The “Heart of Barakaldo” / “Barakaldoren Muina” route consists of 12 points of interest that will help you discover the town center.
It is approximately 1.7 km long and can be covered in less than 30 minutes.
The route follows the 12 points described below, forming a virtual circular route that begins and ends at Herriko Plaza.
ACCESSIBILITY
Generally speaking, the route is very flat, with virtually no significant slopes, and will be entirely on the sidewalk, with some pedestrian crossings to cross. We won't encounter any significant obstacles or physical barriers, with sidewalks measuring more than 2 meters wide at all times. As this is an urban route, all streets are properly marked and have adequate lighting for any time of day. All pedestrian crossings are properly marked and lowered, avoiding steps that would make crossing sidewalks difficult. In addition, along the route, we'll visit parks and squares where we can rest, making this a very pleasant and easy walk.
START AND TRANSPORT
The route can be easily accessed by both public transport and private vehicles, as these services will be distributed throughout the route at various locations. The route, which begins at Herriko Plaza, is accessible by metro at the Barakaldo stop. Any of the station's exits will take us to a point along the route, although we recommend choosing the "Fueros" exit, which takes us straight back to the starting point. We can also access the route by bus on lines A3136, A3141, and A3144. If you choose to drive your own vehicle, there is parking underneath the Sculpture Park, point 9 on the route, and another very close to Herriko Plaza (the starting point).
ROUTE
- (Start) Section 1-2: The route begins at Herriko Plaza, a large paved square surrounded by shops and bars. At one corner of this square, with a large structure topped with a clock and paintings depicting local culture at its base, we find route point 2, Barakaldo Town Hall.
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- Section 2-3: Walking through the square, at one of its exits, we'll see a 7.5-meter bronze sculpture called "Monument to Industry," depicting a naked man holding a hammer. This sculpture represents point 3 on the route and marks the beginning of the street we'll continue along.
- Section 3-4: Descending a few meters, we reach point number 4 on the route, the Mercado de Abastos (Food Market). It's a brick building with large windows and tiled decoration. We can take advantage of this stop to shop at various local businesses located inside.
- Section 4-5: Just 10 meters away, across the zebra crossing, we find the Barakaldo Theater, a groundbreaking building compared to the design found on the façade of the Mercado de Abastos. It is an accessible building, with designated wheelchair-accessible areas in both halls.
- Section 5-6: Continuing along the same street, past the theater and reaching the end of the descent, we'll find the Euskaltegi Municipal in front of us, point 6 on the route. Next to it is one of the metro exits.
- Section 6-7: To the right of the Euskaltegi, following the metro exit, is the Official Language School, which was used as a slaughterhouse until 1985. It has large gardens surrounding the entire building.
- Section 7-8: Surrounding the Language School, we find the next point on the route, Parque de los Hermanos, at the back and next to the health center. It's a pleasant park with grassy areas, paved paths, and trees, providing shaded areas where you can rest on one of the many benches. It also has a small playground, so if you're accompanied by little ones, they can spend time playing on one of the many swings.
- Section 8-9: Once we cross the park and leave it on the left, we can walk along Avenida de la Libertad to reach the Sculpture Park. It's located behind the Palace of Justice, and from it we can see the tallest tower of the BEC in the distance. It's a large park with several green areas and rest areas, where we can also enjoy several sculptures made of Corten steel.
- Section 9-10: Once we have toured the park, we can approach and skirt the Palace of Justice, which is the next stop on the route. Next to its entrance, we find another metro exit.
- Section 10-11: The Palace of Justice presides over our next stop, Bide Onera Square. It's a large plaza surrounded by buildings and features large Corten steel sculptures in the center. At various points in the square, we also find cement benches next to fountains where we can cool off on hot days.
- (End) Section 11-12: At the end of this route, we continue along the Paseo de los Fueros, which will leave us just a few meters from Herriko Plaza (point 1). Along the street, we find several local shops and restaurants, where we can stop to try local food or buy a souvenir from the route.
AREAS OR ELEMENTS OF INTEREST DURING THE ROUTE
- Rest areas: In Herriko Plaza (point 1), Parque de los Hermanos (point 8), Parque de las Esculturas (point 9) and Plaza Bide Onera (point 11) we will find benches and open areas where we can take a break.
- Leisure areas: In Herriko Plaza (point 1), the Food Market (point 4), on Avenida de La Libertad (between points 8 and 9) and Paseo de los Fueros (between points 10 and 12) we will find restaurants, shops and businesses.
- Fountains: In the Parque de los Hermanos (point 8) and in the Plaza Bide Onera (point 11) we will find public fountains where we can refresh ourselves.
- Information points: In Herriko Plaza (point 1), we'll find a large information map of the town, with marked routes. In Plaza Bide Onera (point 11), we'll find a kiosk with general information and transportation information. In addition, at some points along the route (points 4, 6, and 7), we'll find small information panels with information related to these elements.