Bilbao is located in the north-central part of Spain, some 16 kilometres (10 mi) south of theBay of Biscay, where the economic social development is located, where theestuary of Bilbao is formed. Its main urban core is surrounded by two smallmountain ranges with an average elevation of 400 metres (1,300 ft).[13] Its climate is shaped by the Bay of Biscay low-pressure systems and mild air, moderating summer temperatures byIberian standards, with low sunshine and high rainfall. The annual temperature range is low for its latitude.
After its foundation in the late 13th century byDiego López V de Haro, head of the powerfulHaro family, Bilbao was one of the commercial hubs of theBasque Country that enjoyed significant importance in theCrown of Castile. This was due to its thrivingport activity based on the export of wool and iron commodities extracted from the Biscayan quarries to all overEurope.
Throughout the nineteenth century and the beginning of the twentieth, Bilbao experienced heavy industrialisation, making it the centre of the second-most industrialised region of Spain, behindBarcelona.[14][15] At the same time an extraordinary population explosion prompted the annexation of several adjacent municipalities. Nowadays, Bilbao is a vigorousservice city that is experiencing an ongoing social, economic, and aesthetic revitalisation process, started by the iconicBilbao Guggenheim Museum,[14][16][17][18] and continued by infrastructure investments, such as theairport terminal, therapid transit system, thetram line, theAzkuna Zentroa, and the currently under developmentAbandoibarra andZorrozaurrerenewal projects.[19]
On 19 May 2010, the city of Bilbao was recognised with theLee Kuan Yew World City Prize, awarded by the city state ofSingapore.[21] Considered the Nobel Prize forurbanism, it was handed out on 29 June 2010. On 7 January 2013, its mayor,Iñaki Azkuna, received the 2012World Mayor Prize awarded every two years by the British foundation The City Mayors Foundation, in recognition of the urban transformation experienced by the Biscayan capital since the 1990s.[22][23] On 8 November 2017, Bilbao was chosen the Best European City 2018 at The Urbanism Awards 2018, awarded by the international organisation The Academy of Urbanism.[24]
The official name of the town is Bilbao, as known in most languages of the world.Euskaltzaindia, the official regulatory institution of theBasque language, has agreed that between the two possible names existing in Basque,Bilbao andBilbo, the historical name isBilbo, whileBilbao is the official name.[25] Although the termBilbo does not appear in old documents, in the playThe Merry Wives of Windsor byWilliam Shakespeare, there is a reference to swords presumably made ofBiscayan iron which he calls "bilboes", suggesting that it is a word used since at least the sixteenth century.[26][27][28][29]
There is no consensus among historians about the origin of the name. Generally accepted accounts state that prior to the 12th century, the independent rulers of the territory, named Lords of Zubialdea, were also known as Lords of Bilbao la Vieja ("Old Bilbao"). The symbols of their patrimony are the tower and church used in the shield of Bilbao to this day.[30] One possible origin was suggested by the engineerEvaristo de Churruca. He said that it was a Basque custom to name a place after its location. For Bilbao this would be the result of the union of the Basque words for river and cove:Bil-Ibaia-Bao.[31] The historian José Tussel Gómez argues that it is just a natural evolution of the Spanish wordsbello vado, beautiful ford.[32] On the other hand, according to the writer Esteban Calle Iturrino, the name derives from the two settlements that existed on both banks of the estuary, rather than from the estuary itself. The first, where the presentCasco Viejo is located, would be calledbilla, which means stacking in Basque, after the configuration of the buildings. The second, on the left bank, where nowBilbao La Vieja is located, would be calledvaho, Spanish for mist or steam. From the union of these two derives the name Bilbao,[31] which was also written asBilvao andBiluao, as documented in itsmunicipal charter.[33]An-ao ending is also present in nearbySestao andUgao, that could be explained from Basqueaho, "mouth".
The demonym isbilbaíno, -a", although the popular pronunciationbilbaino/a (sic) is also frequent.[34] InBasque, it isbilbotar, which is sometimes also used in Spanish, generally within the Basque Country.[35] The village is affectionately known by its inhabitants as thebotxo meaning "hole", since it is surrounded by mountains.[36] The nicknamebotxero is derived from this nickname. Another nickname that Bilbao receives is that ofchimbos, which comes from birds that were hunted in large numbers in these places during the 19th century.[37]
The titles, the flag and the coat of arms are Bilbao's traditional symbols and belong to its historic patrimony, being used in formal acts, for the identification and decoration of specific places or for the validation of documents.
Bilbao holds the historic category of township (villa), with the titles of "Very noble and very loyal and unbeaten" (Muy Noble y Muy Leal e Invicta). It was theCatholic Monarchs who awarded the title "Noble Town" (Noble Villa) on 20 September 1475.Philip III of Spain, via a letter in 1603 awarded the town the titles of "Very noble and very loyal".[38] After thesiege of Bilbao, during theFirst Carlist War, on 25 December 1836, the title of "Unbeaten" was added.[39]
In a silver field a bridge with two eyes, added to thechurch of San Antón of its colour and to its sinister two sable wolves walking and in stick, on waves of azure and silver.[40]
It has its origins in the 14th century and has remained with the same symbols since then, although its presentation has been adapted according to the destiny of the coat of arms. The durability of this shield is due to the representativeness of the symbols that appear. The navigable estuary and the stone bridge, prior to the founding of the town. The wolves, typical of the coat of arms of the founder of the town in 1300, Diego López de Haro, son of Diego Lope Díaz de Haro (Lope comes from the Latin Lupus (wolf)) were added by the town council to represent the founder. Later, the fortress or castle that guarded the bridge was added and, when it was demolished in 1366, it was replaced by the temple of San Antón that was built in its place and inaugurated in 1433.[41]
The flag that represents the city is white with a red block, in a ratio of three parts long by two wide. The colours red and white are the historical ones of the villa.
The Royal Order of 30 July 1845 determined the maritime password for the population. This was defined as a white flag with an upper red die next to the pod. The die should be square and the length of its side should equal half of the pod. Previously, at least since 1511, the banner that the Bilbao Consulate was wearing was white with a redCross of Burgundy. The relationship of the town with the mercantile and marine activities was always very strong coming to share headquarters. In 1603 the new consistorial house is inaugurated and in it the headquarters of the city council and of the referred one Bilbao Consulate are located. The intimate relationship made the flag of the Consulate was related as a flag of the town by citizenship.
