Bilbao

Name	Bilbao
Settlement type	Municipality
Official name
Image shield	Escudo de Bilbao (ovalado).svg
Nickname	el botxo
Pushpin map	Spain Basque Country
Pushpin map caption	Location of Bilbao within the Basque Country
Pushpin map1	Spain
Pushpin map caption1	Location of Bilbao within Spain
Coordinates region	ES
Subdivision type	Country
Subdivision name
Subdivision type1	Autonomous community
Subdivision name1
Subdivision type2	Province
Subdivision name2	Biscay
Subdivision type3	Comarca
Subdivision name3	Greater Bilbao
Seat type
Coordinates type	region:ES_type:city
Coordinates display	inline,title
Elevation m	19
Elevation min m	0
Elevation max m	689
Area total km2	40.65
Area urban km2	17.35
Area rural km2	23.30
Established title	Founded
Established date	15 June 1300
Population total	353187
Population as of	2010
Population density km2	auto
Blank name sec1	Official language(s)
Blank info sec1	Basque, Spanish
Timezone	CET
Utc offset	+1
Timezone dst	CEST
Utc offset dst	+2
Postal code type	Postal code
Postal code	48001 - 48015
Area code type	Dialing code
Area code	+34 94
Government type	Mayor-Council
Leader title	Mayor
Leader name	Iñaki Azkuna
Leader party	PNV
Website

Bilbao (; ) is a Spanish municipality, capital of the province of Biscay, in the autonomous community of the Basque Country. With a population of 353,187 as of 2010, it is the largest city of its autonomous community and the tenth in Spain. Bilbao lies within one of Spain's largest metropolitan areas; the comarca of Greater Bilbao has an estimated population of 875,552, making it the fifth most populated conurbation in the country.

Bilbao is situated in the north-central part of Spain, some south of the Bay of Biscay, where the estuary of Bilbao is formed. Its main urban core is surrounded by two small mountain ranges with an average elevation of .

Since its foundation in the early 14th century, Bilbao was a commercial hub that enjoyed significant importance in the Green Spain, mainly thanks to its port activity based on the export of iron extracted from the Biscayan quarries. Throughout the nineteenth century and beginnings of the twentieth, Bilbao experienced heavy industrialization that made it the centre of the second industrialized region of Spain, behind Barcelona. This was joined by an extraordinary population explosion that prompted the anexation of several adjacent municipalities. Nowadays, Bilbao is a vigorous service city that is experiencing an ongoing social, economic, and aesthetic revitalization process, started by the symbolic Bilbao Guggenheim Museum, and continued by infrastructure investments, such as the airport terminal, the rapid transit system, the tram line, the Alhóndiga, or the currently under development Abandoibarra and Zorrozaurre renewal projects.

Etymology

The official name of the city is Bilbao, as known in most languages of the world. Euskaltzaindia, the official regulatory institution of the Basque language, agreed that between the two possible names existing in Basque, Bilbao and Bilbo, that the historical name in Basque is Bilbo, while keeping the officialty of the first one. Although the term Bilbo does not appear on old documents, in the play The Merry Wives of Windsor by William Shakespeare, there is a reference of swords presumably made of Biscayan iron to which he calls "bilboes", which might suggest that is a word used since at least the sixteenth century.

There is no consensus among historians about the origin of the name. The engineer Evaristo de Churruca said that is a Basque custom to name a place after its location, for Bilbao would be the result of the union of the Basque words for river and cove: Bil-Ibaia-Bao. Also, historian José Tussel Gómez argues that it is just a natural evolution of the Spanish words bello vado, beautiful river crossing. On the other hand, writer Esteban Calle Iturrino said that the name derivates from the two previous settlement that existed on both banks of the estuary, more than the estuary itself. The first one, where the current Casco Viejo stands, would be called billa that in Basque means stacking, after the configuration of the buildings. The second one, located on the left bank, where now stands Bilbao La Vieja, would be called vaho, Spanish for mist or steam. From the union of this two, the name Bilbao would come out,

