Over the weekend I was in a discussion about where in Spain I would recommend for good architecture. I started to make up a list, but then decided it would be nice to put together a map with some of the places I think are worth a visit. Along with the map, I thought it only fair to provide some descriptions of these places to inspire you to check them out for yourself. Today, I have written up descriptions for three of the cities, Astorga, Aviles and Bilbao, all located in the north of the country.
You can access the map, which no doubt will get some additions at:
Architectural Highlights of Spain
Astorga
A bit out of the way unless you happen to be hiking the Camino de Santiago which of course is how I found this grand residence. Built as a commission from the bishop to serve as his residence, the bishop died before it was completed. In addition to this museum, I also remember visiting a chocolate museum and one within the church.
Bilbao
Once a great industrial city in the north of Spain, it had begun to fade when it suddenly was propelled onto the world stage with the creation of the Bilbao Guggenheim Museum, It was the first of the Spanish cities to embark on an ambitious, architect centered revitalization. The Guggenheim is a wonderous creation of curling titanium on the banks of the river that would not have been possible without the advent of computers. The only flat surface is the floor, the rest of the structure wraps around you. With a 120,000 square feet of exhibition space, it takes awhile to get through the museum. My particular favorite is Puppy, a Jeff Koons sculpture that greets you out front. It is a 12.4 meter tall "chia pet" of a puppy planted in flowers.
The Guggenheim Museum is certainly enough reason to head to Bilbao, but it would be a shame to miss some of the other architectural sites scattered around the city. A walk along the river by the museum will take you past bridges that are a delight to the eye and give you a chance to cross over for your photos of the museum. The Azkuna Zentroa is a renovated Corn Exchange building and houses a multiplex cinema, shops, a museum restaurants and other things. The Vizcaya Bridge is worth a trip to check out the operations. The bridge uses two gondolas hanging from the structure to transport road traffic across the river. The health department is worth a visit for the great modern architecture. The same could be said for the airport. My first visit there was a bus trip both directions just to see the architecture.