The definition of the maritime flag in 1845 was assumed by the population, who accepted it as their own, and so did the city council. At the inauguration of the Bilbao-Miranda de Ebro railway line, it was already used as a symbol of the town's representation, being permanently adopted in 1895 although no resolution has been adopted for this purpose.[42]
Although it has always been assumed by the municipal institution and citizenship, at the beginning of the 20th century it was discussed in a municipal plenary session about the determination of a flag for the town. There was talk about "the use of the crimson colour of theLordship of Biscay, or of thecross of Saint Andrew" but without reaching any resolution to the effect.[43]
Remains of an ancient settlement were found on the top of MountMalmasín, dating from around the 3rd or 2nd century BC.[44][45] Burial sites were also found on mounts Avril and Artxanda, dated 6,000 years old. Some authors identify the old settlement of Bilbao asAmanun Portus, cited byPliny the Elder, or withFlaviobriga, byPtolemy.[45]
In 1310María Díaz I de Haro, niece of Diego López V and Lady of Biscay, grants a new municipal charter to the city, which extends its commercial privileges even further, transforming the city in a mandatory stop for all the trade coming fromCastile towards the sea. This second charter established that the road fromOrduña toBermeo, at the time the most important trade route in the lordship, had to traverse theSan Antón Bridge in Bilbao instead of the pass inEtxebarri, as it did until then. This strengthened the position of Bilbao as a trading post, in detriment of Bermeo, city which until then had acted as the main port of the territory.[48] In addition, Bilbao was granted exclusive rights to all trade between the city andLas Arenas. In 1372,John I of Castile strengthened even more the city's position by naming Bilbao afree port and granting it special privileges concerning the trade of iron.[49] This caused Bilbao to become an important port, particularly due to its trade withFlanders and Great Britain.
On 21 June 1511, QueenJoanna of Castile ordered the creation of theConsulate of the Sea of Bilbao. This would become the most influential institution of the borough for centuries, and would claim jurisdiction over the estuary, improving its infrastructure. Under the Consulate's control, theport of Bilbao became one of the most important of the kingdom.[51] The firstprinting-press was brought to the town in 1577. Here in 1596, the first book in theBasque language was edited, entitledDoctrina Christiana en Romance y Bascuence by Dr. Betolaza.[52]
In 1602 Bilbao was made the capital ofBiscay, a title previously held byBermeo.[53] Around 1631, the city was the scenario of a series of revolts against the increased taxation on salt, which had been ordered by the Crown, an event locally known as the "Machinada of the salt". The revolt ended with the execution of several of its leaders.[54] The city had seen a continuous increase of its wealth, especially after the discovery of extensive iron deposits in the surrounding mountains, and by the end of the century it managed to overcome the economic crises that affected the rest of the kingdom, thanks in part to the increased trading of wool (which now used the port of Bilbao instead of the one inSantander), and to the iron ore and its commerce with England and the Netherlands.
TheFrench invasion of Spain saw the occupation of several Basque cities, but Bilbao was not among them. The first open uprising againstNapoleonic rule took place on 6 August 1808, a month after theBattle of Bailén. French troops sieged and sacked the city, alongside the neighbouring towns of Deusto and Begoña on 16 August. Beginning in February 1810, the city was under the command ofPierre Thouvenot, general of the French army andBaron of the Empire, who had become the head of the Military Government ofVizcaya, which included the three Basque provinces. Thouvenot intended to move forward with the plan of total annexation of the Basque provinces into France,[55] but thePeninsular War and ultimately theBattle of Vitoria made those plans impossible.
Engraving depicting the city in the 18th century
TheBasque Country was one of the main sites of battles during theFirst Carlist War, a civil war between supporters of the Spanish regentMaria Christina, known as liberals, and those of the late king's brotherCarlos of Borbón, known as Carlists. TheCarlists were particularly focused on capturing Bilbao, a liberal and economic bastion in northern Spain.[56] The Carlist generalTomás de Zumalacárregui tried to take the city during the siege of Bilbao of 1835, but he was wounded during a battle nearBegoña and died some time after in the town ofZegama. The next year, the city resisted a second siege during which the liberal generalBaldomero Espartero defeated the Carlists in theBattle of Luchana.[57] The city was untouched by theSecond Carlist War, which took place mostly inCatalonia, but was again an important scenario during theThird Carlist War; in April 1874 the city suffered a third siege which lasted two months.[58]
Despite the warfare, Bilbao prospered during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, when it rose as the economic centre of the Basque Country. It was during this time that the railway first arrived to the city and the Bank of Bilbao (which later would go on to become theBBVA) was founded, as well as the Bilbao Stock Exchange. Steelmaking industries flourished with the creation of many new factories, including the Santa Ana de Bolueta and theAltos Hornos de Vizcaya in 1902. The city was modernised with new avenues and walkways, as well as with new modern buildings such as theCity Hall building, the Basurto Hospital and theArriaga Theatre.[58] The population increased dramatically, from 11,000 in 1880 to 80,000 in 1900. Social movements also arose, notablyBasque nationalism underSabino Arana, which in the subsequent decades would grow to become theBasque Nationalist Party.[59]
Bombing of Bilbao during the Civil War, 5 June 1937
TheSpanish Civil War in Bilbao started with a number of small uprisings suppressed by theRepublican forces. On 31 August 1936, the city suffered its first bombing, with a series of air bombs dropped byNationalist airplanes. In September, the Nationalists distributed pamphlets threatening further bombing if the city did not give up, which finally took place on 25 September when German planes, in coordination with Francoist forces, dropped at least a hundred bombs on the city.[60] In May 1937, the Nationalist army besieged the town. The battle lasted until 19 June of that year, when Lieutenant Colonel Putz was ordered to destroy all bridges over the estuary, and the troops of the 5th Brigade took the borough from the mountains Malmasin, Pagasarri, and Arnotegi.[61]
With the war over, Bilbao returned to its industrial development, accompanied by steady population growth. In the 1940s, the city was rebuilt, starting with the bridges and by 1948, the first commercial flight took off from the localairport.[62] Over the next decade, there was a revival of the iron industry, which became a strategic industrial sector in Spain, as a consequence of the economic model promoted byFrancoism. The city received migrants from other Spanish regions looking to work in the iron industry. The demand for housing outstripped supply, and workers built slums on the hillsides.[63] It was in this context that the first social movements arose and the strike of theEuskalduna shipyard in 1947 was the first one to take place during the Francoist dictatorship. In this environment of social repression, on 31 July 1959 the separatist organisationETA was created from Basque nationalist movements.[63] During the 1960s the city was the scenario of several urban projects, with the creation of new neighbourhoods like Otxarkoaga and the motorway to the French border. In June 1968 the University of Bilbao, the first public university, was established. It would later be integrated into theUniversity of the Basque Country.
On 26 August 1983 during the celebration of the local festivities known asAste Nagusia, the estuary overflowed up to five metres in some areas due to the continuous raining, killing two people and causing important destructions in the city's infrastructure, with a total economic cost that reached 60,000 millionpesetas (around €360 million)[65]
Bilbao is located near the northern edge of theIberian Peninsula, about 16 kilometres (10 mi) from theBay of Biscay.[68] It covers an area of 40.65 square kilometres (15.70 sq mi), of which 17.35 square kilometres (6.70 sq mi) are urban and the remaining 23.30 square kilometres (9.00 sq mi) consist of the surrounding mountains.[69] The official average altitude is 19 metres (62 ft), although there are measurements between 6 metres (20 ft) and 32 metres (105 ft).[70] It is also the core of thecomarca ofGreater Bilbao. It is surrounded by the municipalities ofDerio,Etxebarri,Galdakao,Loiu,Sondika, andZamudio to the north;Arrigorriaga andBasauri to the west;Alonsotegi to the south; andBarakaldo andErandio to the east.