History

Remains of an ancient settlement were found on the top of mount Malmasín, dated around the 3rd or 2nd century BC. Burial sites were also found on mounts Avril and Artxanda, dated 6,000 years old. Some authors identify the old settlement of Bilbao as Amanun Portus, cited by Pliny the Elder, or with Flaviobriga, by Ptolemy. The then lord of Biscay, Diego López V of Haro, founded Bilbao through a municipal charter dated in Valladolid on June 15, 1300 and confirmed by king Ferdinand IV of Castile in Burgos, on January 4, 1301. Diego López stablished the new town on the right bank of the Nervión river, on grounds of the elizate of Begoña and granted it the fuero of Logroño, a compilation of rights and privileges that would prove fundamental to its later development.

in 1554 and first published in 1574. Many notable buildings can be seen, like the Santiago Cathedral, and the church of San Antón.]] On 21 June 1511, queen Joanna of Castile ordered the creation of the Consulate of Bilbao. This would become the most influential institution of the city for centuries, and would claim jurisdiction over the estuary, improving its infrastructure. Under the Consulate's control, the port of Bilbao became one of the most important of Spain. This progress brought the first printing-press of the city in 1577, and was also here that in 1596, the first book in Basque was edited, entitled Doctrina Christiana en Romance y Bascuence by Dr. Betolaza.

In 1602 Bilbao was made capital city of Biscay, title previously held by Bermeo. The following centuries saw a constant increase of the city's wealth, especially after the discovery of extensive iron resources in the surrounding mounts. At the end of the 17th century, Bilbao overcame the economical crises that affected Spain thanks to the iron ore and the commerce with England and the Netherlands. During the 18th century the city continued to grow and almost exhausted its small space.

.]]The Basque Country was one of the main scenarios of the Carlist Wars, and the conquer of Bilbao, a liberal and economic bastion was of extreme importance for the Carlists. The city was besieged three times between 1835 and 1874, but all proved unsuccessful. One of the main battles of this time was the Battle of Luchana, when general Baldomero Espartero defetead the Carlists, freeing the city. Despite this, the city could prosper during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, when it rose as the economical centre of the Basque Country. During this time, the first railway was built (in 1857), the Bank of Bilbao was founded (which later would become the BBVA), and the Bilbao Stock Exchange was created. Many industries flourished, such as Altos Hornos de Vizcaya in 1902. The city grew in area with the Abando ensanche and was modernized with new avenues and walkways, as well as with new modern buildings such as the City Hall, the Basurto Hospital and the Arriaga Theatre. The population increased dramatically, going from 11,000 in 1880 to 80,000 in 1900. Social movements also occurred, specially the Basque nationalism under Sabino Arana.

The Spanish Civil War started in Bilbao with small uprisings suppressed by the republican forces. On 31 August 1936, the city suffered the first bombing. On the next month, further bombings of German origin occurred. In May 1937, the Nationalist army besieged the city. The battle lasted until 19 June of that year, when Lieutenant Colonel Putz ordered to destroy all bridges over the estuary and the troops of the 5th Brigade took the city from mounts Malmasin, Pagasarri, and Arnotegi.

With the war over, Bilbao returned to its industrial development, accompanied by a steady population grow. In the 1940s, the city was rebuilt, starting with the bridges. In 1948, the first commercial flight took off from the local airport. Over the next decade, there was a rebirth of the iron industry, which led to the rise of slums in the hillsides. In this chaotic environment, on 31 July 1959, the terrorist organization ETA was born in Bilbao, as a split of PNV. With the approval of the Statute of Autonomy of the Basque Country in 1979, Vitoria-Gasteiz was elected the seat of the government and therefore the de facto capital of the Basque Autonomous Community, despite Bilbao being larger and more powerful economically. In the 1980s, several factors such as terrorism, labor demands, and the arrival of cheap labor force from the abroad, led to a devastating industrial crisis.

Geography

The municipality of Bilbao is located on the northern tip of the Iberian Peninsula, about from the Bay of Biscay. It covers an area of , of which are urban, and the remaining consist of the surrounding mounts. The official average altitude is , although there are measurements between and . It is also the core of the comarca of Greater Bilbao. It is surrounded by the municipalities of Derio, Etxebarri, Galdakao, Loiu, Sondika, and Zamudio to the north; Arrigorriaga and Basauri to the west; Alonsotegi to the south; and Barakaldo and Erandio to the east.

