Las Siete Calles or Casco Viejo in Spanish language or Zazpikaleak or Alde Zaharra in Basque language are different names for the medieval neighbourhood of Bilbao, part of the Ibaiondo district. The walled section of the town existed until the end of the 19th century and was known by the names Seven Streets or Old Town, respectively.
The Seven Streets
The name
Zazpikaleak or
Las Siete Calles (The Seven Streets) come from the oldest part of the neighbourhood which included exactly 7 streets and some much more narrow alleys connecting them, called
cantons (
kantoi,
cantón). The historical seven streets of Bilbao are:
-
Somera, "upper"
-
Artekale, "middle street"
-
Tendería, "shopkeeper's"
-
Belostikale, "rapid street"
-
Carnicería Vieja, "old butchery"
-
Barrenkale, "lower street"
-
Barrenkale Barrena, "lower lower street"
The "8th" street is Ronda, which used to be the patrol street outside the walls. Later the town expanded northwards with the construction of the Plaza Berria or Plaza Nueva (new square) and the streets Santa María ("Saint Mary"), Bidebarrieta ("new ways"), Correo ("mail") and Askao. Nowadays the neighbourhood also includes the Ribera ("riverbank") street, the Arenal ("sandy place") Park and Esperanza ("hope") street as well.
The area is served by Casco Viejo station of the Bilbao Metro.
Tourism
The area is probably the most colorful part of Bilbao, including many shops and taverns, several historical churches (San Antón, Santos Juanes,
Bilbao Cathedral, San Nicolás), a large food retail market (Mercado de la Ribera), the public
Teatro Arriaga, the seat of the Academy of the Basque Language (
Euskaltzaindia), a
Basque pelota, and a public
library. It is connected to the rest of the city and
conurbation by the
Metro Bilbao,
Bilbao tram and
Bilbobus. Three public elevators also connect Casco Viejo to the neighbourhoods of Begoña and
Solokoetxe, which otherwise demand a rather intense uphill walk.
There is a tradition of middle-age men doing a pub crawl drinking short glasses ( chiquitos) of wine and singing choral songs.
