Bilbao

Bilbao, port city, capital of Vizcaya provincia (province), in the comunidad autónoma (autonomous community) of the Basque Country, northern Spain. Bilbao lies along the mouth of the Nervión River, 7 miles (11 km) inland from the Bay of Biscay. It is the largest city in the Basque Country.

Bilbao is divided into two distinctive areas: the left (eastern) bank of the Nervión River, which includes factories and working-class neighbourhoods, and the right (western) bank, including commercial, historic, and residential areas. The old part of Bilbao lies on the right bank, its nucleus formed by the Siete Calles (“Seven Streets”), a series of parallel streets leading to the riverbank. The old city’s notable landmarks include the Gothic-style Cathedral of Santiago (14th century), the Plaza Nueva (early 19th century), and the Renaissance-style churches of San Antonio, Santos Juanes, and San Nicholas. Several towns on the left bank of the river were annexed to the municipality after 1890, forming the modern extension of the city. This section is a banking and commercial centre and is the site of the provincial government’s offices. Nine bridges cross the Nervión to link the old and new parts of the city.