On April 18, 1901, El Campello officially gained independence from the city of Alicante, to which it belonged as a hamlet. At that time, this small fishing village had barely 2,770 inhabitants and began its own administrative and social journey. Today, 125 years later, the population exceeds 32,000 residents and is preparing to commemorate a short but intense history.
The history of El Campello is marked by the efforts of generations who transformed a seafaring town into a modern, open locality, proud of its identity and with an economy based on tourist activity. The first census preserved in the Municipal Archive of Alicante, from 1841, already registered 1,417 inhabitants in the El Campello area, distributed in 351 homes, with 234 day laborers and 10 sailors.
The origins of the town date back much further, as evidenced by the archaeological site of La Illeta dels Banyets. This enclave, one of the most prominent in the province of Alicante, preserves remains from the Chalcolithic to the Islamic era, bearing witness to the succession of cultures that have inhabited this strip of the Mediterranean. The City Council and the MARQ Foundation promote this site as an example of the municipality's millennial past.
After a process that lasted years, in 1901 the El Campello City Council was constituted with the election of the first mayor, beginning a stage of autonomy. Throughout these 125 years, the town has had 32 mayors and one mayoress, each contributing to its development. To commemorate this anniversary, the City Council is promoting a series of events that will take place during the year.
“"On this April 18, 2026, El Campello celebrates its 125 years looking back with respect and to the future with enthusiasm. Its history, built with the drive of its people, continues to be the best guarantee that what was born as a small coastal town continues to advance with a firm course."
Among the outstanding projects is the creation of a “gallery of mayors,” for which citizen collaboration has been requested to gather images of all local leaders since 1901. The collection of photographs is proving challenging, but the archive is growing progressively. This project will be followed by cultural and social events whose programming is being finalized.
The arrival of tourism, the urban transformation of Muchavista and the North Zone, and the development of the urban center have made El Campello a benchmark in the l'Alacantí region. Without renouncing its fishing tradition or its neighborhood life, it has managed to combine modernity and roots, culture and sustainability.
