Cities of Spain facts

San Sebastian lies on the coast of the Bay of Biscay, Atlantic Ocean. In 1863 the city was chosen by the Spanish monarchy to spend the summer following the French example of the near Biarritz. As the "wave baths" at La Concha conflicted with shipbuilding activity, shipyards relocated to Pasaia, a near bay formerly part of San Sebastian.

In Bilbao. One of the most admired works of contemporary architecture, The Guggenheim Museum Bilbao was opened in 1997. Computer simulations of the building's structure made it feasible to build shapes that architects of earlier eras would have found nearly impossible to construct

In Madrid. The bear is the symbol of Madrid, just as in the case of Berlin. According to the popular story, the original name of the city was "Ursaria" ("land of bears" in Latin).