Orography

Bilbao is located on the Basque threshold, the range between the larger Cantabrian Mountains and the Pyrenees. The composition of the soil is predominated by mesozoic materials (limestone, sandstone, and marl) sedimented over a primitive paleozoic base.

Hydrology

crossing the city.]]The main river system of Bilbao is also the hydrological artery of Biscay. Rivers Nervión and Ibaizabal converge in Basauri and form an estuary that receives the names of "estuary of Bilbao", "of the Nervión", "of the Ibaizabal", or "of the Nervión-Ibaizabal". This estuary runs for and with a low flow (with an average of 25 cubic meters per second). Its main tributary is river Cadagua, that sources in the Mena valley and has a basin of , which most of it lies in the neighboring province of Burgos. This river is also de natural border between Bilbao and Barakaldo.

The river suffered from human intervention many times, as seen in the dredging of its bottom, the building of docks on both banks and especially in the Deusto canal, an artificial waterway dug between 1950 and 1968 in the district of Deusto as a lateral canal, with the aim to facilitate navigation, sparing ships from the natural curves of the estuary. The project was stopped with left to complete, and it was decided to leave it as a dock. However, in 2007, a plan was approved to continue the canal and form the island of Zorrozaurre. Said human intervention also brought negative results in the quality of the water, and after decades of toxic waste dumping, caused a situation of anoxia (lack of oxygen), which almost eliminated the entire fauna and flora. now it is possible to observe algae, tonguefishes, crabs, and seabirds, as well as occasional bathers in the summer months.

The estuary also works as a natural border for several neighbourhoods and districts within the city. Since entering the municipality, from the west, it divides the districts of Begoña and Ibaiondo, then Abando and Uribarri and lastly Deusto and Basurto-Zorroza.

Climate

The proximity to the Cantabrian sea make Bilbao has a oceanic climate, with precipitation occurring throughout the year, without a well-defined dry summer season. This precipitation is abundant, and given the latitude and atmospheric dynamics, rainy days represent 45% and cloudy days 40% of the annual total. The most rainy season is between October and April, being November the wettest. Snowing is not frequent in the city, while is possible to see snow on the top of the surrounding mounts. Hail is quite more frequent, about 10 days per year, mainly in the winter months.

Said proximity to the ocean also makes that the two most defined seasons (summer and winter) remain mild, with low intensity thermal oscillations. Average maximum temperatures varies between and in the summer months, while the average minimum in winter is between and .

Extreme record observations in Bilbao are maximum (on 13 August 2003) and minimum (on 3 February 1963). The maximum precipitation in a day was in 26 August 1983 when severe flooding was originated by the Nervión river.

Demography

The local Register office show a total resident population for Bilbao of 355,731 as of 2009.

The first credible data about Bilbao population are post-1550. It is known that in 1530, Biscay had approximately 65,000 inhabitantes, a number that could have been reduced by plagues that struck the city in 1517, 1530, 1564–68, and 1597–1601, the last one being specially devastating.

Of the 355,731 people residing in Bilbao as of 2009, only 114,220 (32.1%) were born inside the municipality. Of the remaining, 114,908 were born in other Biscayan towns, while 7,225 were born in the other two Basque provinces; 85,789 came from the rest of Spain (mainly Castile and León and Galicia), and finally 33,537 were foreigners. There are 127 different nationalities registered in Bilbao, although 60 of them contain fewer than 10 people. On the other hand, the largest foreign communities are the Bolivian and the Colombian, with 4,879 and 3,730 respectively. They are followed by the Romanian (2,248), the Moroccan (2,058), the Ecuadorian (1,832), the Chinese (1,390), the Brazilian (1,273) and the Paraguayan, with 1,204 inhabitants. The present mayor is Iñaki Azkuna, of the Basque Nationalist Party which was elected in 1999 and re-elected in 2003 and 2007. The councillors of the Plenum represent political parties and are distributed as follows: Basque Nationalist Party: 12 seats plus the mayor; People's Party, 7 seats; Spanish Socialist Workers' Party, 7 seats; and Ezker Batua – Berdeak, 2 seats.

