: The army of Spendius. The rebel loss was 8,000 dead with 4,000 captured. Hamilcar offered the prisoners a choice – to join his army, or leave Africa with the condition never to take up arms against Carthage. The new joiners were armed with equipment captured from the rebels. By winter of 240 BC, the situation had improved for Carthage. Rebel leaders feared mass desertions might result because of Hamilcar's policy towards prisoners. To forestall any such event, rebels committed an act of cruelty unpardonable by Carthage. Autaritus spread

7620-570: The bridge, fled to Tunis. Hamilcar's victory opened communication with Utica , and gave Hamilcar the chance to bring nearby towns under Carthaginian control by force or negotiations. He made no attempt to join Hanno near Utica. Spendius rallied his forces, was reinforced by a detachment largely made of Gauls under Autaritus and shadowed Hamilcar as he advanced south east, keeping to the high ground to avoid Carthaginian elephants and cavalry and harassing their enemy at every possible opportunity. These " Fabian tactics " continued until Hamilcar encamped in

7747-399: The city each year. The moves to develop the port for more tourism have been welcomed by the city and its residents, but the latest plans to develop an industrial estate in the port have caused great controversy. Alicante is located in the southeast of the Iberian Peninsula , on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea . Some orographic features rise over the largely flat terrain where the city

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7874-399: The city on 14 April 1931. The Spanish Civil War broke out on 17 July 1936. Alicante was the last city loyal to the Republican government to be occupied by General Franco's troops on 1 April 1939, and its harbour saw the last Republican government officials fleeing the country. Vicious air bombings were targeted on Alicante during the three years of civil conflict, most notably the bombing by

8001-413: The city's modern history occurred on 30 September 1997 when 270.2 mm (10.6 in) of rain fell within six hours. Temperatures below 2 °C (36 °F) are very rare; the last recorded snowfall occurred in 1926. Alicante enjoys one of the sunniest and warmest winter daytime temperatures in mainland Europe . The official population of Alicante in 2022 was 338,577 inhabitants and 768,194 in

8128-416: The city, its metropolitan area and with outlying settlements along Costa Blanca as well. As of 2020 , electric tram-trains run up to Benidorm , and diesel trains go further to Dénia . The city has regular ferry services to the Balearic Islands and Algeria . The city is strongly fortified, with a spacious harbour. Amongst the most notable features of the city are the Castle of Santa Bárbara and

8255-611: The client having to do anything. "Shift TV" is an option that allows users to stop live broadcast of any program from any channel, and then continue viewing. The service "Rewind TV," allows instant repeat of last minute broadcast of the channel, for example, to be able to follow since the beginning. Alicante Alicante ( / ˌ æ l ɪ ˈ k æ n t i / , also UK : /- t eɪ / , US : / ˌ æ l ɪ ˈ k ɑː n t i , ˌ ɑː l -/ ; Spanish: [aliˈkante] ; Valencian : Alacant [alaˈkant] ; officially: Alicante / Alacant )

8382-530: The conflict known as the Mercenary War . The rebels, under Spendius and Matho , were joined by 70,000 African subjects of Carthage. The rebels divided their forces: detachments were sent to besiege Utica and Hippo , while others cut Carthage off from the mainland, probably in the winter of 241 BC or spring of 240 BC. Hanno the Great was given command of the Punic army, which was raised from Carthaginian citizens and mercenaries recruited from abroad, plus cavalry squadrons and 100 elephants. Hanno sailed to Utica in

8509-449: The constant skirmishing without ultimate victory may have caused the morale of some of Hamilcar's troops to crack and 1,000 Celtic mercenaries tried to betray the Punic camp to the Romans, which was foiled. Hamilcar had to promise considerable rewards to keep the morale of his army up, which was to produce near fatal problems for Carthage later on. The Roman Republic was nearly bankrupt and had to borrow money from wealthy citizens to fund

