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Bilbao
 

City Flag and Coat of Arms
Location in Spain
General Information
Autonomous community: Basque Country
Province: Biscay
Postal code: 48001-48013
Area code: 34 (Spain) + 94 (Bilbao)
Homepage: www.bilbao.net
Nickname: "El Botxo'"
Demonym: "Bilbaino - a (Spanish)"
  "Bilbotarra (Basque)"
Politics
Mayor Iñaki Azkuna (PNV)
Population
Population: 354,000 (2003)
946,829 met. area
- rank in Spain: 10   (Met. area: 6)
Population density: 8,615/km²
Geography
Area: 41,3 km²
Location: 43,15° n.   2,58° w.
Altitude 19 m AMSL
Highest point: 673 m AMSL
(mount Pagasarri)
Administrative Structure
Districts: 8
Neighbourhoods: 36
Bilbao (Basque: Bilbo) in the North of Spain, is the largest city in the Basque Country and the capital of the province of Biscay (Basque: Bizkaia). The city has over 350,000 inhabitants (2004) and is the most economically and industrially active part of Gran Bilbao, the zone in which almost half of the Basque Country’s population lives. Gran Bilbao’s 946,829 inhabitants are spread along the length of the Nervion River, whose banks are home also to numerous business and factories, which during the industrial revolution brought heightened prosperity to the region.

Geography

A major seaport and industrial centre, the city is located on the river Nervión, and its suburbs extend to the Bay of Biscay. Population of the city of Bilbao proper was 354,000 as of 2003 estimates. Population of the urban area was 935,000 as of 2004 estimates. Population of the metropolitan area or Gran Bilbao (urban area plus satellite towns) was 947,000 as of 2003 estimates, ranking as the sixth-largest metropolitan area of Spain. As of 2006, the mayor of Bilbao is Iñaki Azkuna.

In the north, Bilbao’s city edge is considered to be around the towns of Erandio, Sondika and Derio, in the east it is encompassed by Zamudio and Etxebarri. The southern border passes outside Basauri and Arrigorriaga and in the west, Barakaldo and Alonsotegi are the furthest extremes.

Districts

The city of Bilbao is divided in eight different districts, including the following neighbourhoods:

Climate

Bilbao has an oceanic climate, generally mild, with not too extreme temperatures. January average temperature is 9ºC and July average 21ºC. Precipitations reach around 1200mm per year, almost entirely rain, although every winter it snows one or two days. Extreme heat is also common a few days each summer, mainly when strong winds from the south blow through the mountains and temperatures rise because of the Föhn wind.*

Temperature averages (ºC)
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Total
Max 13º 14º 16º 17º 19º 22º 25º 24º 21º 21º 17º 14º 18.6º
Min 6º 6º 7º 8º 11º 14º 16º 16º 14º 12º 9º 7º10.5º
Average 9º 11º 11º 12º 16º 18º 21º 21º 19º 16º 13º 11º14.5º
Rain (mm) 126 97 94 124 90 64 62 82 74 121 141 1161191

History

Bilbao was founded by Don Diego Lopez de Haro on 15 June 1300 in the place of an existing fishing settlement. Don Diego gave the city rights and privileges along with land for growth. At first there were only three streets: Somera, Artekale and Tenderia, and the Santiago church, surrounded by a city wall. Bilbao was in the northern branch of the Way of Saint James, thus the name of Santiago (Saint James') church.

1300-1600

The city grew slowly but steadily. In the 15th century wars between noble families disrupted the city, which had reached a population of almost 3000. Three floods and a fire shook the city, and Santiago Church was almost totally destroyed. But once again the city recovered and it grew beyond the wall.

In 1511 the Consulate of Bilbao was granted to the city by the Spanish Crown, this allowed Bilbao to be the main export port for wool from Castille to the northern European cities, like Antwerpen. Bilbao became the most important commercial and financial hub of the Spanish north coast during the Spanish Empire era.

1600-1900

The following centuries saw a constant increase of the city's wealth, specially after the discovery of extensive iron resources in the surrounding hills. The 19th century's industrial revolution was crucial for Bilbao, with the developing of strong mining, steel and shipbuilding industries. At the beginning of the 20th century Bilbao was the wealthiest city of Spain, where the main banks (BBVA) and insurance companies were stablished.

In 1886 the University of Deusto was established and a major plan for the city was announced after the village of Abando was annexed. The "Ensanche" (extension) project almost doubled the city's area and was developed during the following decades, as it happened in other cities like Barcelona at that time.

The 20th century

In 1921, the village of Deusto was annexed and several other parts of the city were developed including Basurto and Begoña.

Bilbao sided with the Republican Government in the Spanish Civil War and was the capital of the first Basque Autonomous Government led by José Antonio Aguirre. A defensive ring, called "Cinturon de Hierro" (Iron Belt) was built around the city , with heavy artillery and a good number of bunkers linked by kilometers of tunnels. Despite all the efforts in June 19 1937 Bilbao succumbed to Franco's troops' siege, the bridges were destroyed but the city survived relatively intact.

In 1983 heavy floods struck the city, killing many people in the province and causing great damage to the old part of the city, remarkably the old Arriaga Theater was devastated. Since then the Casco Viejo (the old district) has been renewed, along with the general trend of renewal seen all around the city.

Regeneration and renewal

The city has recently undergone major urban renewal, in order to move away from the region’s industrial history and instead focus on tourism and services. The developments are centred around the new metro system by Sir Norman Foster (see Metro Bilbao) and, most of all, the Guggenheim Bilbao Museum by Frank Gehry. A new tram line(EuskoTran) was introduced in 2002. The Port of Bilbao, formerly on the river, has been moved and expanded downstream on the Bay of Biscay, opening a great deal of central real estate on the river that has been the site of most of the new building. Other new landmarks include the Santiago Calatrava- designed Zubizuri Bridge and the Euskalduna Palace, a cultural centre, further downstream. The two points are linked by a new riverside passageway opposite University of Deusto, which provides an open green space for the city’s inhabitants to relax.

A major landmark tower, designed by César Pelli, to house the Iberdrola electric company will also be built and there are ambitious plans to regenerate the peninsula on the river known as Zorrozaurre.

Tourism and Monuments

Bilbao is a bubbling city with a good selection of hotels and restaurants surrounded by beautiful countryside and high interest for visitors.

As well as the famous Guggenheim Museum, the city acts as home for the Fine Arts Museum recognised as one of Spain’s finest art museums and recently refurbished) and the Maritime Museum on the Nervion’s banks, which recently hosted the RMS Titanic exhibition which has been touring Europe. These only represent a small portion of what the city has to offer.

Since the inauguration of the Guggenheim museum in 1997, eight new hotels have been opened in the city, reflecting the increasing interest for the city.

Bilbao was briefly featured at the start of the 1999 James Bond film The World Is Not Enough.

 

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the "Bilbao".

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