The Guggenheim Museum Bilbao
Located on the edge of the Nervión estuary in Bilbao, Spain, the Guggenheim Museum is characterized by a complex fusion of curvilinear forms and captivating materials, responding to a complex program and an urban industrial context. With more than 100 exhibitions and more than ten million visitors, Frank Gehry's Guggenheim Museum Bilbao has not only changed the way architects and the public perceive museums, but has also revitalized Bilbao's damaged economy with its amazing success. In fact, the phenomenon of the transformation of a city due to the construction of an important piece of architecture is now known as the "Bilbao effect".
Culture in Bilbao
Bilbao is the capital of the province of Vizcaya and has a population of 350,000 inhabitants with a GDP per capita of 35,865 euros in 2012. The Greater Bilbao metropolitan region, with 1 million inhabitants, is home to half of the Basque Country's population and economic activity, making it one of the most competitive, innovative and productive European regions (GDP per capita 30% higher than the Community average). Until the 1980s, Bilbao was an industrial city, based on the steel economy and shipbuilding. However, the severe economic crisis and industrial restructuring have forced the city to reinvent itself.
In response to this difficult situation, several public and private institutions have designed a process of global revitalization that has led to the "urban revolution".
Sport in Bilbao
Mythical and world-class waves that guarantee unforgettable moments: the coasts of northern Spain, a surfing paradise and some of the biggest competitions on the international circuit. This very varied coastline, with a privileged orientation, allows you to enjoy the waves all year round, under almost all winds. Discover in its many beaches the ideal place to practice your favorite sport.
Music in Bilbao
Music has a privileged place in the world of Basque culture. Oral tradition has left us authentic treasures, handed down generation after generation by bards and poets. The oral facet is particularly well known, expressed by the sentence: "one Basque, one beret, two a part of a ball, three an orphéon".
It is also the cradle of great composers: Arriaga, Gorriti, Guridi, Sarasate, Ravel, Usandizaga, Sorozabal, Aita Donosti, Mocoroa, Bernaola, Luis de Pablo, or musicians of the calibre of pianist Joaquín Achúcarro.