8636-453: The construction of a fleet of 200 quinqueremes , which blockaded Carthaginian positions in Sicily in 242 BC by seizing the harbour of Drepana and anchorages at Lilybaeum, while Roman soldiers built siege works around Drepanum. The better-trained Roman fleet defeated a hastily raised, undermanned and ill-trained Punic fleet at battle of the Aegates Islands in 241 BC, cutting Sicily off from Carthage. Carthaginian leadership requested terms to

8763-414: The consuls of 245 BC, Marcus Fabius Bueto and Atilius Bulbus, fared no better. In 244 BC, Hamilcar transferred his army at night by sea to a similar position on the slopes of Mt. Eryx (Monte San Giuliano), from which he was able to lend support to the besieged garrison in the neighbouring town of Drepanum ( Trapani ). Hamilcar seized the town of Eryx, captured by the Romans in 249 BC, after destroying

8890-442: The crisis, going as far as to release all Punic prisoners without ransom and refuse to accept offers from Utica and Rebels mercenaries based in Sardinia to incorporate these territories into the Roman domain, seized Sardinia and Corsica and forced Carthage to pay 1,200 talents for her initial refusal to renounce her claim over the islands. This probably dealt a fatal blow to any chance of permanent peace between Rome and Carthage and

9017-423: The customer to have a truly TV 'a la carte': the services "Past TV," "Shift TV," "Rewind TV" and "Recorder Staff. " These services are made possible by a HD TV (High Definition Television) decoder with a hard drive of 160 GB, similar to TiVo . "Past TV" is an exclusive service of Movistar TV, which makes it possible to access content broadcast up to seven days before, has been officially recorded by Imagenio without

9144-423: The disorderly rebels closed on his formation. As the cavalry and then the elephants came closer to the infantry Hamilcar ordered each in turn to also wheel about to face the rebels. The modern historian Dexter Hoyos stresses that "[s]uch manoeuvres were about the simplest that any army could learn, once it mastered the absolute basics of marching in formation". It is not exactly known how Hamilcar managed to outwit

9271-450: The earlier settlements were made on the slopes of Mount Benacantil . By 1000 BC, Greek and Phoenician traders had begun to visit the eastern coast of Spain, establishing small trading ports and introducing the native Iberian tribes to the alphabet, iron, and the pottery wheel. The Carthaginian general Hamilcar Barca established the fortified settlement of Akra Leuké ( Greek : Ἄκρα Λευκή , meaning "White Mountain" or "White Point"), in

9398-738: The establishment of Massalia by Phocaean Greeks in 600 BC had created a rival that eventually came to dominate trade in Gaul and to plant colonies in Catalonia , at Mainke near Málaga , three colonies near the mouth of Sucro, and at Alalia in Corsica . Greek piracy had forced Carthage to team up with the Etruscans to drive the Greeks from Corsica, and destroy the colony at Mainke in Iberia. By 490 BC, Massalia had managed to defeat Carthage twice, and

9525-432: The fleet carrying supplies and elephants along the coast, keeping pace with the army. Hamilcar, on his own responsibility and without the consent of the Carthaginian government, ferried the army across to Gades to start an expedition into Hispania (236 BC), where he hoped to gain a new empire to compensate Carthage for the loss of Sicily and Sardinia . Iberia would also serve as a base for any future conflicts against

9652-473: The following Carthaginian victory at the Battle of Phintias ; the Romans were all but swept from the sea. It was to be seven years before Rome again attempted to field a substantial fleet. The Carthaginians had gained command of the sea after their victories in 249 BC, but they only held two cities in Sicily: Lilybaeum and Drepanum by the time Hamilcar took up command. The Carthaginian state

9779-480: The foothills of Mount Benacantil. It runs from the Santa Bárbara castle down to the old part of Alicante and consists of several levels, routes, decks, and rest stops which offer a panoramic view overlooking the city. El Palmeral Park is one of the favourite parks of Alicante's citizens. It includes walking trails, children's playgrounds, ponds and brooks, picnic tables, and an auditorium for concerts. Just

