The City

PERSONAJES ILUSTRES

Sculpture, busts, commemorative plates, streets, documents, poems… recall the men and women of Bilbao who have left their mark on the city in fields as diverse as literature, music, sports… or who have contributed to the development and improvement of the city.   

Two names are linked to the origins of Bilbao. The first is of Don Diego López de Haro, the founder of Bilbao and after whom the main street of the city,  the Gran Vía, is named and whose sculpture can be seen in the Plaza Circular square. The second is that of his niece, María Díaz de Haro. One of the longest streets in Bilbao’s Ensanche  is named after her, the city’s other founder (her uncle, Don Diego, laid claim over her rights). That iconic district is also home to the Alameda Mazarredo, dedicated to Admiral José de Mazarredo Salazar, considered to be the best tactician of the 18th century.

MIGUEL UNAMUNO