Botín Cultural Centre building on the quayside over the bay.
development, which took on a disorderly and speculative character; poor quality blocks were built on slopes and hillsides; on the other hand, there was no urbanisation at all. In recent decades, the growth of Santander has overflowed the periphery of the city, and with regard to the Sardinero, its morphology has changed from a garden city to a residential and leisure area. In the 1980s, the port of Santander was moved from the city to the west of the bay, to the port of Raos, with the exception of maritime passenger traffic centralised in the Maritime Station opposite Paseo de Pereda. The latest urban redevelopment of
Santander took place in 2017 with the construction of the Botín Cultural Centre, promoted by the Botín Foundation, the owners of Banco Santander. This work was carried out by the Italian, Pritzker Prize winning architect, Renzo Piano, and is located in the central part of the port, on the line of the quay over the sheet of water of the Santander bay, declared among the most beautiful in the world
®
according to the exclusive Club of the Most Beautiful Bays in the World; in any case, it has generated a transformation in the urban landscape such as had not occurred in the past. This project has not been without controversy due to its radical alteration of the landscape and loss of authenticity. In 2014, the historic Pereda Gardens were also remodeled, named after the famous mountain writer José María de Pereda (1833-1905), occupying a space reclaimed from the sea where the old port and the merchant docks were located until the end of the 19th century. These gardens were inaugurated in 1905 and a monument to this illustrious writer was erected in the centre; with the aforementioned renovation, they have lost their English garden charm. Finally, the history of the city of Santander cannot be understood without its relationship with the sea throughout its history. As a general result, trade was one of the main driving forces behind economic and demographic growth, urban transformations and the landscape.
May 2022 ❘ 21
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