Bilbao is a city in Spain located in the north of the Iberian Peninsula, in the Basque Country. Rich and dynamic, Bilbao is a first-class destination to discover the Iberian culture, to soak up the very pleasant climate, or simply to relax on the beach.

So before you pack your bags, here is everything you need to know in these 15 interesting facts about Bilbao, Spain! 

 

Facts on Bilbao to Learn All About It

Ready to learn all about Bilbao?

Facts are one of the best ways to learn more about something, and I personally love to read them! I’ve put together for you some Bilbao Spain facts; I’ve split them into 4 categories:

  • The best Bilbao facts
  • Guggenheim museum Bilbao facts
  • Fun facts about Bilbao
  • General facts of Bilbao

Let’s dive in straight away with our first category!

 

The Best Bilbao Facts

Here you will find general facts about the city of Bilbao, from history to geography, enjoy:

 

1. Bilbao was founded in 1300

The city of Bilbao started by being a settlement of seafaring people. It was located near the “Nervión’s” estuary. The inhabitants quickly became very well known for their iron and afterward ironworks production.

Don Diego López V de Haro founded the city through a municipal charter on June 15th, 1300 later confirmed by King Ferdinand IV of Castile on January 4th, 1301. From then, it started to become an important port and commercial center, starting with the export of wool to Flanders.

 

2. The port of Bilbao is very important for the city, but also for the country as a whole

The port of Bilbao is actually so important that it is one of the main ones of the whole country. The city started its commercial success by exporting iron ore from 1870 and saw a very rapid growth in terms of industrialization. The city grew so much that tons of other Spanish workers came from all around the country, resulting in a strong Basque nationalist reaction.

Afterward, Bilbao quickly adapted to the change of the world industry and grew services and tourism instead, especially with the building of the Guggenheim Museum in 1997.

 

3. Bilbao is the largest city in the Basque Country

The Basque Country is one of the autonomous communities of Spain. It is located in the North and is quite known for its unique identity: just like Catalonia, it is a region with lots of separatist tendencies.

Bilbao is by far the largest city of the Basque Country, with more than 350,000 inhabitants, while the second city on the list is Vitoria-Gasteiz, with more than 238,000 inhabitants. However, though there is no official capital of the Basque Country, Bilbao could not be it, since the Parliament is located in Vitoria-Gasteiz.

 

3 - bilbao facts about the population

 

4. Bilbao is divided into two parts

Bilbao is divided by the Nervión River, on which it was founded and to this day still located. There are two parts of the city, one is dedicated to industry, and the other to commerce.

You can find mostly factories and working-class neighborhoods in the first area of the city. In the other one, you will see the commercial, historic and residential areas. There are therefore old and new parts in the city, and 9 bridges connect them to one another.

 

4 - bilbao spain facts about the old town

 

5. Bilbao is present in lots of important industries

Though the city’s first huge success in terms of commerce was iron and wool, it has developed a ton throughout history. Tourism and services became very important in the city after the 1970s with the decline of the steel industry.

On top of that, Bilbao is also present in lots of main industries, like industrial and railway equipment, hand and machine tools, chemicals, tires, automobiles, and paper. Because of this adaptation, the city still remains very active and relevant in the Spanish economy.

 

6. The historic part of Bilbao is full of wonderful buildings

You already know it, Bilbao is divided into two parts, between industry and commerce basically.

On the Western side, which is the right bank of the Nervión River (it comes from the North), the old and historic area of Bilbao is beautiful and full of wonders. Its core is formed by the “Siete Calles”, which means “Seven Streets”, all parallels, all leading to the river. Other noticeable places are the Cathedral of Santiago, the churches of San Antonio, San Juanes and San Nicholas, and the Plaza Nueva.

 

6 - bilbao city center

 

7. The city area was already populated before its foundation in 1300

After some research, historians and archeologists concluded that the area where Bilbao currently lies used to be populated even before the foundation of the city, in 1300.

There were several settlements. Some were located in what is today the old town (“Bilbao la Vieja”), and some others were on the right bank of the estuary, where there used to be a seaport mostly dedicated to commerce in general, and in what is currently the Old Quarter of Bilbao.

 

So there you have them, these were the 7 interesting and general facts about the city of Bilbao, Spain.

Next up is the Guggenheim Museum:

 

Guggenheim Museum Bilbao Facts

The Guggenheim Museum is extremely famous and uniquely intriguing. Its futuristic architecture draws tons of tourists to Bilbao every year.

Let’s learn a bit more about it:

 

8. The Guggenheim Museum was built according to Frank Gehry’s plans

Some of the most well-known and mythical structures in the United States were designed by Frank Gehry, a Los Angeles architect born in Canada. Among them, the New World Symphony in Miami is certainly a wonderful one.

The director of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation, Thomas Krens, selected Frank Gehry and his firm (now known as Gehry Partners) to design the museum in 1991. Lots of proposals were given from all around the world, but Gehry was the chosen one in the end.

 

8 - interesting facts about the guggenheim museum bilbao

 

9. The Guggenheim Museum was inaugurated by a king

This wonderfully weird and beautiful building was called the “most important piece of architecture” after the survey of Vanity Fair by 52 experts. What is even more impressive is that it was actually inaugurated by the Spanish monarch!

