One of the fun things about walking around Bilbao, particularly along the river promenade, is seeing the sculpture works and the different styles of bridge that link the two parts of the city. Here are a few we enjoyed as we strolled along the Nervion River.
Sirgueras are women who pulled boats along the estuary using a rope. They were fairly common in the 19th century in Basque Country, so this sculpture is a tribute to these women. This is the most prominent sculpture along the river and I was struck by it.
Commeration Dia del Mar marks the importance of the sea and the river to life in Bilbao and is also a reference to Spain’s national day, also associated with Christopher Columbus and celebrated on October 12.
We walked along the river on the opposite side of this sculpture, Ovoid Variante, which sits more or less in front of city hall. Oteiza was one of Spain’s most noted sculptors whose last work was completed around 1959.
If any sculpture is emblematic of Bilbao, it’s probably this terrier puppy which sits nest to the Guggenheim Museum. We happened to be here the day they were changing out the flowers and were able to watch some of the process from our hotel window. There’s a wire frame underneath the plants, and they change them twice a year in October and May to reflect autumn or spring. I imagine it’s especially striking when the flowers are in full bloom and brightly colored. It’s the sort of sculpture that just makes you smile!
The Chief Penguin and I saw an exhibit of Kapoor’s work in London some years ago. He plays with form and objects, and here there are 73 reflective spheres that reflect images of the city around it and the museum walls nearby. “The Eye” refers to what the viewer him or herself brings when gazing at the work.
Puente Zubizuri is the “White Bridge” in English, and it’s in the Basque language. It’s a pedestrian bridge across the Nervion River and is also known as the Calatrava Bridge (after the designer, Carlos Calatrava) or the Campo Volantin Bridge. It opened in 1997 and has an unusual curved walkway. We didn’t cross it, but I found it most attractive.
This dramatic red arched bridge, Puente de la Salve, connects Bilbao to the suburbs, and now links to the Guggenheim underneath it. It was created in the 1970’s and is an unmissable landmark. Its official name is the Princes of Spain bridge.
Note: All photos ©JWFarrington (some rights reserved.)
