Originally a sailors’ settlement on the bank of the river Nervíon, Bilbao grew larger and more prosperous as the inhabitants of the settlement began to export the iron ore, which was abundant in the surrounding territory. By 1300, Bilbao, now a prosperous community of mariners and ironworkers, had received its first charter as an independent municipality that gave the town the right to self-governance.

With the coming of the Renaissance, Bilbao made further progress, and in 1511, the town acquired the right to set up its own commercial tribunal. The economic development and prosperity continued well into the 18^th century, but suffered severe setbacks during the 1800s, mainly during the Peninsular War when Bilbao was sacked, and the Carlist Wars. By the closing years of the 19^th century, the city’s economy had started picking up again, a trend that has continued, more or less uninterrupted, throughout the 20^th century.

Habitat