The Palmeral de Elche is the largest palm grove in Europe. Although its presence dates from prehistoric times, it was in the Arab period when it reached its greatest splendour, as the Muslims laid out the palm trees in the form of orchards and vastly improved their cultivation. The site that can be seen today around the historic quarter of the town has over 200,000 palm trees and is known as the Historic Palm Grove. It was declared a World Heritage site by the UNESCO for its role as a testament to its role in the transmission of culture from East to West, and for the survival of an exceptional watering system inherited from the culture of Al-Andalus. Spaces open to visitors today include the Municipal Park (with some singular buildings and fountains with neo-Arabic inspiration), the Huerto del Cura garden (declared a National Artistic Garden), the El Palmeral Museum (located in the Huerto de San Plácido garden), and the Route of El Palmeral (which goes through traditional palm groves, and the Filet de Fora palm park).