CASCO VIEJO

OLD TOWN BILBAO - OCTOBER 2006

The first post dealt with some features of the new Bilbao. However, Bilbao was founded already in on 15 June 1300, by Don Diego Lopez de Haro, Lord of Biscay. At first there were only three parallel streets: Upper, Middle and Shops, and the Santiago church, surrounded by a city wall. The city grew with new developments, and the original area is now known as the «Siete Calles» (Seven streets) in Casco Viejo (Old Town). That’s the main subject of this post!


"CASCO VIEJO - The Old town"


"MUSEO VASCO - The Basque Museum of Archaeology, Ethnography and History functions in the Jesuit Colegio de San Andrés and in its cloisters. It opened in 1920 and was recreated in 1970"



"PLAZA UNAMUNO - Don Miguel, thinker, poet, novelist and scholar was born on 29 September 1864 and when was only one year old, he moved to a house in number seven of the De la Cruz Street. The square pays homage to the «Bilbao-born universal philosopher»"


"PLAZA NUEVA, a monumental neoclassical square designed by the architect Antonio de Echevarría and was finished in 1849. Its name comes from the previously existing Plaza Vieja or Old Square in the place where the Ribera Market was built. It has 64 arches, supported by Doric columns"


"VICTOR MONTES - This traditional Basque restaurant on Plaza Nueva in the Casco Viejo does great pintxos, has lovely decor and an interesting collection of empty bottles that decorate the shelves"



"SAINT JAMES CATHEDRAL - St. James is Bilbao's official patron saint since 1643. The Cathedral was built at the end of the 14th century in Gothic style. Its tower and main façade, in Neogothic style, were designed by Severino de Achúcarro and finished in 1887"


"SANTOS JUANES (Saint John's), a late-Renaissance early-Baroque Church, was constructed in the 17th century by the Jesuits"


"ZAMUDIO'S CITY GATE - The place keeps the name of an old gate on the city walls, along Ronda Street, that was torn down in 1573"





"7 CALLES - Interesting façades"


"THE RIBERA MARKET, designed in 1929 by Pedro de Ispizua y Susunaga, is well-known for its high-quality fish and seafood. It was dried up and refurbished after the 1983 flood"


"SAN NICOLAS CHURCH, constructed on top of the old «San Nicolás de Bari» hermitage, dedicated to the sailor's patron Saint, is one of the best examples of Baroque architecture in the Basque country. The Church was designed by Ignacio de Ibero y Erkizia and consecrated in 1756"


"BANCO DE BILBAO - This is the place where everything started for the current giant BBVA"

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Update: Ash was kind enough to give me this award:



Thank you Ash