HISTORICAL ARCHIVE OF THE GOVERNMENT OF BISCAY

The Historical Archive of the Government of Biscay (BFAH /AHFB) seeks to be a deposit, a location to safeguard and make available all the historical documentation about Biscay available to the public, whatever its origin or medium, with no limitations except those provided by the law for historical documents and their public consultation.

The Archive began to be compiled in 1990 with the addition, on the one hand, of own funds from the Territorial Government of Biscay, which was known until then as the Archive of the Assembly House of Gernika, located in the Provincial Archive of Biscay and in several offices attached to the Government of Biscay. On the other hand, from the judicial resources of the Corregidor of Biscay, from its mayoral offices and other judicial courts prior to the 20th Century; from the resources of local councils in the historical territory that agree thereto, from certain notary protocols that were disperse, materials from different institutions and enterprises originally located in Biscay, and from the archives of some Biscay families.

PROVINCIAL HISTORICAL ARCHIVE OF BISCAY

More information PROVINCIAL HISTORICAL ARCHIVE OF BISCAY

ARCHIVE DETAILS

The Regional Historical Archive of Biscay currently has the following numbers on catalogued and digitalised files.

Archive structure

Information

  • SCHEDULE
    • Winter
      • Monday to Friday: 09:00 to 20:30
      • Saturday: 09:00 to 13:00
    • Summer
      • Monday to Friday: 09:00 to 19:30
  • OBSERVATIONS
    • The investigation must be finished and returned the documentation 15 minutes before the Investigators Room (Reading room) closes.
    • Hours to request documentation:
      • From 09:00 to 14:00 and from 15:00 to 19:30 (Winter)
      • From 09:00 to 13:00 and from 14:00 to 18:30 (Summer)
      • From 09:00 to 12:00 (Saturday - winter schedule)
  • OPENING HOURS & OPENING TIMES
    • WINTER (From 2nd of January to 10 of June and 13th of September to 30th of December, both dates inclusive)
      • Monday-Friday: 09:00 - 20:30
      • Saturday: 09:00 - 13:00
      • During the winter period the Archive will remain closed the following days
        • 6 January
        • 28 & 28 March
        • 1 April
        • 1 May
        • 25 July
        • 12 October
        • 1 & 2 November
        • 6, 8, & 25 December
      • During the winter period the Archive will remain closed the following Saturdays:
        • 6 January
        • 23 & 30 march
        • 6 April
        • 8, 15, 22 & 29 June
        • 7, 14, & 21 September
        • 12 October
        • 2 November
        • 7, 21 & 28 December
    • SUMMER (From 10th of June to 13th of September, both dates inclusive)
      • Monday-Friday: 09:00 - 19:30
      • Closed
        • 25 & 31 July
        • 15th & 22 August
      • ASTE NAGUSIA (Local holiday):Open only morning 19, 20, 21 & 22 /VIII/2023

      • NOTE:

        The period of 2024 r the AHFB will open the following Saturdays

      • January 13, 20 and 27

      • February 3, 10, 17 and 24

      • March 2, 9 and 16

      • April 13, 20 and 27

      • May 4, 11, 18 and 25

      • June 1

      • September 28

      • October 5, 19 and 26

      • November 9, 16, 23 and 30

        December 14

  • Access: to access the  HISTORICAL ARCHIVE OF THE GOVERNMENT OF BISCAY  (BFAH/AHFB), you only need to present your ID card or equivalent document.
  • Documentary information: is designed for the public and institutions. We provide information on the archive (resources, descriptive instruments…) and guide the research of those people who come to the centre and those who make enquiries by phone, in writing or over the Internet.
  • Reprography
    • Maximum number of photocopies per person/day: 20
    • Digital copy: 0,15 € (Frame)
    • Price per photocopy:
      • 0,10 € (A4)
      • 0,20 € (A3)

      Archive public price (589 KB)

    • Recorders and reproducers of images and sound, cameras, mobile telephones and scanner may not be used without the consent of those responsible for the Archive.

Historical Archive of The Government of Biscay (BFAH/AHFB)

María Díaz de Haro Street, 11 48013 BILBAO (BIZKAIA)

By bus
  • BIZKAIBUS: The bus lines that stop near the Historical Archive of the Government of Biscay (BFAH /AHFB) are numbers A3340, A3151, A3247 (airport), A3, (stop at Gran Vía 79)
  • BILBOBUS: The bus lines that stop near the Historical Archive of the Government of Biscay (BFAH / AHFB) are numbers 26, 58, 62, A3, (stop at Gran Vía 62)
  • TERMIBUS: The main bus station in Bilbao is that of Termibús, close to the intermodal station of San Mamés. You can get to the Termibús from the San Mamés stop of Metro Bilbao, from the Bilbao tramway (EuskoTran) and from the Renfe train company´s suburban lines.
By car

Departing Santander (A8) / with destination Donostia/San Sebastián Vitoria/Gasteiz or Pamplona / Iruñea (A68 and A8): from the motorway that rings the city by taking the Bilbao - Sagrado Corazón exit. At the end of the avenue of arrival (Sabino Arana Avenue) at the level of Sagrado Corazón square, turn right down Gran Vía. Once on Gran Vía take the first right down María Díaz de Haro street, and you will find BFAH /AHFB at number 11 of this street.

The  Historical Archive of the Government of Biscay (BFAH/AHFB) does not have its own visitor car park. However, it is possible to park in surrounding municipal parking spaces (payment by parking meter) or in the nearby car parks of Indautxu Plaza or  Euskalduna Confernece Center:

  •  Euskalduna Conference Center car park: go down Sabino Arana Avenue until you see the sign for the car park.
  •  Indautxu Plaza car park: from Juan de Garay street  or Zabalburu Square, turn right to take San Mames Street. You can go into the car park just before reaching Indautxu Square.
By underground

The closest underground stations to the Historical Archive of the Government of Biscay (BFAH (AHFB) are Indautxu (Areilza exit) and San Mamés station (Sabino Arana exit).

By tramway

The closest tramway stops to the Historical Archive of the Government of Biscay (BFAH/AHFB) are Euskalduna and Sabino Arana

by train

The closest suburban stations to the  Historical Archive of the Government of Biscay (BFAH/ AHFB) are those of Autonomía station (María Díaz de Haro exit) and San Mamés station (Luis Briñas  exit).

Historical Archive of the Government of Biscay (BFAH/AHFB)

 María Díaz de Haro Street, 11 48013 BILBO (Bizkaia)

NOTEWORTHY FEATURES OF THE ARCHIVE

A collection such as the one conserved at the Provincial Archive is a window to the past. An isolated document may be the subject of individual study and show us a situation, a problem or a solution to a problem at a specific moment in our history. When researching a set of documents, this vision is enhanced and can lead us to understanding a way of being, of thinking or of living.

VIEW NOTEWORTHY FEATURES OF THE ARCHIVE

File transcripts

File transcripts

The transcription and digital edition of part of the Medieval Documentation of Eastern Cantabria are now available. The transcribed documents come from five types of archives and their online resources: state archives (Simancas Archive, Chancillería de Valladolid, National Historical Archive, nobility and others), Basque Provincial Council archives (Provincial Historical Archive of Bizkaia, General Archive of Gipuzkoa and Provincial Archive of Gipuzkoa), municipal archives, private archives accessible through the Sancho el Sabio Foundation and digitisations carried out by the Basque Government.

Access to transcripts

File transcripts

LEGAL CONDITIONS OF USE