What to see in Bilbao

2024 Author: Graham Hoggarth | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-01-09 10:26

The capital of the Basque Country, the distinctive and unique city of Bilbao is especially popular among tourists. Everything is connected in its appearance - from the narrow Gothic alleys of the Old Town, and graceful buildings of the early 20th century, and unusual modern buildings like the famous Guggenheim Museum. So what to see in Bilbao?

One of the pilgrimage routes to the famous Christian shrine, the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, passes through this city, and therefore many ancient churches have survived in Bilbao. For example, the church of St. Anton is depicted on the coat of arms of the city. It is also a very green city with about 20 garden and park complexes. By the way, in the immediate vicinity of Bilbao, there are two low mountains, to the top of which there are convenient hiking trails and even a funicular.

TOP 10 attractions in Bilbao

Old city

The historic center of Bilbao is represented by seven parallel streets. Even before the 19th century, the entire city fit within this area, previously surrounded by a powerful fortress wall. Now it is mainly a pedestrian zone, where the main city attractions are located:

The Cathedral of St. James was built even before the foundation of the city - in the XII-XIII centuries. Its façade with a rose window and an exquisite portal in a pseudo-Gothic style stands out especially. The external image is also complemented by a bell tower with a graceful spire.
The Arriaga Opera House is designed in neo-baroque style. It is named after the famous composer nicknamed the Spanish Mozart. The building consists of five floors and is luxuriously decorated with graceful balconies, semicircular windows and powerful statues of the Atlanteans.
Plaza Nueva is a neoclassical square surrounded by an elegant semicircular building, the ground floor of which is an arcade gallery. Now this building houses the Royal Academy, and the gallery is set aside for souvenir shops and restaurants.
The market square of Mercado de la Ribera is a kind of border between the Nervion River and the territory of the Old Town. It is now home to one of the largest covered markets in all of Europe. The building itself stands out for its huge glass window along the entire facade, flanked by two symmetrical towers. The old church of St. Anton adjoins the square.

Church of St. Anton

The Church of St. Anton is considered the symbol of the city and is depicted on its coat of arms. It is located in the Old Town, on the banks of the Nervion River. It is believed that the construction of the church began in the 15th century, but continued for several centuries. Its exterior is dominated by a bell tower and powerful Gothic buttresses supporting a vaulted ceiling. The facade of the building was completed already in the middle of the 16th century in accordance with the prevailing Renaissance style at that time. The portal is richly decorated with graceful columns, medallions and various sculptures.

The bell tower of the Church of St. Anton was added already in 1774. From its top, a stunning view of Bilbao opens, but to climb up, you need to overcome 106 steep steps. The Baroque bell tower itself is adorned with exquisite bas-reliefs.

The interior of the Church of St. Anton, fortunately, was preserved almost in its original form - with Gothic arcades, old stained glass windows and wooden statues in the altars.

Guggenheim Museum

Bilbao is also famous for the fact that it houses one of the branches of the famous Solomon Guggenheim Museum of Contemporary Art.

The museum is considered one of the most famous buildings in Bilbao and its symbol. Previously, an industrial zone was located on the site of the museum - docks and warehouses worked here. However, at the end of the 20th century, de-industrialization began in the country and all factories and plants were closed.
The museum building is amazing. Made of glass, titanium and sandstone, this grandiose deconstructivist structure resembles a fantastic spaceship, but it can also be compared to a blossoming flower. The central atrium stands out especially, from which separate corridors diverge, where expositions are located.
The museum is dedicated to contemporary art. It should be noted that a variety of installations and electronic works are presented in a larger volume than traditional painting and sculpture. The works are performed mainly in the style of abstraction or avant-garde. It also hosts a variety of temporary exhibitions dedicated to the art of a particular country.
The core collection of the Guggenheim Museum is represented by a series of weather-resistant steel sculptures known as The Essence of Time. However, the most famous are the huge sculptures of a spider and a puppy located in front of the museum.

