Palaces of Bizkaia

Bizkaia is a good place for lovers of palace architecture. The area preserves examples from the Renaissance to the modernist trends of the early 20th century.

ELORRIO

ELORRIO, set in green countryside and surrounded by mountains, is a good place to start.

Among the many palaces that line its cobbled streets are the Baroque palace of the Arespakotxaga Azkarraga family (17th century), in San Pío street, and the Zearsolo palace, known as Casa Jara, in Barrio-Otxoa street.

Also ask about the Urkizu Tola Palace, which is well worth a visit.a.

MARKINA-XEMEIN

Changing valleys, in the centre of Lea-Artibai, is MARKINA-XEMEIN, with its interesting historic quarter, where the Antxia Tower dates back to the 15th century.

Nearby is the Ansotegi Palace, with its sober main façade.

The Solartekua palace, built in the mid-17th century, now houses the town hall.

GORDEXOLA

To the west of Bizkaia is GORDEXOLA, dotted with small palaces from different periods, such as the Renaissance towers of Oxirando and Zubiete, the palace of Largatxa and the palace of the Hurtado de Ibarguen family

Baroque palaces include the Urdanegi Palace, the Gordogana Palace and the Allende-Salazar Palace.

Neoclassical palaces include those of Zubiete, Zabala and Ibargarai.

The modernist buildings are also in the same style. They were built by returning indians.

GETXO

On the coast, crossing the Bizkaia bridge from Gordexola on the left bank, GETXO offers a spectacular display of palatial bourgeois architecture in various styles, always spectacular.

Two of the most striking examples are now hotels: Arriluce and Embarcadero.

BILBAO

BILBAO surprises with the palaces that appear in its streets.

The headquarters of the Athletic Club, the Government Subdelegation or the Deusto Civic Centre in Bidarte, which had a racecourse, are good examples of palaces built for a family.

In the old town, the Arana Palace in Belosticalle, on the corner of Ribera, and the Yhon, now the Civic Centre, at the end of Santamaría street, both Baroque, are still standing.

Next to the University of Deusto, the gardens and the street level hide two delights that can be seen from the Guggenheim, the Casas de La Cava, one of which is now a student residence and the other the Rafaela Ybarra Museum.

The Seberetxe Palace, on the outskirts of the city, preserves the Baroque memory of a Bilbao of another age.