Zubizuri Bridge

The Zubizuri is a footbridge across the Nervión River in Bilbao, Spain, designed by the Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava and opened in 1997. The name is Basque for White Bridge, and it describes the structure well: a single white steel arch that leans over the river, from which slender cables support a curved walkway. The bridge links the riverside promenade of Paseo de Campo Volantín, on the north bank, with the Uribitarte side, near the modern district of Abandoibarra and the Guggenheim Museum, on the south bank, and it was designed to give people on foot a direct route across the river in an area where there was no bridge nearby.

The Zubizuri belongs to the story of Bilbao’s renewal. In the late twentieth century, the city was recovering from the decline of its heavy industry and shipyards, and it invested in public spaces, transport and cultural buildings to change its image. The Guggenheim Museum, opened in the same year as the bridge, became the best-known symbol of this transformation, but a series of other works, including the metro by Norman Foster and the footbridge by Calatrava, formed part of the same effort. Calatrava, born in Valencia, also designed the terminal building of Bilbao Airport, which opened a few years later.

The bridge is distinctive for its walkway, which curves in an elegant arc across the river and has a floor made of glass blocks, which glow when lit from below at night. The arch and the cables give the structure a sense of lightness, and the white paint stands out against the grey buildings and the green hills behind the city. The bridge is designed purely for pedestrians, and the curved shape means that the walk across has changing views up and down the river.

There is a practical side. The glass floor can be slippery when wet, and Bilbao’s rain is frequent, so the surface has been modified over the years with anti-slip treatment, and walkers should take care in wet weather. The design has also been a subject of public debate about maintenance and alterations, which shows how closely it is tied to the city’s sense of itself.

The bridge is open at all times and free to cross. It is best seen at dusk, when the lighting enhances the arch, and from the riverbank it gives a good photograph. The Guggenheim, the Casco Viejo and the Bilbao Fine Arts Museum are within easy reach, and it is part of a pleasant riverside walk.