Subisuri bridge

You can get to the Guggenheim Museum via the curious Subisuri Bridge, also known as the Campo-Volantin Bridge. It is a suspension arch bridge made of steel and thrown over the Nervion River. It itself is painted white, hence its name, which translates as "white bridge". The curved bridge is an engineering masterpiece of the late 20th century - it was opened at the same time as the Guggenheim Museum in 1997. It is worth noting, however, that the bridge is paved with glass tiles, which become very slippery in cold weather.

Basilica of the Virgin Mary Behonia

This elegant building was built in the 16th century, and its architectural appearance intricately intertwined elements of the two leading styles of that era - the Gothic and Renaissance. The church is quite spacious and consists of three vaulted naves. The facade of the temple is distinguished by graceful arcades. The bell tower was completed at the beginning of the 20th century and was made in a pseudo-Gothic style. At its top there are 24 bells, the largest of which weighs about a ton. The monumental spire of the bell tower is visible from about everywhere in the city.

The church itself is dedicated to the patroness of the Vizcaya region - the Virgin Mary Behone, who is also considered the patroness of sailors. Her miraculous image is located in the main altar of the basilica and is a wooden sculpture of the Mother of God with the Child, made in the XIV century.

Doña Casilda de Iturrizar Park

This park is named after a wealthy woman from Bilbao who donated her land to the city. The park, opened in 1907, is located in close proximity to the historic center of Bilbao and is one of the largest green spaces in the city. Curiously, it is also known as the Duck Park because its central pond is home to many ducks, geese and swans, which are especially delightful for children.

The park itself is a typical English landscape park, where there is no clear plan. Many alleys are decorated with pergolas - arcade galleries with climbing plants. The park is also famous for its modern "singing" fountain, where concerts and light shows are often held in summer.

The park is located not far from the city center. It is open both in winter and summer. There is a Museum of Fine Arts on the territory of the park.

Museum of Fine Arts

The Museum of Fine Arts was opened at the beginning of the 20th century, but it moved to a modern building located in the territory of the Doña Casilda de Iturrizar park only after the Second World War.

The museum complex consists of two buildings - the older one was made in the neoclassical style immediately after the war and resembles a typical Roman atrium. The modern glass and concrete building was completed in the 21st century.
The museum consists of 33 rooms. It displays medieval and modern art, antique sculpture, as well as selected works of Basque masters and masterpieces of applied art.
The museum displays paintings by internationally renowned European artists, including El Greco, Goya, van Dyck, Gauguin, Lucas Cranach and Cezanne.

Alondig Center

The Alondiga Cultural and Leisure Center is also known as the Iñaga Askuna Center, named after the late Mayor of Bilbao. The center is housed in an elegant building of a former winery from the early 20th century. After the start of de-industrialization in the country, the plant was closed, and only in 1994 it was decided to restore it and transform it into a cultural and entertainment center. Now it houses a cinema, a restaurant, a lecture hall and even a fitness center.

It is worth noting the appearance of the building, in the main facade of which two side turrets stand out.

Bilbao Town Hall

The luxuriously decorated town hall is the fourth city council building in Bilbao. It was built at the end of the 19th century on the site of the former monastery of St. Augustine. The main facade of the building with a balcony and columns is especially worth noting. The façade is also decorated with a variety of sculptures depicting prominent people in the city. A graceful bell tower rises over the entire building. Among the interior rooms, the Arabian hall stands out, made in the style of the Moorish Renaissance and reminiscent of the interior of the Granada Alhambra.

Funicular Artxanda

The funicular to the top of Mount Artxanda was first launched back in 1915. The route starts near the famous Guggenheim Museum and takes only 3-5 minutes. Mount Artxanda itself does not exceed 300 meters in height. At the top of the mountain, there is now a restaurant with an observation deck offering stunning views of the city of Bilbao. It also houses several hotels, a sports center and a huge park.

The ticket price is 1 euro.