Bilbao - Tourism and Monuments, Population, Infrastructure and Transportation, Sports, Sister cities, Famous people from Bilbao

43°16N 2°56W, pop (2000e) 374 000. Major seaport and industrial capital of Vizcaya province, N Spain; on R Nervión, 395 km/245 mi N of Madrid; founded, 1300; bishopric; airport; railway; metro; university (1886); commercial centre of the Basque Provinces; iron, steel, chemicals, shipbuilding, fishing, wine trade; cathedral (14th-c), Guggenheim Museum (1997), Churches of St Anton and St Nicholas de Bari; machine tool fair (Mar), Semana Grande (Aug).

Bilbao
Flag Coat of Arms
La Muy Noble y Muy Leal e Invicta ("The most noble and most loyal and undefeated")
Location
Location of Bilbao in Spain and Biscay
Coordinates : 43,15° n. 2,58° w. Time Zone : CET (GMT +1) - summer: CEST (GMT +2)
General information
Native name	Bilbao (Basque)
Spanish name	Bilbao
Nickname	El Botxo ("the hole")
Founded	15 June 1300
Postal code	480XX
Area code	34 (Spain) + 94 (Bilbao)
Website	http://www.bilbao.net/
Administration
Country	Spain
Autonomous Community	Basque Country
Province	Biscay
Comarca	Greater Bilbao
Administrative Divisions	8
Neighborhoods	36
Mayor	Iñaki Azkuna (PNV)
Geography
Land Area	41,3 km²
Altitude	19 m AMSL
Population
Population	354,000 (2003)
- rank in Spain:	10
Density	8,615 hab./km² (2003)

Bilbao, sometimes referred to as Bilbo (another Basque variant), in the North of Spain, is the largest city in the Basque Country and the capital of the province of Biscay (Basque: Bizkaia). The city has over 350,000 inhabitants (2004) and is the most economically and industrially active part of Greater Bilbao, the zone in which almost half of the Basque Country’s population lives.

Districts

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

1st District (Deusto): Deusto, San Inazio, Ibarrekolanda, Arangoiti, Zorrozaurre 2nd District (Uribarri): Uribarri, Matiko, Castaños, Zurbaranbarri and Ciudad Jardin 3rd District (Otxarkoaga-Txurdinaga): Otxarkoaga and Txurdinaga 4th District (Begoña): Begoña, Santutxu and Bolueta 5th District (Ibaiondo): Zazpikaleak, Bilbo Zarra, San Frantzisko, Zabala, Atxuri, Iturrialde, Solokoetxe, Abusu and the newly developed neighbourhood of Miribilla.

In 1511 the Consulate of Bilbao was granted to the city by the Spanish Crown, this allowed Bilbao to be the main export port for Merino wool from Castile to the northern European cities, like Antwerpen.

At the beginning of the 20th century Bilbao was the wealthiest city of Spain, where the main banks (BBVA) and insurance companies were established. The Achucarro and Hoffmeyer "Ensanche" (extension) project of 1876 almost doubled the city's area and was developed during the following decades, as it happened in other cities like Barcelona at that time.

The 20th century

In 1925, the village of Deusto was annexed and several other parts of the city were developed including Basurto and Begoña.

In 1983 heavy floods struck the city, killing many people in the province and causing great damage to the old part of the city, remarkably the old Arriaga Theater was devastated.

Bilbao Ria 2000 Regeneration of the Metropolitan Bilbao Bilbao Metropoli 30 Euskalduna Congress Centre

Tourism and Monuments

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

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

City Hall's Tourism site

Old Town or "Casco Viejo"

Plaza Berria

Casco viejo, Zamudioko Atea

The market Erriberako Merkatua

Erribera kalea

Museums

Guggenheim Museum Bilbao Fine Arts Museum Basque Museum Maritime Museum

Churches

Santiago Cathedral Saint Anton church Basilica of Begoña Saint Nicholas of Bari church Santos Juanes church Saint Vincent church

Civil buildings

Arriaga Theater Bizkaia Delegation Palace City Hall Chavarri Palace (Moyúa square) Plaza Nueva Ribera Market San Mamés Stadium University of Deusto Zubizuri Bridge

Population

In 1970, it was the sixth most populated city in Spain, with roughly 410,000 inhabitants, and the third-highest ranked metropolitan area.

Decreasing population

Whilst the overall region’s population continues to climb, the city centre has noticed a drop in residents. Bilbao is one of the most expensive cities in Spain, along with other Basque cities such as Donostia and Vitoria-Gasteiz.

Infrastructure and Transportation

Road

The city has 13 bridges connecting both sides of the river, it is connected to the european road network and the north of Spain by the A8 motorway and to the rest of Spain by the A68 motorway.

Bus

The city has 30 Bilbobus bus lines, 25 for normal buses and 5 "micro-buses" for zones of the city that a normal bus can't access. A service operated by Acciona Trasmediterranea has served the same route since May 16, 2006.

Transport in and around Bilbao
Metro Bilbao | EuskoTren

Transportation links

Metro Bilbao Euskotran, Tramway Bizkaibus Bilbobus

Euskotren Renfe Cercanias - Bilbao FEVE Bilbao Transport Consortium

Sports

Club	Sport	League	Venue	Logo
Athletic Club de Bilbao	Football	Spanish 1st division	San Mamés stadium
Lagun Aro Bilbao Basket	Basketball	Spanish ACB league	La Casilla pavilion

Sister cities

Buenos Aires, Argentina Rosario, Argentina Qingdao, Shandong, People's Republic of China Tbilisi, Georgia Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States

Famous people from Bilbao

Juan Crisóstomo Arriaga, classical composer. Gabriel Aresti, poet

Joaquin Almunia , politician. Blas de Otero, poet Amaya Uranga, singer of Mocedades