Bilbao is located on theBasque threshold, the range between the largerCantabrian Mountains and thePyrenees.[71] The soil is predominantly composed ofmesozoic materials (limestone,sandstone, andmarl) sedimented over a primitivepaleozoic base.[71] The relief of the province is dominated by NW-SE and WNW-ESE oriented folds. The main fold is theanticline of Bilbao which runs from the municipality ofElorrio toGaldames.[71] Inside Bilbao there are two secondary folds, one in the northeast, composed of MountsArtxanda, Avril, Banderas, Pikota, San Bernabé, and Cabras; and other in the south, composed of Mounts Kobetas, Restaleku,Pagasarri and Arraiz. The highest point in the municipality is Mount Ganeta, of 689 metres (2,260 ft), followed by Mount Pagasarri, of 673 metres (2,208 ft), both on the border with Alonsotegi.[72]
The main river system of Bilbao is also the hydrological artery of Biscay. The riversNervión andIbaizabal converge inBasauri and form anestuary named variously "estuary of Bilbao", "of the Nervión", "of the Ibaizabal", or "of the Nervión-Ibaizabal".[73] The estuary runs for 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) and with a low flow (with an average of 25 m3 (883 cu ft) per second).[74] Its main tributary is the riverCadagua, which rises in theMena valley and has a basin of 642 square kilometres (248 sq mi), mostly lying in the neighbouring province ofBurgos.[75] This river is also the natural border between Bilbao and Barakaldo.
The river has frequently suffered from human intervention, as seen in the dredging of its bottom, the building of docks on both banks and especially in the Deusto canal, an artificialwaterway dug between 1950 and 1968 in the district ofDeusto as alateral canal, with the aim of facilitating navigation, sparing ships from the natural curves of the estuary.[76] The project was stopped with 400 metres (1,300 ft) left to complete, and it was decided to leave it as a dock.[77] However, in 2007, a plan was approved to continue the canal and form the island ofZorrozaurre.[78] This human intervention has also brought negative results in the quality of the water, after decades of toxic waste dumping causing a situation ofanoxia (lack of oxygen), which almost eliminated the entire fauna and flora.[74] However, in recent years this situation is being reversed, thanks to a dumping ban and natural regeneration.[79] now it is possible to observealgae,tonguefishes, crabs, andseabirds,[80] as well as occasional bathers in the summer months.[81]
The estuary is also a natural border for several neighbourhoods and districts within the borough. Entering the municipality from the west it separates the districts ofBegoña andIbaiondo, thenAbando andUribarri and lastlyDeusto andBasurto-Zorroza.
Its proximity to theBay of Biscay gives Bilbao anoceanic climate (Cfb), with precipitation occurring throughout the year and without a well-defined dry summer. Precipitation is abundant, and given the latitude and atmospheric dynamics, rainy days represent 45% and cloudy days 40% of the annual total.[82] The rainiest season is between October and April, November being the wettest. Snow is not frequent in Bilbao, although it is possible to see snow on the top of the surrounding mountains.Sleet is more frequent, about 10 days per year, mainly in the winter months.[83] Bilbao is nearest to the subtropical boundary of all the Atlantic coastal cities in the country with an August daily mean of 20.9 °C (69.6 °F).[84] There is also a drying trend in summer with only around 50 millimetres (2.0 in) of rainfall in July[84] – but not dry enough to be considered Mediterranean.
The proximity of the ocean also means that the two best defined seasons (summer and winter) remain mild, with low intensity thermal oscillations. Average maximum temperatures vary between 25 and 26 °C (77.0 and 78.8 °F) in the summer months, while the average minimum in winter is between 6 and 7 °C (42.8 and 44.6 °F).
Extreme record observations in Bilbao are 42.9 °C (109.2 °F) maximum (on 11 August 2024) and −8.6 °C (16.5 °F) minimum (on 3 February 1963). The maximum precipitation in a day was 225.6 mm (9 in) on 26 August 1983 whensevere flooding was caused by the Nervión river.[85]
Climate data for Bilbao airport (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1947-present)
The first credible data on the population of Bilbao are post-1550.[91] It is known that in 1530Biscay had approximately 65,000 inhabitants, a number that could have been reduced byplagues that struck the city in 1517, 1530, 1564–68, and 1597–1601, the last being especially devastating.[91] This trend for periodic reverses in population growth was maintained until the nineteenth century. Since then, Bilbao has experienced an exponential growth in population thanks to industrialisation. After a peak of 433,115 inhabitants in 1982, the municipalities of theTxorierri valley were removed from Bilbao, with the corresponding loss of their population.[92]
Spanish is the most spoken language in the city, followed byBasque language. According to the city government of Bilbao, at least 51% of the population can speak "some Basque",[93] while 29% consider themselves to be fluent.[90]
Out of the 355,731 people residing in Bilbao in 2009, only 114,220 (32.1%) were born inside the municipality. Of the remainder, 114,908 were born in other Biscayan towns, while 9,545 were born in the other two Basque provinces; 85,789 came from the rest of Spain (mainlyCastile-León andGalicia), and 33,537 were foreigners.[95] There are 127 different nationalities registered in Bilbao, although 60 of them represent fewer than 10 people each.[96] The largest foreign communities are Bolivians and Colombians, with 4,879 and 3,730 respectively. Other nationalities with more than 1,000 inhabitants are Romanians (2,248), Moroccans (2,058), Ecuadorians (1,832), Chinese (1,390), Brazilians (1,273) and Paraguayans, with 1,204.[95]
The city of Bilbao is the capital of theprovince ofBiscay and as such it is home of the administrative entities that pertain to the provincial administration, both from theautonomous and central governments. Settled in the city are the provincial delegations of the different departments of theBasque autonomous government, each coordinated by a representative. In addition, theGovernment of Spain has the officialGovernment Subdelegation in the city.
Bilbao is amunicipality and has amayor-council government system. The municipal government is elected for four-year terms byuniversal suffrage and it is divided into two branches, executive and legislative.[97] The legislative side consists of a municipal plenum composed of 29councillors. These councillors represent the different political parties elected in the local elections, for which can vote all residents registered in the city who are citizens of Spain or of any member state of theEuropean Union. The executive branch is composed of the mayor and a board of governors. The number of members of the board cannot be more than a third the number of members of the legislative plenum and the mayor can appoint them at his or her own discretion.[98]
Since 1892 the seat of the government has been theBilbao City Hall, located on the centricErnesto Erkoreka Plaza and by theEstuary of Bilbao. It is the fourth city hall building to have been used since the year 1300. The first three city halls were located by theSan Antón Church but were destroyed due to floodings. The current building was designed by the Spanish architect Joaquín Rucoba inBaroque style and was built in the former site of the San Agustín Monastery, which was destroyed during theFirst Carlist War.[99] Since theSpanish transition to democracy, the city has been governed by theBasque Nationalist Party, often with support of theSocialist Party of the Basque Country.Iñaki Azkuna served as mayor from 1999 until his passing in 2014, when he was replaced byIbon Areso. Azkuna was awarded the World Mayor prize in 2012.[100] Since the 2019 municipal election, the councillors of the plenum have the following political distribution: 14 seats for the Basque Nationalist Party, 5 seats for the Socialist Party of the Basque Country, 4 seats for theEH Bildu coalition, 3 seats for Udalberri and 3 seats for thePeople's Party. The mayor isJuan Mari Aburto, chosen with 19 votes from the Basque Nationalist Party and the Socialist party.