9906-497: The government could pay them off without trouble. However, the Carthaginian authorities waited until the whole army had gathered at Carthage, probably by the summer of 241 BC. As the strain on the Punic population increased, Carthaginian authorities then sent them off to Sicca, planning to plead with the whole army to forgo their unpaid wages by pointing out the dire financial situation of Carthage. Hamilcar's former soldiers, who had been kept together only by his personal authority and by

10033-486: The invitation from Utica, Hippo and Sardinia to occupy these areas. Finally, when the Carthaginian Senate was unable to decide between Hamilcar and Hanno, the people's assembly left it to the army to decide on their Commander in Chief, and Hamilcar Barca was elected to sole command. The people's assembly chose Hannibal of Paropos, son of another Hamilcar and a veteran of the First Punic War as Hamilcar's deputy. While Carthage

10160-405: The last clause after the initial conditions, which were more favorable to Carthage, was altered by Rome with a harsher one. Hamilcar Barca gathered the Carthaginian soldiers from Drepana and Eryx at Lilybaeum, surrendered his command, returned to Carthage and retired to private life, leaving Gisco and the Carthaginian government to pay off his soldiers. Whatever was the motivation behind this act, it

10287-399: The mainland: Monnegre (between the municipalities of San Vicente del Raspeig , Mutxamel , Busot and Jijona ), and Cabeçó d'Or ; the latter comprises part of the namesake Cabeçó d'Or mountain (including the summit, 1209 metres above sea level). The small island of Tabarca , 8 nautical miles to the south of the city, also belongs to the municipality. The foot of the main staircase of

10414-663: The majority. On April he resigned due to various judicial issues and was temporarily substituted by the councillor Eva Montesinos. In the previous municipal elections of May 2011, Sonia Castedo of People's Party won the elections with an absolute majority , but resigned in December 2014 due to her involvement in several corruption scandals, at present being under investigation. Her fellow party member Miguel Valor went on to become mayor up until Echávarri's election. Alicante has mild winter temperatures, hot and sultry summers, and little rain, concentrated in equinoctial periods. Like

10541-706: The medieval Valencian Parliament ( Corts Valencianes ). After several decades of being the battlefield where the Crown of Castile and the Crown of Aragon clashed, Alicante became a major Mediterranean trading station exporting rice, wine, olive oil, oranges, and wool. But between 1609 and 1614 King Felipe III expelled thousands of Moriscos who had remained in Valencia after the Reconquista, due to their cooperation with Barbary pirates who continually attacked coastal cities and caused much harm to trade. This act cost

10668-553: The metropolitan area "Alicante- Elche ". As of 2022, about 17.7% of the population is foreign, 62195 people, most of them immigrants who have arrived in the previous 20 years. Besides which, there is an estimation of additional thousands coming from countries outside the EU (mostly from the African continent) that are under illegal alien status and therefore are not accounted for in official population figures. Alicante Airport outranks

10795-643: The mid-230s BC, which is generally presumed to have been on the site of modern Alicante. Although the Carthaginians conquered much of the land around Alicante, the Romans eventually ruled Hispania Tarraconensis for over 700 years. By the 5th century AD, Rome was in decline, and the Roman predecessor town of Alicante, known as Lucentum ( Latin ), was more or less under the control of the Visigothic warlord Theudimer and thereafter under Visigothic rule from 400 to 700 A.D. The Goths did not put up much resistance to

10922-427: The natives, and had sent embassies to Carthage in 236, 235, 233 and 230 BC to accuse and threaten the Punic state. Nothing had come of these supposed episodes and some scholars doubt their authenticity. In 231 BC, a Roman embassy visited Hamilcar in Spain to inquire about his activities. Hamilcar simply replied that he was fighting to gather enough booty to pay off the war indemnity. The Romans withdrew and did not bother

11049-535: The old airfield at Rabasa was closed and air traffic moved to the new El Altet Airport , which made a more convenient and modern facility for charter flights bringing tourists from northern European countries. When Franco died in 1975, his successor Juan Carlos I played his part as the living symbol of the transition of Spain to a democratic constitutional monarchy. The governments of regional communities were given constitutional status as nationalities , and their governments were given more autonomy, including that of

