Palacio Olabarri: A Historic Palace and Former Port Authority Headquarters in Bilbao
Site at a Glance
- Rating
- 4.7
- Popularity
- Very Low
- Country
- Spain
- Primary era
- Modern
- Eras represented
- Modern
- Civilizations
- Spanish
- Site type
- Domestic
- Remains
- Elite Residence
On this page6 sections
History
Construction as a Private Residence
Palacio Olabarri is a palace in Bilbao, Spain, designed in 1894 as the residence of Jesús José María Luciano Pascual Cosme de Olábarri y Zubiría, a prominent businessman of the period. The building stands in the Campo de Volantín area of the city.
Port Authority Headquarters
Since 1953, Palacio Olabarri has housed the headquarters of the Port Authority of Bilbao, the public institution responsible for administering the Port of Bilbao. This use established the palace as an institutional building as well as a former private residence.
Proposed Change of Use
Bilbao City Council began procedures in 2017 to reclassify the building from public to private equipment, a planning change that would allow consideration of a future hotel while retaining the Port Authority’s presence in Bilbao. The municipal plenary approved the change in urban classification in 2018.
In December 2018, the Port Authority planned to transfer use of its former headquarters for hotel development without selling the building. The Basque Government, the regional government of the Basque Country, halted the proposed luxury-hotel project in January 2019.
In 2020, the Port Authority deferred the sale until final approval of the General Urban Development Plan, a municipal planning instrument that regulates land use and permitted building uses. The palace was put up for auction in June 2022.
Sale and Planned Hotel Conversion
In late 2023, the Port Authority of Bilbao sold Palacio Olabarri for €10.47 million to Luze, a hotel chain based in Navarre, an autonomous community in northern Spain. Plans were announced to convert the former port headquarters into a luxury hotel.
Remains
Palacio Olabarri is a palace constructed in 1894 in the Campo de Volantín area of Bilbao. The building was designed by the architect Julián de Zubizarreta Usatorre, and its architecture incorporates French and English influences. Its original residential purpose and later institutional use are reflected in the building’s changing role within the city.
Nearby sites