The municipality is divided into eight districts (Basque:barrutia) which are further subdivided into 34 neighbourhoods (Basque:auzoa). Most of the districts and neighbourhoods were former independent municipalities andelizates that were eventually annexed into the city. Originally, the city of Bilbao comprised the Old Town and some houses on the left side of the estuary, today known asBilbao la Vieja. The first expansion included the annexation of the elizate ofBegoña and the river side ofUribarri. In the 19th century the merge ofAbando into the city brought along small neighbourhoods of farm houses and hamlets that were clustered close to the former municipality's town hall and theMount Cobetas, such asErrekalde andBasurto.[102] Starting in the 20th century it started annexing the elizates on the right bank of the river, including Begoña andDeusto. In the decade of 1960 as an effort to stop the increasing problem ofslums, new neighbourhoods were created from the ground up, among them Otxarkoaga and Txurdinaga, which were joined together as a new district,Otxarkoaga-Txurdinaga in the decade of 1990.[103]
The Bilbao metropolitan area comprises about 47% of the total population of theBasque autonomous community, out of which a 15% is registered in the municipality of Bilbao. Thecomarca ofGreater Bilbao, in which the city occupies a central position, has aGDP per capita of €30,860,[105] higher than the Spanish and European Union averages. TheBilbao metropolitan area has anominal GDP amounting to $36,9 billion. Bilbao has been the economic centre of theBasque autonomous community since the original establishment of theConsulate of the Sea in the city in the 16th century, mostly thanks to the commerce inCastilian products on the town'sport. It was in the 19th century when the city experimented its biggest economic development, mainly based on the exploitation of the nearby iron mines andsiderurgy, both of which promoted maritime traffic and port activity and eventually the development of a very important shipbuilding industry.[106]
Banking became an important sector with the establishment of the Bank of Bilbao (Spanish:Banco de Bilbao) in 1857 and the Bank of Biscay (Spanish:Banco de Vizcaya) in 1901. These two entities merged in 1988 creating the BBV, which finally merged with Argentaria bank in 1999, creating the current multinational corporation, theBBVA. Thesavings banks that were established locally, the Municipal Savings Bank of Bilbao (Spanish:Caja de Ahorros Municipal de Bilbao) in 1907 and the Provincial Savings Bank of Biscay (Spanish:Caja de Ahorros Provincial de Vizcaya) in 1921, would merge in 1990 to form theBilbao Bizkaia Kutxa (BBK),[107] which would merge again in 2012 with other Basque financial entities (Kutxa and Caja Vital Kutxa) to formKutxabank. There is also the Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Navigation of Bilbao and the Stock Exchange Market of Bilbao, founded in 1890.[108]
Panoramic view of the outer port, as seen from Mount Serantes
The historical port was located in what is today an area called the Arenal, a few steps from the old city, until the late 19th century. In 1902, an exterior port was built atthe mouth of the estuary, in the coastal municipality ofSanturtzi. Further extensions to the outer port, which became called "the super-port", led to the final move of the city portuary facilities in the 1970s, finally replacing the docks in the centre of the city,[109] with the exception of those located in the neighbourhood of Zorrotza, still active.[110]
The port of Bilbao is a first-class commercial port and is among the top five of Spain.[111] Over 200 regular maritime services link Bilbao with 500 ports worldwide. At the close of 2009 cargo movements amounted to 31.6 million tonnes, Russia, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and the Nordic countries being the main markets.[112] In the first semester of 2008, it received over 67,000 passengers and 2,770 ships.[113] This activity contributed €419 million to the Basque GDP and maintains almost 10,000 jobs.[114]
Iron is the main and most abundantraw material found inBiscay, and its extraction has been legally regulated since 1526. Mining was the mainprimary activity in Bilbao and the minerals, of great quality, were exported to all over Europe.[115] It was not until the second half of the nineteenth century that an ironworks industry was developed, benefiting from the resources and the city's good communication links. In the 20th century, both Spanish and European capitals imported around 90% of the iron from Biscay.[115] Although World War I made Bilbao one of the main ironworks powers, a subsequent crisis prompted a decline in the activity.
The first notion of Bilbao as a tourist destination came with the inauguration of the railway between Bilbao and the coastal neighbourhood ofLas Arenas, in the municipality ofGetxo in 1872. The connection made Bilbao a minor beach destination.[116]
The real tourist surge though would come much later with the inauguration of theGuggenheim Museum Bilbao in 1997. Thereafter tourist arrivals registered a continued upward trend, reaching over 932,000 visitors in 2018.[117] The trend was exponential considering that in 1995, Bilbao only counted 25,000 tourists.[118] Bilbao also hosts 31% of the totalBasque Country visitors, being the top destination of this autonomous community, outrankingSan Sebastián.[118] The majority of tourists are domestic visitors, coming fromMadrid andCatalonia. International travellers are predominantly French, crossing the border just to the east. The others arrive from theUnited Kingdom,Germany, andItaly.[118] Tourism generates about €300 million yearly for the Biscayan GDP.[118] Bilbao also drawsbusiness tourism, having been equipped with facilities like theEuskalduna Conference Centre and Concert Hall, and theBilbao Exhibition Centre, in nearbyBarakaldo.[119]
Plans to create astock exchange market in Bilbao began in the early 19th century, even though it would not be realized until 21 July 1890.[108] Bilbao's institution is one of the country's four regional stock exchanges, joiningBarcelona,Madrid, andValencia as Spain's commercial centres. It is owned byBolsas y Mercados Españoles.