11176-502: The onset of a lasting transformation of the city by the tourist industry. Large buildings and complexes rose in nearby Albufereta , e.g. El Barco , and Playa de San Juan de Alicante , with the benign climate being the biggest draw to attract prospective buyers and tourists who kept the hotels reasonably busy. New construction benefited the whole economy, as the development of the tourism sector also spawned new businesses such as restaurants, bars, and other tourist-oriented enterprises. Also,

11303-445: The outnumbered Carthaginians against the river with his two forces, pinning them with one and out-flanking them with the other. When his troops rushed towards the retreating Carthaginians, Spendius was either unable to control them or believed that the Carthaginians were fleeing and encouraged his forces' pursuit. Hamilcar had managed to train his new recruits in some drill and basic battlefield maneuvers before they left Carthage. As

11430-402: The possibility of prosecution if the Roman terms turned out to be harsh enough for Carthaginian authorities to seek a scapegoat. This treaty replaced all previous treaties between the two powers. The initial conditions laid out by Lutatius to Gisco were: Hamilcar Barca refused the demand to surrender Roman deserters or disarm Carthaginian soldiers, despite being threatened by Lutatius to have

11557-582: The power of the aristocracy, which was led by Hanno the Great , as well as gain immunity from prosecution. Hamilcar's faction gained enough clout, if not supreme power in Carthage, for Hamilcar to implement his next agenda. Hamilcar's first priority, probably, was to ensure that the war indemnity was paid regularly so the Romans had no excuse to interfere in Carthaginian affairs. His second was to implement his strategy for preparing Carthage for any future conflict with Rome, or enable Carthage to defend itself against any aggression. Hamilcar obtained permission from

11684-435: The promise of good pay, broke out into open mutiny once Hanno the Great tried to impose this, and marched on Carthage and encamped at Tunis . The soldiers refused to accept Hamilcar as an arbitrator, angered by his refusal to accompany his army from Sicily and retiring to Carthage as soon as the treaty with Rome was formalized, and although Carthage at this point conceded to all their demands, things soon boiled over and started

11811-411: The raids, when troops under a subordinate commander named Bodostor engaged in plunder against the orders of Hamilcar and suffered severe casualties when the Romans caught up to them, Hamilcar requested a truce to bury his dead. Roman consul Fundanius (243/2 BC) arrogantly replied that Hamilcar should request a truce to save his living and denied the request. Hamilcar managed to inflict severe casualties on

11938-424: The rebel army and the truceless war began in earnest. Carthage was hit by a series of disasters in 239 BC: her fleet and supply flotilla bringing supplies from Empoia was sunk in a storm, the mercenaries in Sardinia rebelled and the cities of Utica and Hippo Acra killed their Punic garrisons and defected to the rebels. Carthage sent an expedition to Sardinia under Hanno, but this force killed their officers and joined

12065-479: The rebel army. The cavalry and light infantry were in the middle, while the heavy infantry was posted furthest from the rebel army. Through brilliant maneuvering, Hamilcar inflicted a heavy defeat on the rebel forces, leading to the killing of 8,000 mercenaries and the capturing of 2,000 men. Hamilcar occupied the bridge, then established control over the surrounding region. Some of the surviving rebels fled towards Utica; others, after being driven from their camp near

12192-435: The rebels to depart freely with a single garment, but retained the right to detain 10 persons. When the rebel leaders agreed to the terms, Hamilcar detained the rebel delegation. Deprived of leadership, and unaware of the pact, the mercenaries suspected treachery; the Libyans were the first to attack Hamilcar's positions. The rebel army was slaughtered, with the elephants trampling most to death. Hamilcar next moved to confront

12319-522: The rebels were placed in a state of siege. Spendius and Matho were joined by a force commanded by a Libyan chief named Zarzas, and the 50,000 strong army under Spendius moved away from Carthage. Using tactics later made famous by Q. Fabius against Hannibal, Hamilcar's eldest son, the rebels shadowed Hamilcar's army, while moving south, harassing his soldiers and keeping to the high ground to avoid Carthaginian elephants and cavalry. After weeks of maneuvering, Hamilcar finally managed to trap about 40,000 rebels in

