Artxanda's Funicular
At the end of the 19th century and the early years of the 20th century, many people from Bilbao used Mount Artxanda as a place for recreation and fun, creating a casino and various "txakolis" where people enjoyed their leisure time. This was the reason why from 1901 to 1912 the project prepared by Bernardo Jiménez for a cogwheel railway that would link the centre of the town with Mount Artxanda was valued. It is a route of 770.34 m, with an intermediate curve that makes this funicular different from others, a slope of 226.49 m is gained with maximum slopes of 44.98%. Nowadays it is a must-see to take the funicular to go up Mount Artxanda, one of the most emblematic places in the city to enjoy a wonderful panoramic view from the viewpoint.
Location
General and/or specific data
- On October 7, 1915, the first trip of the rack railway was made.
- During the siege of Bilbao in the Civil War, the tracks and the upper station were bombed, which interrupted the service until July 18, 1938.
- An unfortunate accident on June 25, 1976, was the cause of a long stoppage of the service, which was reopened to the public in 1983 after an absolute reconstruction of the facilities, tracks, wagons and stations.
Information about accessibility
A Good Idea
Once in Artxanda, there is a wide range of leisure activities, restaurants, txakolis and picnic areas and the possibility of sports activities such as hiking, cycling routes, or general outdoor sports. In turn, it also has a sports center, which includes tennis courts, frontons, paddle tennis and swimming pools. For the most curious, on the first Saturday of the month, there is a visit with a specialized guide where all the details of this impressive transport and its relevance in the city are explained.
Did you know?
In Bizkaia there is another funicular of great historical value. The Larreineta funicular is an Asset of Cultural Interest, which brings you to the town of La Arboleda where you can walk through the sculpture park, eat some typical and delicious beans, go to the Peñas Negras Interpretation Center and observe remains of the old mining operations.