Bilbao - Semana Santa

Bilbao is the largest city in the Basque Country and the tenth largest city in Spain, with a population of about 350,000. The metropolitan area has more than 1,000,000 inhabitants.

After its foundation in the late 13th century Bilbao was one of the commercial hubs of the Basque Country that enjoyed significant importance in the Crown of Castile. In 1372, John I of Castile named Bilbao a free port and granting it special privileges concerning the trade of iron. This caused Bilbao to become an important port, particularly due to its trade with Flanders and Great Britain.

In 1511, Queen Joanna of Castile ordered the creation of the Consulate of the Sea of Bilbao. Under the Consulate's control, the port of Bilbao became one of the most important of the kingdom. The first printing-press was brought to the town in 1577. Here in 1596, the first book in the Basque language was edited.

Around 1631, the city was the scenario of a series of revolts against the increased taxation on salt, an event locally known as the "Machinada of the salt". The revolt ended with the execution of several of its leaders. The city had seen a continuous increase of its wealth, especially after the discovery of extensive iron deposits in the surrounding mountains.

Despite the Peninsular War and the Carlist Wars, Bilbao prospered during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, when it rose as the economic centre of the Basque Country.

In 1936, during the Spanish Civil War the city suffered its first bombing. The Nationalists threatened further bombing if the city did not give up. In September German planes, in coordination with Francoist forces, dropped at least a hundred bombs on the city.

With the war over, Bilbao returned to its industrial development, accompanied by steady population growth. In the 1980s, several factors led to a devastating industrial crisis. Since the mid-1990s, Bilbao has been in a process of deindustrialization and transition to a service economy. It started with the opening of the Bilbao Guggenheim Museum, continuing with the Conference Centre and the Concert Hall and the metro network.

Preparing for the Semana Santa