Plaza Nueva, Bilbao, Spain - SpottingHistory.com

The Plaza Nueva of Bilbao is a monumental square of Neoclassical style built in 1821. The square is enclosed by arcaded buildings and accessed by arches known as cuevas (caves).

The main building was the site of the Biscay government, until a new palace was built in 1890. The place is now the site of Euskaltzaindia, the Basque language Royal Academy.

The arches host many traditional taverns and restaurants, some of the most ancient and typical of the city, and some gift and souvenir shops.

Each Sunday, the square provides space for a traditional flea market where ancient books, coins, stamps, birds and flowers are sold. The square is used often for folk demonstrations, festivals and concerts.

References:

Wikipedia

Historic city squares, old towns and villages in Spain

User Reviews

Sergey Kondratiev (3 months ago)
Very good ? place, so many coffee shops, taverns ? ? Very cosy, friendly atmosphere

Claus Mortensen (6 months ago)
Beautiful and charming square with many restaurants, a great place to sit down or stand with a glass of wine and some pintxos, the biggest problem will be which place to choose so maybe try a couple.

Gary Sawyer (6 months ago)
It's pretty good, very old, some great history and fits in so well with modern life. As part of the old town, it's surrounded by history like the Catedral de Santiago - shown in the pics attached.

Arno Fry (7 months ago)
Visited during Aste Nagusia for traditional dances and music. A nice square in the historic part of Bilbao.

Henrietta García (8 months ago)
Great place to eat pintxos (tapas) gets very busy so depends whether your happy to stand and eat and choose different tapas or there are also restaurants you can sit down around the plaza. Be aware they are strict on times and serving food so leave with time. Real sense of Bilbao and great atmosphere. Excellent area to eat lunch or dinner.

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Château de Foix

The Château de Foix dominates the town of Foix. An important tourist site, it is known as a centre of the Cathars. Built on an older 7th-century fortification, the castle is known from 987. In 1002, it was mentioned in the will of Roger I, Count of Carcassonne, who bequeathed the fortress to his youngest child, Bernard. In effect, the family ruling over the region were installed here which allowed them to control access to the upper Ariège valley and to keep surveillance from this strategic point over the lower land, protected behind impregnable walls.

In 1034, the castle became capital of the County of Foix and played a decisive role in medieval military history. During the two following centuries, the castle was home to Counts with shining personalities who became the soul of the Occitan resistance during the crusade against the Albigensians. The county became a privileged refuge for persecuted Cathars.

The castle, often besieged (notably by Simon de Montfort in 1211 and 1212), resisted assault and was only taken once, in 1486, thanks to treachery during the war between two branches of the Foix family.

From the 14th century, the Counts of Foix spent less and less time in the uncomfortable castle, preferring the Governors' Palace. From 1479, the Counts of Foix became Kings of Navarre and the last of them, made Henri IV of France, annexed his Pyrrenean lands to France.

As seat of the Governor of the Foix region from the 15th century, the castle continued to ensure the defence of the area, notably during the Wars of Religion. Alone of all the castles in the region, it was exempted from the destruction orders of Richelieu (1632-1638).

Until the Revolution, the fortress remained a garrison. Its life was brightened with grand receptions for its governors, including the Count of Tréville, captain of musketeers under Louis XIII and Marshal Philippe Henri de Ségur, one of Louis XVI's ministers. The Round Tower, built in the 15th century, is the most recent, the two square towers having been built before the 11th century. They served as a political and civil prison for four centuries until 1862.

Since 1930, the castle has housed the collections of the Ariège départemental museum. Sections on prehistory, Gallo-Roman and mediaeval archaeology tell the history of Ariège from ancient times. Currently, the museum is rearranging exhibits to concentrate on the history of the castle site so as to recreate the life of Foix at the time of the Counts.

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