In 2008 and 2010, Bilbao won the Municipal Transparency Prize, awarded by the Spanish division of Transparency International. In 2009 it came second, after Sant Cugat del Vallés.

Districts

The city of Bilbao consists of eight different districts. Each district is further subdivided into neighbourhoods, totalling 35:

{| class="wikitable" |- style="background:#efefef;" ! style="width:40px; text-align:center;"| Number ! style="width:100px; text-align:center;"| District ! style="width:400px; text-align:center;"| Neighbourhoods ! style="width:50px; text-align:center;"| Area
(km²) ! style="width:50px; text-align:center;"| Population
(2009) ! style="width:300px; text-align:center;"| Location |- | style="text-align:center;"| 1 | style="text-align:center;"| Deustu | style="text-align:left;"| Arangoiti, Ibarrekolanda, San Ignacio-Elorrieta, and San Pedro de Deustu-La Ribera. | style="text-align:center;"| 4.95 | style="text-align:center;"| 51,656 | rowspan="8" style="text-align:center;"| } |- | style="text-align:center;"| 2 | style="text-align:center;"| Uribarri | style="text-align:left;"| Castaños, Matiko-Ciudad Jardín, Uribarri, and Zurbarán-Arabella. | style="text-align:center;"| 4.19 | style="text-align:center;"| 38,335 |- | style="text-align:center;"| 3 | style="text-align:center;"| Otxarkoaga-Txurdinaga | style="text-align:left;"| Otxarkoaga and Txurdinaga. | style="text-align:center;"| 3.90 | style="text-align:center;"| 28,518 |- | style="text-align:center;"| 4 | style="text-align:center;"| Begoña | style="text-align:left;"| Begoña, Bolueta, and Santutxu. | style="text-align:center;"| 1.77 | style="text-align:center;"| 43,030 |- | style="text-align:center;"| 5 | style="text-align:center;"| Ibaiondo | style="text-align:left;"| Atxuri, Bilbao La Vieja, Casco Viejo, Iturralde, La Peña, Miribilla, San Adrián, San Frantzisko, Solokoetxe, and Zabala. | style="text-align:center;"| 9.65 | style="text-align:center;"| 61,029 |- | style="text-align:center;"| 6 | style="text-align:center;"| Abando | style="text-align:left;"| Abando and Indautxu. | style="text-align:center;"| 2.14 | style="text-align:center;"| 51,718 |- | style="text-align:center;"| 7 | style="text-align:center;"| Errekalde | style="text-align:left;"| Ametzola, Iralabarri, Iturrigorri-Peñascal, Errekaldeberri-Larraskitu, and Uretamendi. | style="text-align:center;"| 6.96 | style="text-align:center;"| 47,787 |- | style="text-align:center;"| 8 | style="text-align:center;"| Basurtu-Zorrotza | style="text-align:left;"| Altamira, Basurtu, Olabeaga, Masustegi-Monte Caramelo, and Zorrotza. | style="text-align:center;"| 7.09 | style="text-align:center;"| 33,658 |}

Economy

, formerly headquarters of the Bank of Biscay.]] Bilbao has been the economic center of the Basque Country since the times of the Consulate, mainly because of the comerce of Castilian products on the city's port, but it was not until the 19th century when it experimented a big development, mainly based on the exploitation of the iron mines and siderurgy, which promoved the maritimal traffic, the portuary activity and the construction of ships. During those years also made their appearance Banco de Bilbao (Bank of Bilbao), founded on Bilbao in 1857 and Banco de Vizcaya (Bank of Biscay), which is established in 1901, also in Bilbao. Both entities merged in 1988 creating the BBV corporation (Banco Bilbao Vizcaya, Bank of Bilbao-Biscay). BBV merged with Argentaria in 1999, creating the current corporation, BBVA. The savings banks that were established locally, Caja de Ahorros Municipal de Bilbao (Municipal Savings Bank of Bilbao) in 1907, and Caja de Ahorros Provincial de Vizcaya (Provincial Savings Bank of Biscay) in 1921, would merge in 1990 and form Bilbao Bizkaia Kutxa (BBK). Along, the Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Navegation of Bilbao and the Stock Exchange Market of Bilbao, founded in 1890.