In its beginnings, Bilbao only had three streets (Somera,Artecalle, andTendería) surrounded by walls located where Ronda street now stands. Inside this enclosure, there was a smallhermitage dedicated to the ApostleSaint James (the currentSt. James' Cathedral), which pilgrims visited on theirway toSantiago de Compostela. In the fifteenth century, four more streets were built, forming the originalZazpikaleak or "Seven Streets".[120] In 1571, after several floods and a major fire in 1569, the walls were demolished in order to allow the expansion of the town.[121]
In 1861, engineer Amado Lázaro projected anensanche inside the then-municipality ofAbando with wide avenues and regular buildings, that included the hygienists ideas of the time. The project was mostly based onBarcelona'sEixample, designed byIldefons Cerdà.[122] However, the project was dropped by theBilbao City Council after considering it "utopian and excessive" because of its high cost, though of great quality. Furthermore, Lázaro had calculated the demographic growth of the town was based on the previous three centuries, a provision that eventually would not conform to reality.[122][123]
The next large urban change in Bilbao would come in 1876, when the capitalannexed (in several stages) the neighbouring municipality of Abando. The newensanche 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 1.58 km2 (0.61 sq mi) against the original 2.54 km2 (0.98 sq mi).[122] It also featured a not so strictgrid pattern, a park to separate the industrial and residential areas and theGran Vía de Don Diego López de Haro, the main thoroughfare, where many relevant buildings were located, such as the Biscay provincial government hall or the BBVA Tower. By the end of the 1890s, this widening was half completed and already filled, so a new extension was planned by Federico Ugalde.[122]
By 1925, the municipalities ofDeusto andBegoña, as well as part ofErandio were annexed, and in 1940, the remaining part of Erandio became part of Bilbao. The last annexation took place in 1966, with the municipalities ofLoiu,Sondika,Derio, andZamudio. This made Bilbao larger than ever, with 107 km2 (41 sq mi). However, all these municipalities, with the exception of Deusto and Begoña regained their independence on 1 January 1983.[124]
Since the deindustrialization 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 renowned architects and artists. The main example is theGuggenheim Museum, located in what was an old dock and wood warehouse. The building, designed byFrank Gehry and inaugurated in October 1997, is considered among architecture experts as one of the most important structures of the last 30 years,[129] and a masterpiece by itself.[130] The museum houses part of theSolomon R. Guggenheim Foundation modern art collection. Another example is theAzkuna Zentroa, a wine warehouse built in 1909 and completely redesigned in 2010 by French designerPhilippe Starck into a multi-purpose venue that consists of a cinema multiplex, a fitness centre, a library, and a restaurant, among other spaces.[131][132] TheAbandoibarra area is also being renovated, and it features not only the Guggenheim Museum, but alsoArata Isozaki'stower complex, theEuskalduna Conference Centre and Concert Hall and theIberdrola Tower, designed byArgentine architectCésar Pelli which is, since its completion in 2011, the Basque Country's tallest skyscraper, 165 metres (541 ft) high.[133]Zorrozaurre is the next area to be redeveloped, following a 2007 master plan designed byIraqi architectZaha Hadid. This peninsula was transformed into a 500,000 m2 (5,400,000 sq ft) island and will feature residential and commercial buildings, as well as the newBBK seat.[134]
As of 2010[update], Bilbao has 18public parks inside its limits, totalling 200 ha (490 acres) of green spaces. Furthermore itsgreen belt has a total area of 1,025 ha (2,530 acres), of which 119 ha (290 acres) are urbanized.[135] The largest parks areMount Cobetas, of 18.5 ha (46 acres), and Larreagaburu, of 12 ha (30 acres), both located on the outskirts.[136]
TheDoña Casilda Iturrizar Park is located in the district ofAbando, near the town centre and covers an area of 8.5 ha (21 acres). It is named after a local benefactress who donated the grounds to the borough. It is anEnglish-style garden designed byRicardo Bastida and opened to the public in 1907. It features a dancing water fountain surrounded by apergola, 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.[137] InIbaiondo, theEtxeberria Park was built in the 1980s in the place where a steel mill previously stood. The original chimney was maintained as a homage of its industrial past. It covers an area of 18.9 ha (47 acres), on a sloped terrain that overlooks the Old Town.[138] Other relevant public spaces inside the city include theEuropa Park, theMiribilla Park, or theMemorial Walkway, a 3 km (1.9 mi) long walkway, with 12 m (39 ft) high lamps, located in the left bank of the estuary and that connects the main sights.[139]
Mount Artxanda is easily accessible from the town centre by afunicular. There is a recreational area at the summit, with restaurants, a sports complex and a balcony with panoramic views. In the south,Mount Pagasarri receives hundreds ofhikers every weekend since the 1870s, who seek its natural wonders. Its environment is officially protected since 2007.[140]
The Arriaga Theatre, located by the river in the Old Town
The main hall of the city is theArriaga Theatre, reopened in 1985 as a municipal venue with a varied repertoire that includes dancing, opera, live music and theatre. Also very active are the Campos Elíseos Theatre and theEuskalduna Concert Hall. Other important venues include La Fundición, dedicated to contemporary dances and theatre; the Pabellón 6, the Sala BBK and theAzkuna Zentroa.
Bilbao has more than a dozen museums covering a range of fields including art, science, and sport, which have played a central role in Bilbao being named one of the most creative cities in the world.[142]
TheGuggenheim Museum Bilbao, part of theSolomon R. Guggenheim Foundation, was inaugurated on 19 October 1997 and is work of the Canadian architectFrank Gehry.[143] The museum's permanent collection is centred in the visual arts of the second half of the 20th century and the present, with relevant artworks fromRichard Serra andJeff Koons, although including as well temporary exhibitions with a more varied nature, like Russian art or engravings fromAlbrecht Dürer.[144]
Another important museum is theBilbao Fine Arts Museum,[145] first established in 1908 and housing a notable collection of Spanish and European work from the 12th century to present times. The collection from before the 20th century is centred mainly around Spanish and Flemish artists such asEl Greco,Francisco de Zurbarán,Bartolomé Esteban Murillo,Francisco Goya andAnthony van Dyck. The museum also holds one of the best collections of Basque art, with works from the 19th century to present times. It has an eye-catching collection ofAvant-garde art, from the Post-Impressionism ofPaul Gauguin toPop art and the expressionism ofFrancis Bacon.
The Basque Museum showcases Basque archaeology and ethnography, and holds frequent exhibitions in the area of Basque history.[146] The museum building itself is part of the heritage listingConjunto histórico. The city also has several specialised museums, like the Maritime Museum Estuary of Bilbao (Bilboko Itsasadarra Itsas Museoa), located next to theEstuary of Bilbao, which holds ships and other collection related to the region's fishing and shipbuilding culture, being particularly relevant theCarola crane, last remaining element of theEuskalduna shipyard that existed where the museum now stands.
Other relevant museums are the Biscayan Archeological Museum (Arkeologi Museoa) which holds important collections related to the region's prehistory,[147] and the Diocesan Museum of Religious Art (Eleiz Museoa), both located in theCasco Viejo quarter.
TheEuskalduna Concert Hall is home to frequent musical performances and it is home of the Bilbao Symphony Orchestra (Bilbao Orkestra Sinfonikoa) and the opera season programmed by the ABAO (Bilbao Association of Friends of the Opera). The Arriaga Theatre is frequently the host of numerous musical events, other notable stages include the Philharmonic Society of Bilbao (chamber music) and Bilborock (pop and rock music). The city hosts many different musical festivities, often funded by the city hall. Due to its scope, it is especially relevant theBilbao BBK Live festival, which has been celebrated every year since 2006 and focuses on Basque, Spanish and international pop and rock music.[148] Since the opening of thenew San Mamés Stadium in 2013, it has been often used as an open-air concert venue, the first ever concert being one from the American bandGuns N' Roses in 2017.[149] Other relevant music festivals include theBilbao Distrito Jazz and theBilbao Ars Sacrum, the latter dedicated toreligious music.
