Bilbao is unquestionably one of the most wonderful cities in Spain. Located in the Basque Country, Bilbao has many singularities and stories that make it unique. Some of them are known to many people, but others are not so well known.
Whether you have already visited the city and want to learn about some curiosities that you may have missed on your trip, or you are planning to visit and want to know more about this city, discover with us some curiosities that you (may) not know about Bilbao.
1 – The “hole”
Bilbao is known as the “botxo” (hole) or “botxito” because of its geographical location between the Archanda, Avril, Arnotegi, and Pagasarri mountains. However, this nickname was already used by
Unamuno in 1891 when, in an article for the newspaper El Nervión, he called Bilbao “el bocho”.
2 – The oldest house
The oldest house in Bilbao dates to the 14th century. On the corner of Jardines and Bidebarrieta, we find an impressive pink house, and it is precisely this one that is known as the oldest.
3 – The oldest street
The oldest street in Bilbao is not far from the house mentioned above. Somera, whose name means “the one above”, since it was located at the top of the city, is also known as the oldest street in Bilbao.
4 – The “Spanish Mozart” was born in the historic center
The renowned composer Juan Crisóstomo Arriaga was born on January 27, 1806, at number 12 on this same street. The so-called “Spanish Mozart” is still very much present in the city today, and it is no coincidence that his surname gives its name to Bilbao’s most famous theater.
5 – Not the Seven Streets, but the Three Streets
Next to Somera, there used to be only two other streets in the old quarter: Artecalle and Tenderia. Today, as you know, seven streets make up the historic center called the Old Town (Casco Viejo), restored after the floods of 1983, and one of Bilbao’s main shopping and leisure centers.
6 – Walled Bilbao
Bilbao’s Old Town had a wall protecting it. But what was the whole city today are the Seven Streets, so it wasn’t the Great Wall of China either…
7 – The darkest street
The honor of being the darkest street in the entire city of Bilbao goes to Ronda Street, the same street where the renowned writer Miguel de Unamuno was born.
8 – Remains of the wall in the darkest street
The remains of the old wall, demolished in the 15th century, can still be seen today on Ronda Street, named after the soldiers who guarded it.
9 – The pelota and the pelota field, since immemorial times
After the wall was demolished, the people of Bilbao took the opportunity to play pelota with the remains. So many hours were spent there that the street got its name, Calle de la Pelota (Pelota Street).
10 – Stars on the ground
In the heart of the old quarter, next to the “Hucha de los txikiteros” (a collection urn where wine lovers come to honor the only Virgin in the world that carries a glass of wine in her right hand), a spot of pilgrimage for decades, there is a star on the ground. It is currently the only point in the historic center where you can see the Basilica of Our Lady of Begoña.
11 – The Fountain of Dogs? Why?
Next to it is another of the symbols of the historic center, the so-called “fountain of dogs”. The fountain of dogs actually shows lions, but it is said that its name is because the inhabitants of Bilbao had never seen a lion, so, from lack of knowledge, they called it that.
12 – The name of the street is not misleading
Calle Carnicería Vieja owes its name to the fact that it was once home to the city’s slaughterhouse. Due to the smells and complaints from neighbors, the slaughterhouse was moved to the outskirts, but the name has remained in mention to it.
13 – Bilbao’s tiles, a sign of identity
One of the signs of the city’s identity is its peculiar tiles, created between the 1940s and 1950s to withstand the rain and prevent the Bilbaín people from slipping.
14 – And, of course, the Guggenheim Museum
Another of the city’s trademarks is, of course, the Guggenheim. The Frank Gehry-designed Museum is made up of 33,000 titanium plates, one of the most resistant materials existing, and is guarded by 38,000 flowers: the famous Puppy.
15 – Kilometers of estuary
Bilbao’s famous estuary is the last stretch of the River Nervión, which is about 14 kilometers long and runs from La Peña to the Cantabrian Sea.
16 – Venice was in Plaza Nueva
Plaza Nueva was the Venice of the Basque Country, at least for a short time. Due to the visit of King Amadeo de Saboia and intending to make him feel like he was in Venice, Plaza Nueva was closed off and filled with water. There is a work by Manuel Losada that illustrates this peculiar reconversion of this mythical square.
17 – Originality in the names? Not much.
Plaza Nueva owes its name to the ingenuity and originality of the people of Bilbao. At the time, there were two squares: one was the Plaza Vieja, and the other… the new one.
18 – The best city must have…
Another world honor that Bilbao has had is having the best mayor in the world: Iñaki Azkuna, awarded the prize in 2012 as the best mayor in the world.
19 – They have always liked to eat
In 1953, there was a fat club in Bilbao. To be a member of this prestigious club, you had to weigh at least 100 kilos, and to be an Honorary Member, you had to weigh more than 120 kilos. The headquarters were at Restaurante Nicolás, which still stands today on Calle Ledesma.
20 – The Bilbao cricket
In Bilbao, there is a unique pintxo invented in the 1920s called “grillo”, made from potatoes, lettuce, onion, salt, and oil. It is said that the name of this simple but delicious snack comes from its ingredients, as they are referred to as “cricket food”. Another version, however, attributes the origin of the name to the sound this pintxo makes when chewed, which apparently resembles a cricket.
21 – Civil War bunkers
In Bilbao, you can find an old bunker where the city government met during the Civil War. Today it is a very pleasant room that belongs to the Carlton Hotel.
22 – The Cathedrals
Bilbao also has the honor of having the best-designed sports facility in the world, the San Mames Stadium, which won an award at the prestigious World Design Awards 2020. In Bilbao, there is a great devotion to the football club Athletic Bilbao, and a clear example of this is the Cathedral of Santiago, located in the heart of the historic center. During restoration work, an Athletic crest was found on one of the 12 columns that support it.
23 – The oldest transporter bridge in the world
The Vizcaya Bridge, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, was built in 1893 and is the oldest transporter bridge in the world. Designed by Alberto Palacio, one of Gustave Eiffel’s disciples, it was conceived as a solution to the problem of connecting the towns of Portugalete and Getxo without disturbing maritime traffic from the port of Bilbao and without having to build a massive structure with long ramps. Until today, the service has only been interrupted once, for four years, during the Spanish Civil War, when the upper section was dynamited.
24 – A legend with a lot of love
The Puente de la Merced bridge is home to one of those legends told on every sightseeing tour and which, to tell the truth, is of questionable veracity. When crossing it, you have come across some winged beings, right? Well, legend has it that if these beings brushed against or touched a person walking alone, they would be lucky in love and other aspects of life. This legend lives on until now, so when you see someone touching these winged creatures, you know why.
25 – Bilbao’s water
The inhabitants of Bilbao are known as braggarts and have guaranteed that champagne is drunk in that city as if it were water, which is why this drink is known as “the water of Bilbao”.
So, were you surprised by any of these curiosities about Bilbao? Did you already know them all, or did you discover some new ones?
If you are a Bilbao enthusiast and know more interesting facts about the city, leave us a comment! That way, we can add to this compendium of curiosities about such a beautiful city!
