Snowflakes are dancing – no, not in Bilbao. But currently at home. It’s the right time to process some photos taken on an extended weekend trip last summer.
Bilbao is a bustling metropolis in the Spanish part of the Basque region. Obviously Bilbao has managed to develop from a center of steel industry to a magnet of tourism with a broad cultural offer.
Approaching Bilbao by the Bay of Biscay one firstly enters the Estuary of Bilbao (Ría de Bilbao), the conjunction of the rivers Nervión and Ibaizabal.
Passing the Puente Colgante (Puente de Viscaya) reminds one of the tall ships once entering and leaving the central port of the city. Built in 1893 it’s the world’s oldest transporter bridge. In 2006 it was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Only a few bridges of this type are left over the world, one in Germany crossing the Kiel Canal at Rendsburg.
An architectural contrast to the Puente Colgante is the San Mamés Stadium. Finished in 2013 it is the home of Athletic Bilbao.
Where once cranes loaded steel and other goods to and from ships now the Guggenheim Museum designed by Frank O. Gehry rises over the river. Inaugurated in 1997 it displays modern and contemporary art drawing visitors from around the globe and generating millions of economic activity.
Art not only is shown inside museums but also publicly all along the river at the “Paseo de la memoria”.
An eye-catcher itself is “Maman” by Louise Bourgeois. The Bilbao Bronze cast is one of the many versions of the original stainless steel instance located at the Tate Modern in London.
“Puppy” by Jeff Koons once planned as a temporary installation finally found a permanent home in Bilbao and is fed regularly (with fresh water). Even old bridges turn into modern art and architecture.
Going up the river one soon meets the Zubizuri (white bridge) designed by Santiago Calatrava.
Now it’s only a few hundred meters to the Casco Viejo, the historic district of Bilbao. On the right bank of the Nervión river the Mercado de la Ribera is located. Covering around 10.000 square meters of floor space it is said to be the biggest covered marked in Europe.
