Bianca Sparacino
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| Amazing stainglass in the Abando Indalecio Prieto Train Station A great introduction to the Basque Culture Made with 301 pieces of glass, 30'x48' (10m x 15m), in 1948 |
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| Wall of plants - Getting off the Mount Artxanda Funicular From seeing Bilbao from above to being at river and street level |
Also known as the Palacio del Gallo or the Palacio de
Adán de Yarza, the Palacio Urgoiti was erected by Don Miguel Vélez de Larrea at
the end of the 17th century and has always belonged to the Adán de
Yarza family.
The Palacio Urgoiti was originally located in
Galdakao, nine miles (15km) from Mungia where it is located today. This strategic
original enclave dominated the crossing of major roads, was the backdrop of
many events throughout Biscay’s history and a meeting place for several
illustrious visitors.
In 1968, with the construction of the Bilbao-Behobia
highway, the palace was expropriated and demolished despite the repeated
requests of the owner, José María Solano Gil-Delgado Adán de Yarza, to save it.
The owner eventually decided to dismantle it and catalogue the stones. The
stones were kept in storage for 30 years, waiting for the right time to be
reassembled.
In 1983, the Basque Country suffered one of the worst
floods in its history. This affected the possibility of rebuilding the palace
as the original blueprints were lost and the stones deteriorated. After
salvaging the few documents that remained, there began a slow and painstaking
process of ordering, classifying and cataloguing the stones that made up the
original building. Every single stone was measured individually; it was as if a
puzzle were being assembled from thin air.
The real reconstruction of the Urgoiti Palace began in
2004 with the laying of the first stone. This exemplary reconstruction using preciously
preserved materials maintains the original style of the Urgoiti Palace, which
allows us to continue enjoying this magnificent jewel of Biscay’s palatial
architecture.
The fact that the Palacio de Zubieta and the Palacio
Urgoiti have remained in the hands of the same family for more than three
hundred years is rather noteworthy as it doesn’t happen often.
We had breakfast in this beautiful palace. What a history of perseverance, hard work, commitment and love.
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| Hotel Palacio Urgoiti. Was deconstructed and reconstructed here stone by stone. Rebuilt in 2004, though from the 17th century. It used to be nine miles (15km) away. Belongs to a cousin of my guide Iñaki. |
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| Had breakfast at Hotel Palacio Urgoiti. Still flowers in the courtyard in October |
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| Hotel Palacio Urgoiti - interesting window |
The city of Bilbao was founded in 1300 and began as a
settlement of seafaring people as it is located near the Nervión estuary. It started with the export of wool to
Flanders, then became famous for its quality ironworks production in 1870 at
which time it saw a very rapid growth in terms of industrialization. The port of Bilbao is one of the key ones in
all of Spain.
From a mixture of iron and salt, the past of Bilbao is
closely linked to industry. The
ironworks, iron mines, chimneys and large furnaces forged its prosperity,
character and future, an ambiance forged in iron. As for the salt, I mentioned it in the
previous post.
Throughout the 1980’s and 1990’s, the city of Bilbao
underwent an accelerated transformation from an exhausted industrial model to
one based on services. Much of the
industrial heritage disappeared but along the banks of the Nervión-Ibaizabal
river there are still vestiges of the prosperous past linked to factories, iron
and shipyards. The first source of
industrial prosperity was iron, which was easy to extract and of exceptional
quality. The extraction of this mineral
for decades was called ‘red gold’.
As for the town itself, Bilbao's Casco Viejo, also
known as the Old Town, is a captivating labyrinth of narrow cobblestone streets
and medieval buildings that transport visitors back in time. Originally founded
in the 14th century, it is the beating heart of the city, teeming
with history, culture, and a vibrant local life.
Although I spent very little time in Bilbao, a stroll
through the Casco Viejo is a journey through the ages, where ancient churches,
grand plazas, and hidden courtyards whisper tales of Bilbao's rich past.
Bilbao offers a destination that seamlessly blends majestic mountains with the sea and a gastronomy that borders on perfection. Its narrow streets create a maze where getting lost is a pure pleasure. It is a city of contrasts, where modernity meets tradition.
