Plaza Nueva (New Square), Bilbao (must see)
Work on Bilbao鈥檚 New Square began in 1828, with King Fernando VII laying the first stone in person. The plan was to crown the plaza with his statue, but his death in 1833 left the honor unclaimed. A pond filled the gap until 1890, when L贸pez de Haro-the city鈥檚 14th-century founder-finally claimed the pedestal. After years of hesitation and revision, the square itself opened in 1851.
The idea had been brewing since the late 1700s, when city leaders wanted a space that could match the grand plazas of Madrid or Salamanca. Architect Antonio de Echevarr铆a delivered with a design that was as orderly as it was ambitious: a neoclassical rectangle framed by arcades, giving the old quarter a stage for modern civic life. Its name, 鈥淣ew Square,鈥� underscored the break with the rambling medieval markets of the Seven Streets.
Askao, Sombrerer铆a, Fueros, and Correo Streets define its edges, while 64 arches frame the interiors with bars, shops, and offices. The Basque government once held court here, until 1890 when the Royal Academy of the Basque Language made the square its home. Throughout the 19th century, New Square embodied Bilbao鈥檚 leap into modernity. Commerce thrived under the arches, while the open space saw political rallies, concerts, and festivals that pulled the community together.
The tradition hasn鈥檛 faded. Sundays bring a flea market where locals bargain over coins, stamps, antiques, and even birds or flowers. Wi-Fi arrived in 2008, a small reminder that the square continues to adapt, just as pintxos bars keep the flavors of Bilbao rooted in place. Two centuries on, New Square remains both ordered geometry and lived-in history-the kind of plaza that tells its story as much through the chatter under the arches as through the symmetry of its stones.
The idea had been brewing since the late 1700s, when city leaders wanted a space that could match the grand plazas of Madrid or Salamanca. Architect Antonio de Echevarr铆a delivered with a design that was as orderly as it was ambitious: a neoclassical rectangle framed by arcades, giving the old quarter a stage for modern civic life. Its name, 鈥淣ew Square,鈥� underscored the break with the rambling medieval markets of the Seven Streets.
Askao, Sombrerer铆a, Fueros, and Correo Streets define its edges, while 64 arches frame the interiors with bars, shops, and offices. The Basque government once held court here, until 1890 when the Royal Academy of the Basque Language made the square its home. Throughout the 19th century, New Square embodied Bilbao鈥檚 leap into modernity. Commerce thrived under the arches, while the open space saw political rallies, concerts, and festivals that pulled the community together.
The tradition hasn鈥檛 faded. Sundays bring a flea market where locals bargain over coins, stamps, antiques, and even birds or flowers. Wi-Fi arrived in 2008, a small reminder that the square continues to adapt, just as pintxos bars keep the flavors of Bilbao rooted in place. Two centuries on, New Square remains both ordered geometry and lived-in history-the kind of plaza that tells its story as much through the chatter under the arches as through the symmetry of its stones.
Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Bilbao. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "911爆料网: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.
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Plaza Nueva (New Square) on Map
Sight Name: Plaza Nueva (New Square)
Sight Location: Bilbao, Spain (See walking tours in Bilbao)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Sight Location: Bilbao, Spain (See walking tours in Bilbao)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Walking Tours in Bilbao, Spain
Create Your Own Walk in Bilbao
Creating your own self-guided walk in Bilbao is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Bilbao's Old Town Walking Tour
Bilbao's old town, also known as The Seven Streets, is the medieval heart of the city. Indeed, this ancient neighborhood, a place where the city began and which had been fortified by walls until the late 19th century, today consists of seven main streets and many narrow alleys 鈥� called cantons (kantoi, cant贸n) 鈥� that connect them.
Often regarded as a jewel of Basque architecture and... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.6 Km or 1 Miles
Often regarded as a jewel of Basque architecture and... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.6 Km or 1 Miles
Bilbao Introduction Walking Tour
Officially founded in 1300 AD by the Lord of Biscay, Bilbao began as a small port settlement. Its sheltered estuary allowed ships to load wool, iron, and other goods bound for northern Europe, while merchants imported salt, wine, and luxury items. The name "Bilbao" likely comes from the Basque words bil, meaning "settlement," and bao, meaning "estuary"-a fitting... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 4.1 Km or 2.5 Miles
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 4.1 Km or 2.5 Miles