Spain is culture

With a hundred items and original documents on show, the exhibition tells the story of the epic voyage taken 500 years ago by Magellan and Elcano.

For the first time, the Archivo General de Indias is exhibiting the main documents and chronicles used for centuries to study the maritime feat which was the first voyage to circle the planet. A total of 106 pieces and original documents that let us hear the voices of the people who took this epic journey, begun by Ferdinand Magellan in 1519 and concluded three years later, in 1522, by Juan Sebastián Elcano on the Victoria.

Some of the most notable pieces in the exhibition include the Treaty of Tordesillas, a sculpture of the young Charles V from the National Sculpture Museum, the original figurine of the Virgen de la Victoria venerated by the explorers, and a letter from the King’s secretary Maximiliano Transilvano written a few days after the return of the expedition and telling their story.

This impressive documentary heritage is accompanied by audiovisual material and an unusual staging, including models, sculptures and metalwork objects, bringing to life the history recorded in the documents and enabling the viewer to feel the true dimensions of the challenges faced on this voyage.

After its stay in Seville, the exhibition, organised by Acción Cultural Española (AC/E) and the Ministry of Culture and Sport, will go to San Telmo Museum in San Sebastián from June to September 2020.