Its bridges and its position as an industrial pioneer of the Valencian Community are the features that define Alcoy. Even though the Archaeological Museum displays an Iberian figure depicting a spinner, it was in the second half of the 18th century, at the onset of the Industrial Revolution, that the character of Alcoy was set.

The town participated in worker emancipation movements such as the Ludite uprising and the anarchist movement during the 19th and 20th centuries, in common with Barcelona. Its well-to-do industrial bourgeoisie enriched the town's appearance with grandiose modernist buildings. The medieval village expanded as a result of the thriving industry and several bridges were built over the rivers that join together in Alcoy, giving rise to the distinctive suburbs of the city. María Cristina is the oldest suburb, and the first encountered when entering Alcoy from Alicante.

The Canalejeas viaduct over the Molinar River is a metallic structure that was a real innovation when it was built in 1907. The last bridge to be constructed was inaugurated in 1987 to re-route the traffic from the N-340, which used to pass through the modern district of Alcoy. The Plaza de España was the main historical hub of Alcoy - the Ayuntamiento, the Parish Church of Santa María and a multipurpose hall designed by the famous architect Santiago Calatrava are all located there. Various walks around the city start from this point .

One of these walks takes you to the medieval neighbourhood where you can see the old Ayuntamiento - today the Municipal Archaeological Museum - and the Museum of the Fiesta, located nearby. The calle San Nicolás leads into the first of the new extensions to the city and several modernist buildings such as the Círculo Industrial and the Casa del Pavo can be seen here