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The precise origins of Bilbao have not been determined.
However, a settlement had already been established and had significantly
developed on both banks of the "ría del Nervión" before it officially became a
villa. It was Don Diego López de Haro V, lord of Vizcaya, who gave the city his
title in the year 1300, due to its great importance as a commercial and maritime
centre at the time. Towards the mid 15 th century, the heart of the
ancient "Casco Viejo" (citadel) consolidated when the oldest part of the city
was expanded with four new roads. Hence, "Siete Calles" (seven roads), the name
given to the historical centre of Bilbao. In this very area the "Catedral de
Santiago" (Santiago Cathedral) was built, replacing the old chapel dedicated to
apostle Saint James. This Gothic temple is amongst the city's most emblematic
buildings. Economic growth slowed at the end of the 16 th and continued well
into the 17 th century. The 18 th century however breathed new life into the
city, with continued economic development and a search for fresh space for its
growing population. It was the 19 th century, however, that would truly
transform the city, for throughout this century, Bilbao experienced
unprecedented development through the exploitation of nearby mineral deposits.
Nowadays Bilbao is a dynamic city, full of amenities and focused on
environmental and urban regeneration. With its lands freed from the old
industrial settlements, the city is now undergoing a new physical
transformation, becoming more and more appealing to visitors. The Mediaive
Guggenheim Museum and the Euskalduna Palace, a conference and music centre, have
become the icons of the new Bilbao, a city that is gradually regaining space and
handing it back to the people. |
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