The Basque Language Centre

The "Casa del Euskera" is in Bilbao and is a place that specialises in the Basque Language. It opens its doors to those who are interested in knowing all about this thousand-year-old language. The “Casa del Euskera” or Basque Language Centre is in the San Ignacio district, an urban area beside the river. It is an area with a historic past, since it was built during the dictatorship at Franco's request for those who worked in Greater Bilbao, which is clearly noticeable by the types of houses one sees on arrival. The starting point for the tour is Sarriko underground station, which was designed by Sir Norman Foster, as was the entire underground system. This particular station was given the Brunel Award for architecture in 1998, and its entrance is known as the “fosterazo” due to its spaciousness. You then go past the Bilbao Music Conservatory, passing the gardens of the University of the Basque Country and walk down Lehendakari Aguirre which is one of the most symbolic streets in Bilbao. The Basque Language Centre is 5 minutes away, at number 148-150, near Plaza Agoitz We suggest “The Basque language trip” as a tool to understand how the Basque language has endured over 6,000 years and how it has evolved through the different periods of the Roman conquest and the medieval wars, right up to the present day. Listen to the different dialects, learn how the words are constructed and discover what makes a living language. Our objective is to demonstrate the basic elements of the most curious, unusual and amazing characteristics of the Basque language in an appealing way. To do this, we use new technologies: tactile screens, videos, maps, etc.