Elx is one of the few places to be accorded two UNESCO World Heritage titles. In 2000, the Palmeral – a landscape of palm groves dating from the 9th century – was declared a World Heritage Site. This was followed in 2001 by the mediaeval mystery play 'Misteri d'Elx'. These two cultural phenomena with World Heritage status are very differently anchored in the memory of the town and its people. The Palmeral, as a material instance of cultural heritage, is at best to be found stored away in long-term memory: the local people can hardly be said to have any close links to the Palmeral today, and its main value is as a tourist attraction. By contrast, those involved in celebrating the mystery play experience an identity-serving praxis that remains in memory. Over and above the continually actualised experience, a revitalised sense of local belonginess finds expression, making the intangible World Heritage 'Misteri d'Elx' especially important for the town.