The wall and the medieval fortress of the town of Bilbao. Current state of affairs and new reflections

Abstract

The few preserved material evidences and the scarcity of documentary sources that offer direct information on the subject have resulted in a lack of knowledge about the historical constructive evolution of the medieval alcazar and the city wall of Bilbao. The different hypotheses and interpretations proposed are presented this article, revisiting the current state of affairs and providing new interpretative paths. The main contributions are based on an exhaustive and systematic review of the information included in the original reports of archaeological excavations carried out in the old part of the town, in the study of documentary and bibliographical sources, and in the analysis of archaeological material recovered during the excavation carried out in the Church of San Anton in 2002.