Muelle Martzana

The Muelle Martzana stretches along the left bank of the Ibaizábal River in the Bilbao La Vieja district, linking the San Antón and Ribera bridges. The name comes from the historic fortified house of the Marzana family, whose estates lay in this area before they disappeared in the early 20th century. The history of the site is closely tied to the development of the port. There were already facilities for shipping here in the 14th century, but it was only after the severe flood of 1762 that work began on the steep rock formation to create stable quays. The waterfront promenade took its final form in the 1880s, after expropriations and excavation had leveled the ground to open up access to the water.

Today the Muelle Martzana is an inviting walkway that gained a modern character after a comprehensive renovation in 2002. Concrete benches and trees define the scene and blend in with the historic metal staircases that once bridged the difference in height between the houses built on the cliff edge and the quay area. Metal plates are set into the ground, bearing historical quotations as well as texts by William Shakespeare about Bilbao steel and poems by the poet Gabriel Aresti. Here you can enjoy the peaceful atmosphere and see how the city's steep architecture meets the water.

A special historical relic is the gallery of the San Luis Mine, which runs beneath the district and once carried ore directly to the Ría. Behind an inconspicuous door on the Muelle begins this tunnel, roughly 250 meters long, whose remains are also visible at low tide. The so-called Casa de Goma also recalls the difficult living conditions in the mining districts, where countless people once lived in narrow alleys. Commercial life has changed since mining activity ended. While long-established businesses such as the Zuazaga spice shop have been here since the 1950s, new cultural venues and restaurants have opened in recent years, making the neighborhood a lively gathering place.