Bilbao is the birthplace of famous composerJuan Crisóstomo Arriaga, who lived his formative years in the city before moving to Paris at age 15. Also native from Bilbao were thesoprano singer Josefa Cruz de Gassier and Natividad Álvarez, nicknamedNati, la bilbainita (Spanish for "Nati, the little one from Bilbao") a dancer andcastanets player who achieved national fame in the early 20th century.[150] Also relevant is the Bilbao Choir Society (Bilboko Koral Elkartea), established in 1866. Important musical bands coming from the city include rock bandFito & Fitipaldis, Basquefolk bandOskorri and folk-pop bandMocedades.
Marijaia and thekonpartsak during theAste Nagusia, withGigantes y cabezudos in the background
Bilbao hosts several regular festivals and events. The most relevant is the Big Week of the city (Aste Nagusia), celebrated annually since 1978 and lasting nine days. It is the city's main festival, attracting over 1,500,000 people every year.[152] The festivities begin on the first Saturday before 22 August, and during those nine days the city hall organises a series of cultural events of diverse kind, including concerts, stage plays,Basque rural sports andbullfighting, as well as nightly firework displays. The festivities begin with thechupinazo ortxupinazo, which is the launch of a small rocket, and the reading of a proclamation by the festivities' herald. The central point of the festivities is the place around thetxosnas, where the differentkonpartsak are reunited, organised by neighbourhood associations as well as cultural, social and political groups. The symbol of the festivities isMarijaia, a large doll which is burned during the last day of celebrations.
Beyond the main festivities of theAste Nagusia, the city also celebrates some minor festivities, many of them religious in nature, such asSaint Agatha on 5 February, the celebrations ofOur Lady of Begoña on 11 October, the Day ofThomas the Apostle on 21 December and the Christmas festivities, centred around the figure ofOlentzero. There are also festivities in the different neighbourhoods and districts which are celebrated locally, such as theFiestas del Carmen in Santutxu and Indautxu,Fiestas Santiago in Bilbao la Vieja,Fiestas San Ignacio in San Inazio andFiestas San Roque in Arxtanda and Larraskitu.
The city also hosts the International Festival of Documentary and Short Film under the commercial name of Zinebi. It was first held in 1959 under the name International Festival of Ibero-American and Filipino Documentary Film of Bilbao, with the goal of being complementary to theSan Sebastián International Film Festival. Since 1981 it is organised by the city hall and takes place in the Arriaga Theatre. Bilbao is also the host of the SAIL in Festival, a yearly event centred exclusively around sailing, which brings together international representatives of this sport.[153]
Traditional Bilbao dishes are centred around products from the sea and the estuary, such aseels andcod. For the most part Bilbao shares its original gastronomy with that of the province ofBiscay, including dishes such asbacalao al pil pil (cod fish cooked with olive oil, garlic and guindilla peppers),bacalao a la vizcaína (salted cod with Biscayan sauce, mostly made ofchoricero peppers and onions),merluza en salsa verde (hake fish withgreen sauce),chipirones en su tinta (squid served withits own ink),morros a la vizcaína (beef snouts with Biscayan sauce),revuelto de perretxikos (scrambled eggs with mushrooms) and desserts such ascanutillos de Bilbao (puff pastries filled with custard or chocolate),Pantxineta (puff pastries filled with custard and almonds),rice cakes andbollos de mantequilla (butter buns).
Bilbao, as otherBasque cities, is known for a variety of appetizers and snacks, being prominent among them thepintxos, which are typically eaten in bars and that consist of small slices of bread on top of which is placed an ingredient or mixture of ingredients, generally of many different types and usually including elements typical of Basque cuisine. Other snacks includerabas (fried or battered calamari rings, usually served with lemon slices),Spanish omelette (omelette made with eggs and potatoes, sometimes including onions and peppers),txampis (stuffed mushrooms),triángulos (Bilbao-style sandwiches),[154]gildas (one or more olives, aguindilla pepper and an anchovy joined together with a toothpick).
There are many restaurants and bars who serve these dishes and beverages, especially around theCasco Viejo quarter.Txokos are also a very popular institution in Bilbao, as in other Basque cities and towns. Bilbao, and the province of Biscay as a whole, is one of the spanish cities with a greater number of recognized restaurants by the gastronomic guides, among them several Michelin-starred restaurants.
The Spanish language is the most used language of the city, followed by theBasque language, which is local to the region. The presence of Basque in the city is less prominent than in other municipalities of the region, such asBermeo orLekeitio. In 1986, the bilingual Basque-speaking population represented about 28% of the total. However, the number of Basque speakers has experienced a continuous increase since, reaching a figure of 37% in 2001.[155] More than half of the Basque speakers were younger than 30 and lived in the districts of Deusto, Begoña and Abando.[155]
According to the data from the 2016 census, the population older than 2 years old registered in the municipality of Bilbao who speaks Basque fluently represents 29% of the total population, while those who can speak it with difficulty represent around 19.95% of the total. Finally, those who cannot speak or understand the language represent the remaining 51.06% of the census.
Evolution of the Basque-speaking population[155][156]
Group
1981
1986
1991
1996
2001
2006
2011
2016
Bilinguals: Able to understand and speak both Basque and Spanish
23.430
33.181
34.429
49.519
51.302
80.903
78.727
97.287
Passive bilinguals: Able to understand Basque but cannot speak it, while able to understand and speak Spanish
47.288
63.598
65.925
66.797
71.189
63.404
96.774
67.004
Spanish monolinguals: Unable to understand or speak Basque, only Spanish
Bilbao is a relevant transport hub for northern Spain. Bilbao is connected to three major motorways and a series of minor roads of national and provincial level. The city lies on two international roads, theEuropean route E70 that follows the coast of theBay of Biscay and the cities ofSantander andGijón to the west and withEibar,San Sebastián andBordeaux to the east. TheEuropean route E80 connects the city with inner Spain to the south, includingBurgos andSalamanca and continuing toLisbon, andToulouse to the north. TheAP-68 motorway (European road E-804) starts in the city, joining withVitoria-Gasteiz,Logroño and ending inZaragoza.
The city is connected with the regions ofCantabria, Asturias andGalicia via theA-8 motorway and withDurango, Eibar, San Sebastián and the French border via theAP-8 motorway, which is a toll road. The AP-68 toll motorway to the south is the main road connecting Bilbao with southern Spain and the Mediterranean coast, connecting inMiranda de Ebro with theA-1 toMadrid and in Zaragoza with theAP-2 toBarcelona.