12446-494: The rebels, and the generals probably extended Carthaginian territory in Africa at the same time. Carthage now began to fit out an expedition to recover Sardinia, with Hamilcar commanding Punic forces. Punic Mercenaries stationed in Sardinia had rebelled in 239 BC, besieged Boaster and all Carthaginians in a citadel and later executed them after the fort fell. They managed to take over all Punic territories in Sardinia. Carthage sent

12573-478: The rebels. According to one line of thought, the Carthaginian army order of march had the War Elephants leading the column, with the light troops and cavalry behind the elephants. Heavy infantry formed the rearguard, and the whole army marched in a single file in battle formation. According to another line of thought, Hamilcar’s army marched in three separate columns, with the war elephants placed nearest

12700-531: The rebels. Furthermore, Hamilcar had invited Hanno the Great to join forces and try to end the rebellion as quickly as possible, but the generals failed to cooperate. The gloomy situation changed when first Syracuse and then Rome came to the aid of Carthage. Syracuse redoubled the volume of supplies sent to Carthage. Rome forbade Italian traders to trade with rebels and encouraged trade with Carthage, freed Punic prisoners without ransom, and allowed Carthage to recruit mercenaries from Roman territories and flatly refused

12827-480: The region dearly; with so many skilled artisans and agricultural labourers gone, the feudal nobility found itself sliding into bankruptcy. Conditions worsened in the early 18th century; after the War of Spanish Succession , Alicante went into a long, slow decline, surviving through the 18th and 19th centuries by making shoes and growing agricultural produce such as oranges and almonds, and thanks to its fisheries. The end of

12954-665: The rest of the Province of Alicante itself, which has a range of dry climate types, the city has a hot semi-arid climate ( BSh ) according to the Köppen climate classification . It is one of the driest cities in Europe. Daily variations in temperature are generally small because of the stabilising influence of the sea, although occasional periods of westerly wind can produce temperature changes of 15 °C (27 °F) or more. Seasonal temperature variations are also relatively small, meaning that winters are mild and summers are hot. During

13081-451: The river routes of Guadalquivir and Guadalete giving access to the mining area, Gades began to mint silver coins from 237 BC. Carthaginians may have taken control of the mining operations and introduced new technologies to increase production. Hamilcar now had the means to pay for his mercenary army and also to ship silver ore to Carthage to help pay off the war indemnity. Hamilcar was in a secure enough position in Iberia to send Hasdrubal

13208-418: The rumor that Carthaginian prisoners led by Gisco were plotting to escape. Rebels opposing this were stoned and Gisco and his fellow prisoners were tortured to death. Autaritus announced that he would do the same with all Punic prisoners that fell into rebel hands in future. Hamilcar killed his prisoners and announced a policy of equal measure toward future rebel prisoners, thus ending any chance of desertion from

13335-664: The service is available for their phone line on the Movistar website. The channel line-up includes some international English-language channels, such as CNN International and BBC World News . Additionally for certain channels, Movistar TV allows the viewer to switch instantly from the dubbed Spanish versions of foreign-made programs to the original-language version. This facility is available for many digital channels such as TCM, Calle 13, FOX and Disney Channel but not for national terrestrial/digital channels such as TVE, Antena3 or Telecinco. The Movistar TV (then called Imagenio) platform

13462-491: The spirit of the army, and succeeded in creating a highly disciplined and versatile force. While Hamilcar won no large-scale battle or recaptured any cities lost to the Romans, he waged a relentless campaign against the enemy, and caused a constant drain on Roman resources. However, if Hamilcar had hoped to recapture Panormus , he failed in his strategy. Roman forces led by the consuls Manius Otacilius Crassus and Marcus Fabius Licinus achieved little against Hamilcar in 246 BC, and

13589-414: The spring of 241 BC, obtained siege equipment from the city and overran the rebel camp, the rebels fleeing before the charging Punic elephants. Hanno, accustomed to fighting Libyans and Numidians, did not anticipate any further trouble and left his army for Utica. However, the rebels regrouped, and observing lax discipline among the Punic troops, launched a surprise sortie and routed the Punic army while Hanno

