BILBAO

port city, capital of Biscay (Vizcaya) provincia, in the comunidad autnoma (autonomous community) of the Basque Country, northern Spain. Bilbao lies along the mouth of the Nervin River, 7 miles (11 km) inland from the Bay of Biscay. It is the largest city in the Basque Country. Bilbao originated as a settlement of seafaring people on the banks of the Nervin's estuary. The inhabitants began to export both the iron ore found in large quantities along the river's eastern bank and the products of their ironworks, which became well known in Europe. To this settlement of mariners and ironworkers, Don Diego Lpez de Haro, lord of Biscay, in 1300 gave the charter and privilege of self-government in an independent municipality. Bilbao's port was also a centre for the export of wool from Burgos, in the interior of Castile, to Flanders. In 1511 the city obtained the right, like Burgos, to its own commercial tribunal that could issue laws in the form of ordinances. The last of these, promulgated in 1737, formed the basis of the first Spanish commercial code in 1829. In the 18th century Bilbao derived great prosperity from intensive trade with the American colonies of Spain. The city was sacked by French troops in the Peninsular War (1808) and besieged four times during the Carlist Wars. These struggles produced a strong communal spirit that after 1874 directed itself toward industrialization. Bilbao is the most important port in Spain. It also has one of the nation's largest concentrations of metallurgical industries, which arose in the 19th century based on the exploitation of the local iron ore deposits. Bilbao also has important chemical industries, produces textiles and building materials, and is a financial centre. Its maritime activities include the fishing industry and shipbuilding and ship repairing. The old part of Bilbao lies on the western (right) bank of the Nervin River, its nucleus being 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 new section is a banking, commercial, and industrial centre and is the site of the provincial government's offices. Six bridges cross the Nervin to link the old and new parts of the city. Bilbao has numerous museums, an engineering school, a Roman Catholic university, and the University of the Basque Country (1968). Pop. (1982 est.) 450,024.