Conference Centre

The large building on your right is the city’s conference centre. It might not seem especially attractive at first glance, but it’s actually an avant-garde construction that won the Best European Building award in 2001. The centre opened in 1999 and was designed by Spanish architect Rafael Moneo, who described it as “two stranded rocks,” sitting just a few metres from the river and the nearby Cantabrian Sea. Equipped with the latest technology, the building hosts events all year round, including trade fairs, conventions, and of course, conferences. Also known as the Kursaal Palace, its ultra-modern architecture wasn’t loved by locals at first. But thanks to its positive impact on the city’s economy and cultural life, it’s now seen as an essential part of San Sebastian, especially since it’s become the main venue for the city’s International Film Festival!