After the dramatic industrial crisis of the 1980s, Bilbao was forced to rethink its very economic foundations. That is how it transformed in a successful service city. Bilbao is home to numerous companies of national and international relevance, including two among the 150 world's biggest, according to Forbes magazine: BBVA at #40 and Iberdrola at #122. The city's GDP per capita is of 26,225€ in 2005, considerably above the country average of 22,152€. According to the official economic yearbook, the strongest sectors are construction, commerce, and tourism. The unemployment rate reached 14.4% in 2009, well below the national rate, of 18,01%. Nevertheless, it is the largest rate in the last ten years.

Port of Bilbao

The historical port was located in what today is an area called the Arenal, a few steps away the Casco Viejo, until the late 20th century. In 1902, an exterior port was built at the mouth of the estuary, in the coastal municipality of Santurtzi. Further extensions led to a superport, that in the 1970s replaced the docks inside Bilbao, with the exception of those located in the neighbourhood of Zorrotza, still in activity.

As of 2010, the port of Bilbao is a first-class commercial port and is among the top five of Spain. Over 200 regular maritime services link Bilbao with 500 ports worldwide. It closed 2009 with cargo movements amounting to 31.6 million tonnes, being Russia, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and the Nordic countries the main markets. In the first semester of 2008, it received over 67,000 passangers and 2,770 ships. This activity reported 419 million euros to the basque GDP and generates almost 10,000 jobs.

Mining and ironworks

Iron is the main and most abundant raw material found in Biscay, and its extraction is legally protected since 1526. Mining was the main primary activity in Bilbao and the minerals, of great quality, was exported to all over Europe. It was not until the second half of the nineteenth century when ironworks industry was developed, benefited by the resources and the well communicated city. In the 20th century, both Spanish and European capitals imported around the 90% of the Biscayan iron.

However, the real touristic impulse would come with the inauguration of the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao in 1997, as shown in the increasing tourist arrivals since then, reaching over 615,000 visitors in the year 2009. A significant leap, considering that during 1995, Bilbao only received 25,000 tourists. Bilbao also hosts 31% of the total Basque Country visitors, being the top destination of this autonomous community, above San Sebastián.

Stock exchange

Projects to create a stock exchange market in Bilbao began in early 19th century, even though it would not be created until July 21, 1890 In 1571, after several floods and a major fire in 1569, the walls were demolished in order to allow the expansion of the town.

In 1861, ingeneer Amado Lázaro projected an ensanche inside the then-municipality of Abando with wide avenues and regular buildings, that included the hygienists ideas of the time. The project was mostly based on Barcelona's Eixample, designed by Ildefons Cerdà. However, the project was dropped by the City Council after considering it "utopian and excesive" because of its high cost, though of great quality. Furthermore, Lázaro had calculated the demographic grow of the city based on the previous three centuries, a provision that eventually would not conform to reality.

The next large urban change in Bilbao would come in 1876, when the capital annexed (in several stages) the neighbouring municipality of Abando. The new ensanche project was planned by a team made of architect Severino de Achúcarro and engineers Pablo de Alzola (elected Mayor that same year), and Ernesto de Hoffmeyer. Unlike Lázaro's, this project was significantly smaller, compassing against the original .

On May 18, 2010, Bilbao was awarded by the government of Singapore with the Lee Kuan Yew World City Prize, at the World Cities Summit 2010. It is considered the Pritzker of urbanism.

Architecture

Bilbao's buildings display a variety of architectural styles, ranging from gothic to contemporary architecture. The Old Town features many of the oldest buildings in the city, as the St. James' Cathedral or the Church of San Antón, included in the city's coat of arms. Most of the Old Town is a pedestrian zone during the day. Nearby is one of the most important religious temples of Biscay, the Basilica of Begoña, dedicated to the patron saint of the province, Our Lady of Begoña.

Seventeen bridges save the banks of the estuary inside the city limits. Among the most interesting ones are the Zubizuri (Basque for "white bridge"), a pedestrian footbridge designed by Santiago Calatrava opened in 1997, and the Princes of Spain Bridge, also known as "La Salve", a suspension bridge opened in 1972 and redesigned by French conceptual artist Daniel Buren in 2007. The Deusto Bridge is a bascule bridge opened in 1936 and modelled after the Michigan Avenue Bridge, in Chicago.

