The King of Spain visits Bilbao

This Tuesday, 21st February, Bilbao played host to a very special visitor. The King of Spain, Don Juan Carlos, together with his wife Doña Sofía officially opened the Iberdrola Tower, unveiling a plaque which marked the end of two long years of construction. At 165m high and with 41 floors, the Iberdrola Tower is the tallest building in the Basque Country. Iberdrola, the fifth biggest energy company in the world, has invested 200 million euros in the tower.
The Iberdrola company has always maintained close links with the art world. For this reason, it has installed two very important works in the atrium of the tower: firstly, the “Natura Imaginis” mural, an enormous painting by Jesús María Lazkano. This work recalls the Urdaibai natural park, the home and studio of the artist. Iberdrola has also installed a sculpture by Cristina Iglesias: a series of lattices attached to the roof of the auditorium entrance.
Their Majesties were received by the Lehendakari (President of the Basque Government), Patxi López; the Deputy-General of Biscay, José Luis Bilbao; the Mayor of Bilbao, Iñaki Azkuna; the President of the Iberdrola company, Ignacio Sánchez Galán, and by the other 400 guests. After the unveiling of the plaque, the guests enjoyed cocktails created by Michelin-starred Basque chefs and a special performace by the Bilbao Choir.

Galán thanked the Royal Family for their century-long support of the Iberdrola project, and the “brave Basque entrepreneurs, who started an unprecedented industrial project”.

A very important occasion for Bilbao, a city which is attracting more and more attention, both in Spain and in the world in general.