13716-459: The summer solstice . This is followed a week later by five nights of firework and pyrotechnic contests between companies on the urban beach Playa del Postiguet . Another well-known festival is Moors and Christians ( Moros y Cristianos ) in Altozano or San Blas district. Overall, the city boasts a year-round nightlife for the enjoyment of tourists, residents, and a large student population of

13843-417: The summer of 247 BC, punished the rebellious mercenaries (who had revolted because of overdue payments) by murdering some of them at night and drowning the rest at sea, and dismissing many to different parts of northern Africa. With a reduced army and fleet, Hamilcar commenced his operations. The Romans had divided their forces: Consul Lucius Caelius Metellus was near Lilybaeum , while Numerius Fabius Buteo

13970-425: The summer, due to the evaporation of warm Mediterranean waters, air humidity levels are high, making the day and night stuffy for much of the season. These high humidity levels increase the heat index . The average rainfall is 284.5 mm (11.2 in) per year. The cold drop means that September and October are the wettest months. Rarely, the rainfall can be torrential, reaching over 100 mm (4 in) in

14097-430: The two rebel forces came into clear sight the Carthaginians wheeled, and marched away . The Carthaginians were marching in good order so they could perform a pre-planned manoeuvre which they had practiced in Carthage, but the rebels, many of whom were inexperienced soldiers, believed that the Carthaginians were running away. Shouting encouragement to each other they broke into a run to pursue. Hamilcar unleashed his trap as

14224-464: The victorious Roman commander, Gaius Lutatius Catulus and authorised Hamilcar Barca to open negotiations, probably to avoid the responsibility of the defeat. Hamilcar in turn nominated Gisco, the Carthaginian commander of Lilybaeum , to conduct the talks. Carthage often hauled defeated generals and admirals before the Tribunal of 100 and had them crucified, so Hamilcar probably distanced himself from

14351-420: The war, and would be marginalized by the abandonment of overseas operations, also supported this faction. People disenfranchised by the ruin of the navy and disruption of trade might have thrown in their lot with this group and eventually Hasdrubal the Fair emerged as the leader. Hamilcar, furious that Sicily had been given up too soon, while he had been undefeated, could rely on support from this party. There

14478-520: The world. The latest race sailed in January 2023. Alicante is twinned with: Hamilcar Barca Hamilcar Barca or Barcas ( Punic : 𐤇𐤌𐤋𐤒𐤓𐤕𐤟𐤁𐤓𐤒 , romanized:  Ḥomilqart Barqa ; c.  275 –228   BC) was a Carthaginian general and statesman, leader of the Barcid family, and father of Hannibal , Hasdrubal and Mago . He was also father-in-law to Hasdrubal

14605-581: Was "re-establishing Carthaginian authority in Iberia". Phoenician colonies were strung along the Atlantic and Mediterranean coasts of southwestern Spain and exercised some degree of control over their immediate areas, but only had trading contacts, not direct control, over the tribes of Iberia at that time. Iberian and Celtiberian tribes were not under any unified leadership at this time and were warlike, although some had absorbed varying degrees of Greek and Punic cultural influence. Carthage's failure to prevent

14732-442: Was absent, driving the survivors to Utica and capturing all the baggage. Hanno marshaled his soldiers, but twice failed to engage the rebels under favorable conditions and twice failed to surprise them on other occasions. The Carthaginian government then raised an army of 10,000 soldiers and 70 elephants and put Hamilcar Barca in command. This army was small for leading a sortie against the stronger rebel forces, especially to lead into

14859-630: Was besieging Drepanum at that time. Hamilcar probably fought an inconclusive battle at Drepanum , but there is cause to doubt this. Hamilcar next raided Locri in Bruttium and the area around Brindisi in 247 BC. On his return he seized a strong position on Mount Ercte ( Monte Pellegrino , just north of Palermo or Mt. Castellacio, 7 miles north-west of Palermo), and not only maintained himself against all attacks, but carried on with his seaborne raids ranging from Catana in Sicily to as far as Cumae in central Italy . He also set about improving