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My first view of Bilbao from the Mount Artxanda Funicular that can bring you down to river level. Tallest building is the Iberdrola Tower - 540 feet (165m) by César Pelli (2012)That area is called Bilbao's Manhattan |
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| From the Zubizuri Bridge to downtown Bilbao. Isozaki Atea glass towers (2008) Atea means Gate - modern gateway to Bilbao 270 feet (82m) - half as tall as the Iberdrola Tower |
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| Rod iron can be found nearly everywhere in Bilbao. Iron being a huge part of its history. Many made their fortune from it here |
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| Oldest cafe in Bilbao, Iruña, 1903 |
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| Some call it the fountain of the Lions, others call it the fountain of Dogs. 1800's design inspired by ancient Egyptian temples |
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| Beautiful Belgium architecture at a roundabout |
Located in Spain’s rugged Basque region, Bilbao was
not always synonymous with world-class art and architectural innovation. Just a
few decades ago, it was a struggling industrial town wrestling with a stagnant
economy and diminishing opportunities. However, in the late 1990’s, this modest
city experienced an extraordinary transformation when the Guggenheim Museum
Bilbao opened its doors to the public.
The museum was inaugurated by Juan Carlos I, the King of Spain, on
October 17th, 1997.
The construction of this architectural work of art
went from 1993 through 1997. Frank
Gehry’s design philosophy and architectural style challenge conventional norms
and expectations, breaking an architectural mold. He is a key figure in deconstructivist
architecture, a movement that shatters traditional architectural aesthetics,
presenting instead a world of complex, fragmented forms. Gehry’s buildings
aren’t mere static structures but dynamic entities that enter into an active
conversation with their surrounding cityscapes.
The Guggenheim Museum Bilbao is a perfect embodiment
of Gehry’s audacious vision. The museum’s structure is a complex interplay of
abstractly curved forms, evoking a sense of ordered chaos. To construct this
masterpiece, Gehry found inspiration in the city’s industrial heritage, the
city’s geography, and the ethereal beauty of its estuary. As a result, the
museum is a shape-shifting entity that presents a different face at every
angle.
The building’s exterior is encased in gleaming
titanium, a choice of material that pays homage to Bilbao’s industrial past
while reflecting the changing colors of the beautiful Basque skies. This facade
lends the building an organic quality, making it seem like a living organism
breathing in synchrony with the city’s rhythm.
‘The
randomness of the curves are designed to catch the light.’
Frank
Gehry
Due to the mathematical complexity of Gehry’s design,
he decided to work with an advanced software initially conceived for the
aerospace industry (CATIA), to faithfully translate his concept to the
structure and to help construction.
Where contemporary wonders like the Guggenheim Bilbao Museum
with its titanium façade stand in stark contrast to the city’s historic heart
with its rod iron balconies, etc. Residing along Bilbao’s estuary, the museum
is a dynamic medley of twisting titanium, glimmering glass, and austere
limestone.
Gleaming and otherworldly, the Guggenheim Bilbao is
more than an art museum: it’s a modern architectural landmark, a stylized ode
to the city’s shipbuilding past and an unmistakable emblem of Bilbao itself.
When Frank Gehry's masterpiece opened in 1997 – on the banks of the Rio
Nervión, in a derelict and highly polluted area that was previously an
industrial wasteland – it was a symbol of revitalization and the dawn of a new
era for the city. In 2022, 1.3M visitors came to see this wonder.
The museum has become a beacon of deconstructivist
architecture, an icon of urban rejuvenation, and a shining testament to Gehry’s
creative genius. The spectacular sculptural appeal of this space is found both
inside and outside. It has shown the world how a bold architectural vision can
transform a humble city into a global cultural hub.
Gehry’s work has undeniably broadened the horizon of
architectural possibility. His ability to defy convention, to craft beauty out
of chaos, and to create spaces that resonate with the spirit of their
environment has paved the way for architects to embrace innovation and boldness
in their designs.
The museum stands as an illustration of how a daring
and creative architectural vision can result in a building that is both
functional and aesthetically groundbreaking. It has demonstrated the power of
architecture to communicate, inspire, and even shape the cultural identity of a
city.
Some of the information above from the Guggenheim's own website.