Since the deinsdustrialization process started in the 1990s, many of the former industrial areas are being transformed into modern public and private spaces designed by several of the world's most renowed architects and artists. The main example is the Guggenheim Museum, located in what was an old dock and wood warehouse. The building, designed by Frank Gehry and inaugurated in October 1997, is considered among architecture experts as one of the most important structures of the last 30 years, and a masterpiece by itself. The museum houses part of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation modern art collection. Another example is the Alhóndiga, a wine warehouse built in 1909 and completely redesigned in 2010 by French designer Philippe Starck into a multi-purpose venue that consist of a cinema multiplex, a fitness centre, a library, and a restaurant, among other spaces. The Abandoibarra area is also being renovated, and it features not only the Guggenheim Museum, but also Arata Isozaki's tower complex, the Euskalduna Conference Centre and Concert Hall and the Iberdrola Tower, designed by Argentine architect César Pelli and that will be, upon completion in 2011, the Basque Country's tallest skyscraper with high. Zorrozaurre is the next area to be redeveloped, following a 2007 master plan designed by Iraqi architect Zaha Hadid. This current peninsula will be transformed into an island and will feature residential and commercial buildings, as well as the new BBK seat.

Parks

As of 2010, Bilbao has 18 public parks inside its limits, totalling of green spaces. Besides, its green belt has a total area of , of which are urbanized. The largest parks are Kobetamendi, of , and Larreagaburu, of , both located on the outskirts.

The Doña Casilda Iturrizar park is located in the district of Abando, near the city centre and covers an area of . It is named after a local benefactress who donated the grounds to the city. It is an English-style garden designed by Ricardo Bastida and opened to the public in 1907. It features a dancing water fountain surrounded by a pergola, and a pond with many species of ducks, geese and swans, which gives the park the alternate name of "Ducks' Park", as known locally. In recent years, it was expanded to be connected with the Abandoibarra area. In Ibaiondo, the Etxeberria Park was built in the 1980s in the place where previously stood a steel mill. The original chimney was maintained as a homage of its industrial past. It covers an area of , on a slopped terrain that overlooks the Old Town. Other relevant public spaces inside the city include the Europa Park, the Miribilla Park, or the Memorial Walkway, a long walkway, with high lamps, located in the left bank of the estuary and that connects the main sights.

Mount Artxanda is easily accessible from the city centre by a funicular. There is a recreational area in the summit, with restaurants, a sports complex and a balcony with panoramic views. In the south, Mount Pagasarri receives hundreds of hikers every weekend since the 1870s, who look for its natural wonders. Its environment is officially protected since 2007.

Education

.]]The Basque Country has a bilingual education system, with students having the possibility to choose between four linguistic models: A, B, D, and X, which differ in the prevalence of Basque or Spanish as the spoken and written language during classes. In Bilbao, there is a prevalence of model D (Basque is the vehicle language and Spanish is taught as a subject) in Primary School, while Compulsory Secondary Education students favour model B (some subjects are in Basque and other in Spanish). Finally, 67% of Baccalaureate students choose model A (Spanish is the vehicle language and Basque is a subject). English is the most widespread foreign language taught, as it is the option for 97% of pre-university students.

Transport

The city has 13 bridges connecting both sides of the river, it is connected to the European road network by the AP-8 toll motorway and to the north of Spain by the A-8 motorway and to the rest of Spain by the AP-68 toll motorway.

The underground network (Metro Bilbao), inaugurated in 11 November 1995, is used by more than 85 million passengers every year. It has 2 lines that connect both banks of the Bilbao Metropolitan Area. There is a project under way to build a third line.

The city has 43 Bilbobus bus lines, 28 for normal buses, seven "micro-buses" for zones of the city that a normal bus can't access, and eight night lines. The inner-city bus network has recently won a prize for its efficiency and quality of service. In addition, there are more than 100 BizkaiBus bus lines, connecting Bilbao with almost every point in Biscay and part of Alava. The city's main bus station is called Termibus and is located near the San Mamés stadium.