14986-416: Was busy settling state affairs, Spendius and Matho decided to blockade the city from the landward side. However, as the rebels had no navy, Carthage could draw supplies from the sea and so did not face the threat of starvation. But the rebels would sally out from their camp at Tunis and approach the city walls to cause terror inside the city. In response, Hamilcar began to harass the rebel supply lines and soon

15113-551: Was captured along with Hannibal and thirty Carthaginian senators. Hamilcar retreated north near the mouth of the Bagradas River, while Matho crucified his prisoners on the same crosses Hamilcar had used to crucify the rebel leaders, then retreated out of Tunis and moved south. At this point, the Carthaginian senate reinstated Hanno and forced Hamilcar to share command. The Punic generals pursued Matho's army and won several small-scale engagements. After mustering their forces,

15240-546: Was feeling the strain of the prolonged conflict. In addition to maintaining a fleet and soldiers in Sicily, they were also fighting the Libyans and Numidians in northern Africa. As a result, Hamilcar was given a fairly small army and the Carthaginian fleet was gradually withdrawn; Carthage put most of its ships into reserve to save money and free up manpower, so by 242 BC, Carthage had no ships to speak of in Sicily. The Carthaginian leadership probably thought Rome had been defeated and invested little manpower in Sicily. With

15367-471: Was in command, reduce the navy and support Hanno the Great's conquests in Africa, all of which were causes for the ultimate defeat of Carthage in the First Punic War. They had remained in power throughout the Mercenary War and had advocated Hanno's position over Hamilcar's more than once. Their opponents probably had the support of people who had wanted to continue the war even after the defeat at Aegates Island. The Mercantile Class, whose interests were hurt by

15494-417: Was led by the landed aristocracy at the time, and they preferred to expand across northern Africa instead of pursuing an aggressive policy in Sicily. Hanno "The Great " was in charge of operations in Africa since 248 BC and had conquered considerable territory by 241 BC. Carthage did not take advantage of their naval supremacy and carry the war to Italy other than launching a few raids. Carthage at this time

15621-480: Was part of the landed aristocracy of Carthage. Hamilcar was a young man of 28 when he received the Sicilian command in 247 BC. By this time he had three daughters, and his son Hannibal was born during the same year. The war, which had started in 264 BC, continued after the Romans abandoned Africa ; however, neither side gained a decisive advantage until 249 BC. The Romans rebuilt their fleet after losing 364 ships in

15748-500: Was recalled to command and was instrumental in concluding that conflict successfully. Hamilcar commanded the Carthaginian expedition to Spain in 237   BC, and for eight years expanded the territory of Carthage in Spain before dying in battle in 228 BC . He may have been responsible for creating the strategy which his son Hannibal implemented in the Second Punic War to bring the Roman Republic close to defeat. Hamilcar

15875-432: Was resented by the mercenaries left behind in Sicily. The "Undefeated" army now created a unique problem for Carthage. Had Hamilcar suffered a decisive defeat, casualties and prisoners would have diminished their numbers and Carthage would have had an excuse not to pay anything. But now the 20,000 man army had to be paid their full due. Gisco sensibly sent the troops to Carthage in small groups with intervals in between so

16002-435: Was similar to the one employed by Fabius Maximus during the Second Punic War , ironically against Hannibal , Hamilcar's eldest son. The difference was that Fabius commanded a numerically superior army to his opponent, had no supply problems, and had room to manoeuvre, while Hamilcar was mostly static, had a far smaller army than the Romans and was dependent on seaborne supplies from Carthage. Hamilcar, upon taking command in

16129-600: Was the subject of hot debates among politicians and citizens alike. The latest of many public battles concerns the plans of the Port Authority of Alicante to construct an industrial estate on reclaimed land in front of the city's coastal strip, in breach of local, national, and European regulations. (See Port of Alicante for details). The city serves as the headquarters of the European Union Intellectual Property Office and

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