Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

From Grey City To Metropolitan Icon: Basque Cultural Revival And Urban Redevelopment In Bilbao, Spain, Kaylie Gazura

Honors College

After decades of political oppression and industrial decline, the Basque people of Bilbao, Spain sought to incorporate cultural revival into their urban redevelopment. The redevelopment in Bilbao, Spain is recognized all over the world. Bilbao is an icon to those who hope to revitalize their post-industrial city. This paper looks to understand why this reurbanization was so successful and to determine how the Basque people implemented their culture, history, and identity into their new post-industrial and post-dictatorial space. I will be discussing the history of both the Basque Country and Bilbao to provide context for the redevelopment. Additionally, I will …