Barakaldo

Baracaldo
—  Municipality  —
Barakaldo
Flag Coat of arms
Baracaldo Location in Spain
Coordinates: 43°17′50″N 2°59′30″W
Country	Spain
Autonomous community	País Vasco
Province	Biscay
Comarca	Greater Bilbao
Founded	pre 1051
Government
• Alcalde	Tontxu Rodríguez (2003) (PSE-EE)
Area
• Total	25.03 km2 (9.66 sq mi)
Elevation	39 m (128 ft)
Highest elevation	560 m (1,840 ft)
Lowest elevation	0 m (0 ft)
Population (2008)
• Total	97,328
• Density	3,900/km2 (10,000/sq mi)
Demonym	baracaldés, -sa
Time zone	CET (UTC+1)
• Summer (DST)	CEST (UTC+2)
Postal code	48901, 48902 and 48903
Dialing code	94
Official language(s)
Website	Official website

Barakaldo (not to be confused with the Cuban and Guinean cities called Baracaldo), is a municipality in the Basque Country in Spain. It is located in the Biscay (Bizkaia) province, administratively included in the "Basque Autonomous Community", on the left bank of the Estuary of Bilbao. Barakaldo is part of Bilbao's metropolitan area (Greater Bilbao), and its official population at the 2006 census was 95,675 inhabitants living on a land area of 29.39 km² (11.35 sq mi). The area has an industrial river-port heritage and has undergone significant redevelopment with new commercial and residential areas replacing the once active industrial zones.

History

Devil's Bridge over the river Kadagua between Barakaldo and Bilbao

The 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica wrote of Barakaldo (spelling the name with the now-archaic "c"):

Pop.(1900): 15,013. Few Spanish towns have developed more rapidly than Baracaldo, which nearly doubled its population between 1880 and 1900. During this period many immigrant laborers settled here; for the iron works and dynamite factory of Baracaldo prospered greatly, owing to the increased output of the Biscayan mines, the extension of railways in the neighborhood,and the growth of shipping at Bilbao. The low flat country round Baracaldo is covered with maize, pod fruit and vines.

Modern Barakaldo was later the endpoint of a mining railroad, since iron mining was a major economic activity of the region during part of the 19th and 20th centuries. The Steel industry, led by Altos Hornos de Vizcaya, had a very important presence during the 20th century, until the industrial recession hit the region's economy hard in the 1980s.

New malls at both sides of the A-8 motorway, BEC is seen in the background.

Over recent decades, the industrial zones surrounding Barakaldo have declined in importance as several large companies have shut down, (e.g. Babcock & Wilcox. There are still some active factories, however the once majorly industrial areas are continuing to be redeveloped into residential properties, parks and shopping malls (e.g. Ikea and the MegaPark). A large exhibition centre (BEC, Bilbao Exhibition Centre) has recently been built on the outskirts of the town at Ansio.

Transport

Entrance to Bagatza Metro station

Barakaldo is linked to the rest of the metropolitan area by line 2 of the underground which has four stations in the city and by the train. BizkaiBus company provides a bus service, with connections to the rest of Biscay.

The main road that goes around Barakaldo is the Bilbao to Santander A-8 motorway, that links Barakaldo with the metropolitan area and the rest of Spain.

A regular boat ferry services connect Barakaldo to the other side of the Estuary of Bilbao (Erandio).

Barakaldo is located 15 kilometers from Bilbao Airport, getting there takes around 15–20 minutes by car.

Fiesta

Plaza de Cruces - Gurutzeta, as seen from the Hospital.

Stone drilling contest. Saint Vincent's fiestas, Barakaldo.

Every July the town celebrates "Las Fiestas del Carmen", with open air concerts, fun fairs and a good deal of late night partying.

• Carmenes de Baracaldo: www.i-barakaldo.com/carmenesbarakaldo

Sport

The city has a football club in Spain's Segunda División B - Group 2, Barakaldo Club de Fútbol that play their home games at the 8000 capacity Estadio Nuevo Lasesarre.

Famous people from Barakaldo

• Asier del Horno, footballer
• Carlos Sobera, actor
• César Sarachu, actor
• David López, cyclist
• Iñaki Lafuente, footballer
• Javier González Gómez, footballer
• Javier Otxoa, cyclist
• Josep Lluís Núñez, president of FC Barcelona between 1978 and 2000
• Juan Manuel de Prada, writer
• Mikel Dañobeitia, footballer
• Nicolás Redondo, politician
• Raquel Alzate, cartoonist
• Ricardo Otxoa, cyclist
• Unai Expósito, footballer

See also

• Barakaldo D.F., a Mägo de Oz concert DVD filmed in Barakaldo

References

•  Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Baracaldo". Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. 

External links

• www.i-barakaldo.com La comunidad virtual de Barakaldo
• Official website (in Basque / Spanish)

• BARAKALDO in the Bernardo Estornés Lasa - Auñamendi Encyclopedia (Euskomedia Fundazioa) (Spanish)