Juan Carlos I was the King of Spain from 1975 to 2014, and officially launched the famous museum on October 17th, 1997.

 

10. There are two other permanent Guggenheim Museums in the world

You may not know that, but Bilbao’s Guggenheim Museum is actually part of the Solomon R. Guggenheim. This philanthropist had a huge art collection and created the foundation in 1937.

The first permanent museum was inaugurated in New York City in 1959, 10 years after the death of Guggenheim. Another one, called “The Peggy Guggenheim Collection” opened in Venice, Italy in 1951.

 

10 - guggenheim museum bilbao facts

New York City’s Guggenheim Museum

11. The interior of the Guggenheim Museum is very huge and well thought

When you look at the facade, you already know how huge the interior is. However, you probably don’t know how it is constructed. The rooms of the gallery are of various shapes, in order for visitors to change perspective, and view both modern and postmodern art from the 20th century onwards.

There are three floors in the Guggenheim Museum and twenty galleries!

 

11 - guggenheim bilbao facts

 

I hope you liked these Guggenheim Bilbao facts! Hopefully, you will visit it someday, and if you already did, you are very lucky.

Don’t worry there is more though, onto the fun facts about Bilbao:

 

Fun Facts About Bilbao

General, interesting and important facts are cool, but there are always some fun and unusual facts that you should know about most cities, and Bilbao is not an exception.

Let’s hear about the fun facts about the city:

 

12. The narrow streets of Bilbao were actually useful

If you visit Bilbao, you will quickly notice the narrow alleys between houses, giving the Old Quarter its unique charm. Those streets have been fortunately very well preserved, and you should definitely discover them if you plan to go there.

During the Middle Ages, the narrow streets actually had a purpose. They were used to improve the ventilation of nearby buildings, as well as an outlet for rainwater and firebreaks. If you go through the small doors in the alleys, you will reach one of the 15 gullies of the Old Quarter.

 

12 - fun facts about bilbao streets

 

13. In Bilbao, people have their own map, typeface and dictionary

That’s right! Bilbao is so unique and special that the city has a few local features. The people have their own map, their own typeface, and even their own dictionary.

The city is actually so large that they had to use an entire map to describe it. The local typeface originated from the funerary steles which needed a specific type of writing for inscriptions. An alphabet was created and people used it very widely during the 20th century, especially in commercial signs.

 

14. Bilbao flagstones are more important than you think

A lot of the city of Bilbao is paved. The flagstones are actually very important in the city, and they have been used since the 1920s, after being manufactured in “Calle Mena”.

They have been very thought through, being covered in steel wool and sand so that no one would slip on them during rainy days. If you want to bring home a souvenir of the city, the flagstones are one of its hallmarks. You can buy watches, key rings, clothes, cakes, etc…

 

15. Bilbao’s bakers have created different desserts that everyone loves

Not only is “Bilbao Water”, the Cava (the Spanish equivalent of champagne) dating back to the early 20th century, very coveted, but local desserts are also quite renowned.

The most famous and typical ones are the Carolina, the “pastel de arroz”, the “pastel ruso”, the “jesuita de cabello de ángel”, the “bollo de mantequilla” and the “relleno de Vergara” cake. Most of them are puff pastries or simply cakes.

 

And there you go, these were all of the 15 interesting facts about Bilbao, Spain. I hope you enjoyed them, and that you learned something today!

If you want to know more about either Bilbao or Spain as a whole, feel free to keep reading, there is still general information or another article for you:

 

General Facts of Bilbao

You’ll find below a few general facts of Bilbao, to learn more about this Spanish city:

  • Name: Bilbao (Spanish & English) / Bilbo (Basque)
  • Province: Biscay
  • Region: Basque Country
  • Land area: 41.50 km² / 16.02 sq mi
  • Population: 345,000
  • Name of inhabitants: Bilbaine (English) / Bilbaíno (Spanish) / Bilbotarra (Basque)
  • Website: Bilbao

 

Bilbao Flag

bilbao flag

 

More Facts!

Do you want even more facts about Spain?

Well, I have more facts about Spain, I’m sure you’ll love reading them!

Here’s the main guide of the best Spain facts 👉 All the Facts about Spain 

Check out these facts by city/region:

Or these Spain facts by topic: 

Or click here to see ALL the facts up on the blog! Spoiler alert: there’s A LOT of them.

 

The Full List of 15 Bilbao Facts

  1. Bilbao was founded in 1300
  2. The port of Bilbao is very important for the city, but also for the country as a whole
  3. Bilbao is the largest city in the Basque Country
  4. Bilbao is divided into two parts
  5. Bilbao is present in lots of important industries
  6. The historic part of Bilbao is full of wonderful buildings
  7. The city area was already populated before its foundation in 1300
  8. The Guggenheim Museum was built according to Frank Gehry’s plans
  9. The Guggenheim Museum was inaugurated by a king
  10. There are two other permanent Guggenheim Museums in the world
  11. The interior of the Guggenheim Museum is very huge and well thought
  12. The narrow streets of Bilbao were actually useful
  13. In Bilbao, people have their own map, typeface, and dictionary
  14. Bilbao flagstones are more important than you think
  15. Bilbao’s bakers have created different desserts that everyone loves

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