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Bermeo

Field	Value
name	Bermeo
translit_lang1_type	Basque
translit_lang1_info	Bermeo
settlement_type	Municipality
image_skyline	Bermeo Euskal Herria1.JPG
image_flag	Bandera de Bermeo.svg
image_shield	Escudo de Bermeo.svg
mapsize	300px
map_caption	Location of Bermeo in Biscay
pushpin_map	Spain Basque Country#Spain
pushpin_map_caption	Location of Bermeo in the Basque Country
coordinates
subdivision_type	Country
subdivision_name
subdivision_type1	Autonomous community
subdivision_name1	Basque Country
subdivision_type2	Province
subdivision_name2	Biscay
subdivision_type3	Comarca
subdivision_name3	Busturialdea
established_title	Founded
established_date	1236
leader_party	EH Bildu
leader_title	Mayor
leader_name	Nadia Nemeh Shomaly
area_total_km2	34.12
elevation_footnotes	(AMSL)
elevation_m	11
population_as_of
population_footnotes
population_total
population_density_km2	auto
population_demonym	bermeotar
blank_name_sec1	Official language(s)
blank_info_sec1	Basque, Spanish
timezone1	CET
utc_offset1	+1
timezone1_DST	CEST
utc_offset1_DST	+2
postal_code_type	Postal code
postal_code	48370
area_code	+34 (Spain)
website

Bermeo is a town and municipality in the comarca of Busturialdea. It is in the province of Biscay, which is part of the autonomous region of the Basque Country in northern Spain.

With a population of 16,765, it is the most important fishing port in the Basque Country. The town was founded in 1236, and is the largest in Busturialdea. Bermeo was the provincial capital of Biscay from 1476 to 1602.

Tourist attractions include the island of Gaztelugatxe, the Ercilla Tower (a fishing museum), San Juan Gate and the port. Bermeo is connected by Euskotren Trena and BizkaiBus to Bilbao. It has a number of neighbourhoods: Arana, Artike, Agirre, San Andres, Almike, Arronategi, San Migel, Demiku, Mañu and San Pelaio.

History

Bermeo's history dates back to the monastery of San Juan of Gaztelugatxe in 1051. In 1082, it is mentioned by Don Lope lñiguez as "Sancti Michaelis Arcangeli in Portu of Vermelio". Ferdinand II of Aragon named the town the capital of Biscay on 31 July 1476, a position it held until 1602. Many documents have been destroyed by fire; notable fires occurred in 1297, 1347, 1360, 1422 and 1504. The founding of Bilbao in 1300 also coincided with decline in Bermeo.

Climate

The town has an oceanic climate, with heavy rains in spring and late fall. The average annual minimum temperature is about 9 °C (48 °F), and the maximum is about 19 °C (66 °F). The record maximum temperature is 45 °C (113 °F), and the record minimum is −9 °C (16 °F).

Southwest Mungia and Meñaka	South: Arrieta	Southeast: Busturia and Mundaka

Population

As a result of increased immigration due to industrialisation during the 1960s, the population grew rapidly. Although it began to decline during the 1990s, the population has increased again since 2000.

1704	1784	1850	1900	1925	1960	1965	1970	1975	1981	1986	1991	1996	2001	2004
1,408	3,711	5,377	9,636	13,556	15,846	17,384	17,485	18,312	18,333	17,923	17,176	16,938	16,901	17,429

2007	2008	2010	2011	2012	2013
17,069	17,026	17,078	17,144	17,159	17,057

Economy

Statue of a man carrying a large oar — ''Itzulera'' by Casto Solano

Bermeo's economy is based on fishing, and its port is the town's chief source of revenue. It has a fleet of deep-sea vessels, and Bermeo's coastal fisheries are among the region's most important. In addition to fishing, diesel engines and generators are manufactured and the commercial port receives raw materials. Bermeo also has connections with the timber and undersea-gas industries.

{{anchor|Bizkaibus (bus service)|Euskotren (train service)|Taxi|Bermibusa (urban bus)}}Transportation

Bermeo is connected by road to Mungia (18 km away) by the BI-631 road and to Gernika-Lumo (14 km away) by the BI-2235. The BI-3101 connects the town with Bakio, 12 km away. The capital, Bilbao (33 km away), is reached by the BI-631 and the BI-2235.

BizkaiBus connects Bermeo with Guernica, Amorebieta-Etxano, Bilbao, Derio and Bakio. Euskotren Trena connects the town directly with Bilbao, Guernica, Amorebieta-Etxano, Biscay and Gipuzkoa. Bermeo also has taxi and Bermibusa (urban bus) service.

{{anchor|San Juan de Gaztelugatxe|The Akatz Isle|Matxitxako Cape|The Izaro isle|The Old Town|Aritzatxu Beach|Ercilla Tower (Fisherman's Museum)|The Casine (club)|Kikunbera house|[[Town Hall]]|Batzoki}}Attractions

Island connected to the mainland by a bridge — San Juan de Gaztelugatxe

On the road to Bakio is the lighthouse of Matxitxako, on the cape of the same name. Further along is Akatz Island, next to Gaztelugatxe (an island with the San Juan de Gaztelugatxe monastery). During the 14th century a castle topped the island, which was replaced by the monastery. On 29 August a mass celebrates the feast of San Juan. The island is a protected area.

Akatz Island, a small island next to Gaztelugatxe, has little vegetation but a significant nesting-bird population. On its cape is the Matxitxako lighthouse, which has good views of the coast and from which cetaceans may be seen. Izaro Island is part of the Urdaibai Reserve.

Bermeo's old town has many houses painted in different colours and narrow streets with squares. Aritzatxu is a small beach.

Ercilla Tower is the only remaining tower of 30 towers which defended Bermeo during the Middle Ages. In the old port, it was built at the end of the 15th century and housed the Ercilla family (including Alonso de Ercilla y Zúñiga, author of The Araucana). In addition to its military use, it housed fishermen and warehoused fish. It was renovated in 1948 with Gothic arches as the Fisherman's Museum; additional renovation was done in 1984 and 1985.

Modern house among others on the side of a hill — Kikunbera house

Bermeo's town hall, in Sabino Arana Goiri Square, was built in 1732. With two clocks on its facade, it is one of the town's Artistic Historical Monuments.

The Kikunbera house, in Basque Rationalist style, was designed to resemble a ship and has been an Artistic Historical Monument since 1995. Batzoki is a modernist building by Pedro Ispizua.

{{anchor|Photo Gallery}}Gallery

Image: Bermeo port 01.jpg|Old port Image: Puerto de Bermeo.jpg|Marina Image: Gaztelugatxe doniene eskailarak.jpg|San Juan de Gaztelugatxe Image: Santa Maria eliza - Bermeo.jpg|Santa María Church Image: Aitaguriaweb.jpg|Aita Guria whaleboat Image: Puerta de San Juan (cara exterior).jpg|San Juan Gate Image: Aritzatxu Beach1.jpg|Aritzatxu Beach Image: Bermeo Torre de Ercilla.jpg|Ercilla Tower Image: Bermeo 4.jpg| Aerial view Image: Gaztelugatxe pano ezkerra.jpg| A panoramical view of Gaztelugatxe

References

"Valores Climatológicos Normales. Bilbao / Aeropuerto. Periodo 1971–2000". [[Agencia Estatal de Meteorología.

Info: Wikipedia Source

This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page.

fishing-communities-in-spain municipalities-in-biscay 1236-establishments-in-europe populated-places-established-in-the-1230s populated-coastal-places-in-spain busturialdea

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