The Bilbao campus is located in the very heart of the city, opposite the Guggenheim Museum.
The Main Building, known as Literary University, is the oldest one among those that make up the University and one of the most emblematic buildings in Bilbao.It was built in 1883, based on a project by Francisco Cubas and González Montes, Marquis of Cubas, and José María Basterra, and it was declared Historical Monument in 2002. The building has a neoclassical façade and it is made up of three floors arranged around four inner courtyards. It has a great central staircase and two flights of stairs on either side.Inside, it has two large cloisters and a gothic chapel.Since it was built, it has undergone successive alterations to adapt to the growing number of students.
La Comercial building was finished in 1921, and it houses the famous Faculty of Economics and Business Administration.Its neoclassical façade is 107 metres in length, and it consists of a basement, ground floor and two floors.In 1996, the modern ESIDE building was attached to the back.
Between 1984 and 1989, the Centenary Building was built attached to the eastern side of the Literary University, based on a project by César Sans Gironella.It is made up of two parts known as 'New Building' and 'Glass Building'.
In 2009, the University of Deusto inaugurated the new Library - RCLR (Resource Centre for Learning and Research) opposite these historical and centenary buildings. This avant-garde building is integrated into the campus thanks to the Father Arrupe Footbridge over the estuary. The big glass cube, by renowned architect Rafael Moneo, is made up of ten floors with individual study rooms and group work areas, multimedia room, multipurpose rooms and a coffee bar.
The landscaped areas of the campus, which are very crowded on sunny days, have over 30 different species, and they are one of the most important botanical landmarks in the city.Varieties include lime trees, black poplars, elms, yews, ashes, cedars and several bushes (rose trees, mallows, etc.).In the upper part, behind the buildings, there are acacias and weeping willows.Palm trees and magnolias in the cloisters and in front of the main façade are part of the unmistakable landscape of the Literary University.
Special mention should be made of the swamp cypress (Taxodium distichum), which appears, for its exoticism, in the catalogue of 'Outstanding Trees of the Basque Country', published by the Basque Government.The huge tree welcomes visitors at the entrance to the campus with its nearly 25 metres in height.