There are 7 commuter rail lines operated by three different companies:

Renfe (Spanish railway network) operates 3 Cercanías lines in metropolitan Bilbao: :*C1, Bilbao-Abando–Santurtzi :*C2, Abando-Muskiz :*C3, Abando-Orduña FEVE (Spanish Narrow Gauge Railways) operates one line: :*Abando (Concordia)-Balmaseda. EuskoTren (Basque railway network), operates three lines: :*Deusto–Lezama :*Atxuri–Ermua :*Atxuri-Bermeo.

In 2002, the new tramway, EuskoTran, was inaugurated. It has one line connecting Atxuri with Basurto. Plans are afoot to greatly expand the network over the coming decade.

A new airport terminal designed by Santiago Calatrava was opened in 2000, expanding the capacity of the former facility, and allowing growth in tourism fuelled by low-cost flights by airlines such as EasyJet and Vueling. The airport handled 4,277,610 passengers in 2007.

A Brittany Ferries ferry service links Santurtzi, near Bilbao, to Portsmouth (UK). MV Cap Finistère'' ferry departs from the port of Bilbao, north west of the city centre. A service operated by Acciona Trasmediterranea served the same route from May 16, 2006 until April 2007. P&O; Ferries operated this route until its withdrawal on 28 September 2010 with a ship called the Pride of Bilbao.

Culture

Bilbao has several theatres and concert halls (Teatro Arriaga, Palacio Euskalduna), cinemas, and opera season. The Bilbao Symphony Orchestra was founded in 1922, its current conductor Günter Neuhold being appointed in 2008.

Museums include the famous Guggenheim Museum Bilbao of contemporary art and the Bilbao Fine Arts Museum, with a great collection of Spanish painting.

Like in other Spanish cities, night life is long and vibrant, with clubs that offer live music (Kafe Antzokia, Bilborock).

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

The Bilbao Live Festival, initiated in 2006, is another measure of new interest

Festival

Semana Grande (Spanish for Big Week, Aste Nagusia in Basque) is Bilbao's main festival attracting over 100,000 people and takes place each year, lasting 9 days. It has been celebrated since 1978 and begins on the Saturday of the 3rd week of August each year. People from around Spain, and increasingly from abroad attend the celebrations.

The celebrations include the strongman games, free music performances, street entertainment, bullfighting and nightly firework displays. The best views of the display are from the city's bridges. Each year, there is something different occurring, thus a festival programme (these are available all over the city) is strongly recommended.

Sport

Like in most of both Spain and the Basque country, football (soccer) is the most popular competitive sport, followed by basketball.

The main football club is Athletic Club, commonly known as Athletic Bilbao in English. It plays at the San Mamés stadium, which is Spain's oldest built stadium and seats 39,750 spectators. Athletic Bilbao was one of the founder members of the Spanish football league, La Liga, and has played in the Primera División (First Division) ever since - winning it on eight occasions. Its red and white striped flag is to be seen throughout the city.

In addition, Bilbao offers the possibility of many outdoor activities owing to its location in a hilly countryside, hiking is very popular as well as rock climbing in the nearby mountains. Watersports, specially surfing is practiced in the beaches of Sopelana and Mundaka, easily accessed from the city centre by car, metro or train.

Twin cities and consulates

Bilbao is twinned with: Buenos Aires, Argentina Rosario, Argentina Medellín, Colombia Bordeaux, France Qingdao, People's Republic of China Tbilisi, Georgia Pittsburgh, United States Sant Adrià de Besòs, Spain Iloilo, Philippines Surakarta, Indonesia

References

Notes

Bibliography

External links

Official website

Bilbao's Chamber of Commerce official tourism website on the city and surrounding areas

Meet Bilbao: Bilbao Tourism Information

Bilbao tourist guide

Bilbao in Google Maps

BILBAO in the Bernardo Estornés Lasa - Auñamendi Encyclopedia (Euskomedia Fundazioa)

Skyscraperpage.com Bilbao's skyscraper diagram

Bilbao Exhibition Centre

EU-OSHA) is based in Bilbao">The European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA) is based in Bilbao (see also European Agency for Safety and Health at Work)

Pictures of Bilbao

Category:1300 establishments Category:Populated places established in the 1300s Category:Populated coastal places in Spain Category:Municipalities in Biscay Category:Port cities and towns in Spain