Basauriko udaletxea

Basauriko udaletxea (Ayuntamiento de Basauri) is the town hall of Basauri, a town in Bizkaia, in the Basque Country, straddling the Nervión river just a few kilometres from Bilbao.

Where is the Basauri town hall located?

The building sits in the Arizgoiti neighbourhood, in the area locally known as Dos Caminos (Bidebieta in Basque) — a name that comes from the meeting point of two old roads: one linking Bilbao with Castile, the other running from Bilbao towards Gipuzkoa and France. The choice of site was deliberate: when the town council decided, in the early 1900s, to move out of the San Miguel neighbourhood, officials picked a spot roughly equidistant from the two farthest edges of a municipality that was expanding fast at the time.

How did Basauri turn into an industrial town?

Until the late 19th century Basauri was essentially a farming settlement — maize fields, pastureland, and a handful of flour mills. Everything changed with its proximity to the mining areas of Ollargan and Miribilla and, above all, with the opening in 1892 of La Basconia, a tinplate works that later operated as a steel plant until it was absorbed by Altos Hornos de Vizcaya in 1969. The factory drew in workers and their families on such a scale that the municipality's population multiplied more than twentyfold between 1900 and 1975, with new housing estates, schools and sports facilities — including the Baskonia football club — springing up around the plant.

What is there to see near the town hall?

Basauri's best-known landmark is the Ariz Tower, together with the nearby hermitage of San Fausto de Ariz, historically tied to it. Other notable buildings include the 16th-century parish church of San Miguel and the hermitage of San Martín de Fínaga. For outdoor time, Bizkotxalde park is regarded as the largest urban park in the whole of Bizkaia.

Is Basauri worth a stop when visiting Bilbao?

Sitting at the confluence of the Nervión and Ibaizabal rivers, right next to Bilbao, Basauri often works as a short detour for visitors exploring the wider metropolitan area — a chance to see a side of the region that the provincial capital doesn't show: the working-class, industrial heritage that shaped so many towns along the Nervión valley.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Basauriko udaletxea? It is the town hall building, seat of the mayor and municipal council of Basauri, a town in Bizkaia near Bilbao.

When was the town hall moved to its current location? The council approved the move from the San Miguel neighbourhood to Arizgoiti in 1902, as that area was growing rapidly.

Why is the surrounding area called Dos Caminos? Because it sits at the junction of two historic roads out of Bilbao, one heading towards Castile and the other towards Gipuzkoa and France.

What else is worth seeing in Basauri besides the town hall? The Ariz Tower, the 16th-century San Miguel church, and Bizkotxalde park, the largest urban park in Bizkaia.