Minor roads passing through Bilbao or starting in the city itself include the national roadN-634 which connects San Sebastián withSantiago de Compostela and runs parallel to the A-8 and AP-8 motorways. The regional road BI-631 connects Bilbao withBermeo, while the BI-626 joins the city withBalmaseda. The city is circled by the BI-625 and N-637 roads, which form a half-ring to the east, and the N-634 and A-8 to the west.
The city's main arteries theGran Vía de Don Diego López de Haro, which crosses the financial and business district ofAbando and connecting it with theCasco Viejo to the east and the San Mamés area to the west. The Sabino Arana Avenue and Juan Antonio Zunzunegui Avenue provide a direct route between the central districts and the motorways while Autonomía Street joins the southern districts on an east-west direction. The city has 14 bridges connecting opposite sides of theEstuary of Bilbao and theKadagua river, including theLa Salve and Euskalduna bridges, as well a series of tunnels under theMount Artxanda.
Bilbao is served by theBilbao Airport (BIO), the busiest terminal in theBasque Country and in the entire Northern coast, with more than 5.4 million passengers in 2018.[157] It is located 12 km (7.46 mi) north of the borough, between the municipalities ofLoiu andSondika.[158] 20 airlines operate in the terminal, includingIberia,Lufthansa, andTAP Portugal. Top destinations includeLondon,Frankfurt,Munich,Madrid,Barcelona,Málaga,Paris,Brussels, andAmsterdam.[159] It opened to the public in September 1948, with a regular flight to Madrid. On 19 November 2000, a new terminal building was opened, designed by Valencian architectSantiago Calatrava. In February 2009, a project was approved to expand the current building to double its capacity. Although originally expected to be completed by 2014, thefinancial crisis and the decrease of passenger traffic delayed it to at least 2019.[160] No work has begun as of 2018.
Some low-cost airlines, such asRyanair, also use theVitoria Airport (VIT) located inForonda located 59 km (37 mi) south of the city.
Long-distance rail lines connect Bilbao with Madrid, Barcelona and other destinations in northern Spain. The city has four railway stations: theBilbao-Abando andBilbao-Concordia railway stations are owned byAdif and operated by the Spanish railwaysRenfe, whereas theBilbao-Atxuri andZazpikaleak/Casco Viejo stations are owned by the Basque railway network ETS and operated byEuskotren, serving short-distance local destinations.
The Bilbao-Abando station is the main railway station of the city, with Renfe runningIberian-gauge long-distanceAlvia trains toMadrid andBarcelona, as well as Intercity services toVigo with connections possible toA Coruña andHendaye. During the summer there are special trains toMálaga. The city will be connected to theBasque Y high-speed train network around 2023, allowing for high speedAVE trains to operate between the Basque capitals and also to Madrid and other Spanish cities in the future.[161] The arrival of the new high speed services will involve the creation of a completely new underground station that will replace the current infrastructure. The construction is expected to begin in 2020.[162]
Bilbao-Concordia station is located in close vicinity to Bilbao-Abando, and hosts thenarrow-gauge railway services ran by Renfe under theRenfe Feve brand. Renfe runs frequent regional trains to the cities ofSantander andLeón.Euskotren Trena runs regular services toBermeo from the Bilbao-Atxuri station, while in the Zazpikaleak/Casco Viejo station there are regional services to Durango, Eibar and San Sebastián.
Abando station of Bilbao metroMetro entrance in Moyua, called "fosteritos" after designer Norman FosterTram unit leaving the Uribitare stop
Public transport by rail and bus is organised by theBizkaiko Garraio Partzuergoa (Consortium of the Biscayan Transport). The consortium manages theBarik card, a form ofelectronic ticket valid across almost all public transport systems of theBilbao metropolitan area andBiscay province, as well as some other selected services in other provinces of the Basque autonomous community.
The mass transit rail system is divided into different networks managed by separate operators.Bilbao metro, established in 1995, operates two underground lines with some overground sections (Line 1 andLine 2). These two lines connect the metropolitan area following the estuary on both sides, starting inEtxebarri in the south all the way toPlentzia andSanturtzi by the coast. Line 1 was built following largely the same route as the Bilbao-Las Arenas railway, which was still active by the time the Metro system opened in 1995 and since has been replaced by it. The metro system stations were designed byNorman Foster. Line 3 of metro is operated byEuskotren Trena, which also operates the regional services to Durango and Eibar as well as a commuter rail line that connects the centre of Bilbao withLezama and the Txorierri valley. This third line of metro was inaugurated on 8 April 2017 and is expected to be extended to theairport in the near future. Projects for a fourth and fifth line exist and are currently being studied.
Euskotren also operates atramway line under the brandEuskotren Tranbia. The line follows the estuary of Bilbao across the central districts of the city, starting in theBilbao-Atxuri Station and connecting important areas like the Guggenheim museum and the San Mamés football stadium. The original tram network started operations in 1876 and gradually expanded across the city to finally shut down in the 1960s due to being largely replaced by urban buses. The new tram system was opened on 18 December 2002, almost forty years after the closing of the original system.
Renfe operates four commuter-rail lines in a system separate from the metro. Three of them operate under theCercanías brand and are collectively known asCercanías Bilbao, while a fourth line is operated by Renfe Feve. The three lines operated under the Cercanías name operate largely overground and travel larger distances than the metro system, reaching municipalities outside of the metropolitan area such asMuskiz or even outside of the Biscay province, likeAmurrio. The three lines all start in theBilbao-Abando railway station, whereas the line operated by Renfe Feve starts in the Bilbao-Concordia station.
The gaps in the railway service are covered by an extensive bus network. The urban bus system is operated under the brandBilbobus and has 28 regular bus lines, 8 microbus lines and 8 night buses collectively known asGautxori (night owl). The Bilbaobus network is limited to the city limits, and only a few lines extend beyond it. TheBizkaiBus network fills this gap, with more than 100 lines, connecting the city with all other municipalities in the metropolitan area, as well as with most towns inBiscay and some inÁlava.
The average amount of time people spend commuting with public transit in Bilbao, for example to and from work, on a weekday is 35 minutes. Three percent of public transit passengers ride for more than 2 hours every day. The average amount of time people wait at a stop or station for public transit is 7 minutes, while 4% of riders wait for over 20 minutes on average every day. The average distance people usually ride in a single trip with public transit is 6.9 km (4.3 mi), while 10% travel more than 12 km (7.5 mi) in a single direction.[163]
The public healthcare system is served and managed by the Basque healthcare system (Osakidetza), which has a network of medical centres established across the city. The most relevant hospital of the city is the Basurto Hospital, located in theBasurto-Zorroza district. It was opened in 1908 after ten years of construction, and it was built due to the fast increase of population in the late 19th century. Its design was based on theEppendorf Hospital ofHamburg, in (Germany), one of the most modern at the time.[164] In 2008 the hospital was named the best hospital in customer support in Spain.[165]
However, the two largest hospitals that provide healthcare services to the inhabitants of the city are located outside of the city limits: the University Hospital of Gurutzeta/Cruces in neighbouringBarakaldo and the Galdakao-Usansolo Hospital inGaldakao. Other minor public hospitals located in the city include the Santa Marina Hospital and the Hospital of Urduliz, located in the metropolitan area.
