Art & Culture
Cultural Heritage
Plaza Nueva Square is located in the heart of Bilbao's Old Part.
It was built in the 19th century as a consequence of the spirit of the Enlightenment prevailing in that period in Bilbao. Built in Neoclassical style, it has the shape of a rectangle with 18 arches in two of its sides and 15 in the other two. Round arches leaning on square pillars and attached Dorian columns.
With a surface area of 3,400 metres, the square was inaugurated in 1851. Responsible for its layout were three architects: Silvestre Pérez, Antonio Echevarría and Avelino Goikoetxea. The material used in the building was golden masonry sandstorm.
The square has five accesses, four of them belonging to the original project; the fifth was made subsequently and nowadays is the main entrance. A functional language, almost without decorative references, prevails in the building of the houses surrounding the square.
Plaza Nueva Square used to have a garden, lost later on because of some works. Nowadays four arboreal massifs decorate the square's corners. The square's character is unquestionable and invites to a relaxing moment, even in the many cafeterias located in the arcades.
Plaza