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| Guggenheim Bilbao (one of six in the world - soon to be more), this one built in 1997 Red dots in the water are part of Yayoi Kusama's artworks Mist is floating near the dots at intervals, giving it an ethereal look |
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| Very sculptural staircase/atrium inside the museum - 165' (50m) tall Designed by Canadian American Frank Gehry Also designed the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles, which I visited |
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| Amazing that this drawing represented the Guggenheim |
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| Had to try a black and white of its exterior Love all the curves - museum is covered with 33,000 titanium flakes for rough organic effect Museum has 19 galleries around its atrium, like branches of a tree |
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| Many wonderful curves. Each titanium flake switches color based on the sky's own changes |
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| The Moment of Regeneration by Yayoi Kusama, 2004 Featuring unruly mass of scarlet appendages sprouting from the ground Reaching like sinister tentacles |
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| Woman with Vase by Picasso, 1933 Depicting fertility goddess Reflects Picasso's lifelong interest in ancient civilizations |
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| Matter of Time by Richard Serra, 1995-2004 (permanent installation) Various types of 'mazes' - this one called Torqued Spiral Viewed from second floor, these sculptures are massive and meant to walk in/out of |
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| Maman by Louise Bourgeois, 1999. A tribute to her mother who was a weaver. Suggests protection / predation as well as strength / fragility. One of seven such spiders around the world. Large - 33 feet (10m) tall |
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| Seeing the Guggenheim from a nearby bridge In the background, Le Salve bridge now partly merged with the Guggenheim On the Nervión River |
In the mystifying Basque language, ‘tx’ often sounds
like ‘ch’, so the word pintxos is pronounced pinchos. Etymologically,
the word comes from the Spanish, pinchar, meaning to puncture or stab, a clue
at what these incredible, small delicacies look like. But what exactly are
pintxos?
The pintxo is an extremely petite yet incredibly satisfying
delicacy, somewhat a brother to the Spanish tapas. Each pintxo is served on a
piece of bread, usually a baguette, cut into a circle, topped with a different
food originating from the Basque country. The pintxo is often (but not always) held
together by one small cocktail stick and, though small, a gastronomic wonder in
itself.
The beauty of Bilbao’s pintxos culture lies in being
able to hop from place to place sampling everything the city’s restaurants and
bars have to offer. There’s no commitment to choosing a single restaurant for
dinner – in fact, getting too comfortable at a single place is discouraged, no
matter how good their food is. People
usually get one or two pintxos and move on to the adjoining restaurants/bars to
try a myriad of different flavors and culinary specialties.
In Britain, the ‘pub crawl’ is a very normal activity.
This concept of hopping from pub to pub, or rather bar to bar, is, in fact,
also commonplace in the Basque Country. Many will go on what we might deem a ‘pintxo
crawl’, hopping from place to place trying a different pintxo at each one,
normally washed down with an alcoholic beverage. A ‘pintxo crawl’, called Txikiteo,
is
much more affordable than a pub crawl in London might be.
In many cases, there is no room to sit but no one seems
to mind since they are not staying at any of the restaurants/bars for a long
time. Thankfully my guide, Iñaki had
decades of experience living in Bilbao trying out many pintxos. He already knew which pintxo specialty to eat
at each place we visited. We had the Txakoli
(white sparkling wine typical of the region) with some of the pintxos. Great combination.
Txakoli (pronounced cha-ko-lee) is a lightly
effervescent white wine made in the mountainous hills of Basque Country in
Northern Spain. Known for its zesty acidity, subtle bubbles, and low alcohol,
it’s a wine equally suited for your finest seafood dishes as it is good for day
drinking on a warm summer day.
All of the pintxos I tried were excellent. It is a great way to try many different foods
instead of sitting down at a long fancy dinner where you’ll only be able to taste
2-3 different items. I prefer this way
of eating, smaller portions, greater variety.
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| Can't visit Bilbao without talking about Pintxos and txakoli wine Went to at least 5-6 one afternoon - these Pintxos were at the Bar Gatz Cod with pilpil, deer meat with carrot, and steak tartare |
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| Instead of English Pub Crawls, people go from Pintxos Bar to Pintxos Bar Eating Pintxos often served with local wines - each Pintxos Bar has it's own specialty Mushrooms, Tartare, Cod, Sausages, Urchins, Shrimp, etc. |
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| Most common Pintxo, the Gilda, usually made with olives, pickled chili peppers, anchovies The name honors Rita Hayworth: 'Green, salty, and a little spicy.' (1946 movie) Served at the Iruña Cafe |
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