The headquarters ofIberdrola, amultinationalelectric utility company are located in Bilbao. The company was created in 1992 after the merging ofIberduero andHidroeléctrica Española and it is in charge of production and distribution of electricity. There are twothermal power stations located in the city's surroundings, one inSanturtzi and the other inZierbena. The electricity produced in both these stations is then transferred to theelectrical substation ofGüeñes by the companyRed Eléctrica de España, which is the company responsible of moving electricity from the production stations to the final consumers. There is acombined cycle power station in the municipality ofAmorebieta calledBizkaia Energia, whose energy is transferred to the substation ofGatika.
The supply of all oil-based fuels distributed in the whole metropolitan area (gasoline,diesel fuel andbutane) are produced in theoil refinery owned byPetronor in the municipalities ofMuskiz andAbanto Zierbena.Petronor is a large oil company founded in Bilbao in 1968 and it currently comprises two partners,Repsol (85.98%) andKutxabank (14.02%).
Supply ofdrinking water is managed by theConsorcio de Aguas Bilbao Bizkaia (Bilbao Bizkaia Water Consortium), a public entity with the responsibility of managing the water infrastructure and distribution to many Biscayan municipalities, Bilbao and its metropolitan area included.[166] The supply of drinking water for the city comes from theUribarri-Ganboa and Urrunaga reservoirs, which are fed by the riverZadorra.
The Basque Country has a bilingual education system, with students able 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 used in classes.[167] In Bilbao, there is a prevalence of model D (where Basque is the vehicle language and Spanish is taught as a subject) inPrimary School, whileCompulsory Secondary Education students favour model B (where some subjects are in Basque and other in Spanish). Finally, 67% ofBaccalaureate students choose model A (in which Spanish is the vehicle language and Basque is a subject).[168] English is the most widespread foreign language taught, being the option for 97% of pre-university students.[167]
Two universities are seated in Bilbao. The older is theUniversity of Deusto, founded by theSociety of Jesus in 1886. It took its name from the then independent municipality ofDeusto, annexed to Bilbao in 1925. It was the only higher education institute in the borough until the establishment in 1968 of the University of Bilbao, later to become theUniversity of the Basque Country in 1980. This public university, which has a presence in the three provinces of the autonomous community, has its main Biscayan campus in the municipality ofLeioa, although the Technical and Business faculties are based in Bilbao.[169] Since 2014,Mondragon University has also a presence in the city through the innovation and entrepreneurial centre Bilbao Innovation Factory.[170] In 2015, the offer of higher education in the city was expanded with the foundation of Dantzerti, the Higher School of Dramatic Arts and Dance of the Basque Country.[171]
The Bilbao Arena, home venue of Bilbao BasketThe San Mamés stadium, home venue of Athletic Bilbao
As in the rest of Spain,football is the most popular competitive sport, followed bybasketball. Some people are interested inbasque sports, one of the oldest sports in Spain.[172] One could enjoy a Basque pelota match in Bizkaia Frontoia, Bilbao. In addition, Bilbao offers many outdoor activities owing to its location by the sea amid the hilly countryside.Hiking androck climbing in the nearby mountains are very popular.Watersports, especiallysurfing, are practised on the beaches of nearbySopelana andMundaka.
The main football club is Athletic Club, commonly known asAthletic Bilbao in English. It plays at the newSan Mamés stadium, which opened in 2013 and seats 53,332 spectators.[173]Athletic Bilbao was one of the founding members of the Spanish football league,La Liga, and has played in the Primera División (First Division)[174] ever since – winning it on eight occasions. Its red and white striped flag can be seen throughout the city. Athletic is noted for itsBasque policy, in place since 1911, with only players born in or having a clear connection to theBasque region being allowed to represent the club.[175]
Basketball
The main basketball club isBilbao Basket, which plays in the Spanish top divisionLiga ACB and their home venue is theBilbao Arena. The main achievements of the clubs were being the runner-up of the Liga ACB during the 2010–2011 season, losing the final series 3–0 againstFC Barcelona Bàsquet;[176] as well as the runner-up of the EuroCup Basketball in the 2012–2013 edition, where they lost to the Russian teamLokomotiv Kuban.
^Adeliño Ortega, Charo."Carta Puebla"(PDF).Bilbao 700. p. 6. Archived fromthe original(PDF) on 24 July 2008. Retrieved18 July 2008.
^Iñaki Azkuna (February 2007). Bilbao City Council (ed.)."Al mayor Robles"(PDF).Bilbao Newspaper. Archived fromthe original(PDF) on 23 September 2015. Retrieved19 July 2008.
^Asociación de Periodistas de Vizcaya."Crónica de siete siglos"(PDF).Bilbao 700. p. 24. Archived fromthe original(PDF) on 24 July 2008. Retrieved17 July 2008.
^Zabala Uriarte, Aingeru (17 September 2008)."Crónica de siete siglos"(PDF).Bilbao 700: 40. Archived fromthe original(PDF) on 24 July 2008. Retrieved17 August 2018.
^Orive, Emma & Rallo, Ana (October 2002)."Ríos de Bizkaia". Diputación Foral de Bizkaia: Instituto de Estudios Territoriales de Bizkaia. Archived fromthe original on 23 January 2009. Retrieved24 July 2008.
^Uriarte, Iñaki (March 2006)."La ría y el canal de Deustu"(PDF). Periódico Bilbao.Archived(PDF) from the original on 24 January 2009. Retrieved25 July 2008.
^"SAIL in Festival 2018".kulturklik. Basque Autonomous Government. 21 February 2018.Archived from the original on 9 September 2018. Retrieved9 September 2018.
Beascoechea Madina, José María (1999).Bilbao en el espejo. La Bilbao más antigua 1300/1700. Bilbao. p. 194.ISBN84-605-7844-5.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
Gómez Piñeiro, Francisco Javier; et al. (1979).Geografía de Euskal Herria: Vizcaya.San Sebastián. p. 291.ISBN84-7407-068-6.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
Montero, Manuel (2000).Construcción histórica de la villa de Bilbao. San Sebastián. p. 142.ISBN84-7148-384-X.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
Pérez Pérez, José Antonio (2001).Bilbao y sus barrios: una mirada desde la historia. Bilbao.ISBN978-84-88714-94-7.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
Sánchez-Beaskoetxea, Javier (2006).La vuelta a Bilbao a través de sus montes y de su historia. Bilbao. p. 94.ISBN978-84-88714-93-0.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
Tusell Gómez, Javier (2004).Bilbao a través de su Historia. Bilbao. p. 212.ISBN84-95163-91-8.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
V.A. (October–December 1998).La Ría, una razón de ser. Bilbao. p. 147.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
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