Colorful Spain since the Middle Ages was a great sea power. Talented craftsmen created astonishing ships and precise navigation instruments, and they mainly worked in Barcelona, a city that flourished thanks to the sea.
Sea town
The administrative center of Catalonia, which is recognized as the cultural capital of the country, inspired by the spirit of freedom, has always been a sea city. He actively developed trade, and it is no coincidence that special attention has always been paid to the construction of merchant ships. Even during the Middle Ages, Columbus ships stopped at the city port, and merchants set sail for long voyages to North and South America.
A bit of history
Therefore, it is not surprising that in the XX century the Maritime Museum in Barcelona opened its doors to everyone. The purpose of its creation is to tell visitors about the stages of the development of seafaring in Catalonia and the close connection of local residents with the sea.
The amazing exhibits of the museum are no less interesting than the building itself. Initially, the cultural institution was opened in 1929 in the premises occupied by the former nautical school. In 1936, a civil war broke out, and the medieval royal shipyard Drassanes Real, whose construction began in the 13th century and continued for several centuries, was nationalized. In a giant covered structure, made in the Gothic style, and housed the Maritime Museum in Barcelona. This is the only building of its kind, under the arches of which hundreds of craftsmen worked, creating unique caravels for the king's fleet. Now it is included in the catalog of historical and architectural monuments of Spain. Only in 1941, everyone could get acquainted with a rich collection, the basis of which was models of sea vessels, navigation instruments, atlases, ancient maps of coasts around the world, diving equipment, ancient documents.
In 1985, the Museu Maritim de Barcelona was reconstructed, spacious halls appeared for new exhibits. Today it houses the largest collection in Europe dedicated to the sea.
The main pride of the museum
The exhibits of one of the most interesting museums in Barcelona tell the story of the development of shipbuilding and navigation. Here you can see models of sailing ships, schooners, brigantines, ordinary fishing boats with oars, luxury yachts and ultra-modern high-speed liners. But the main pride of the local attraction is a collection of models of medieval ships. Some of them are under restoration and will later be exhibited in the halls.
Originals and ship models, presented in full size and scaled down, make up more than 70% of the exhibits.
Replica of a famous ship
The most impressive exhibit is a copy of the royal galley Real Juan of Austria (Spanish commander and famous military figure). The ship, which participated in the naval battle with the Turks in the 70s of the XVI century, is made in full size. It is curious that the galley itself and its replica were built right here at the royal shipyard. This is a real work of ship art, made by Seville craftsmen.
A replica of a giant old ship about 60 meters long was created in 1971. You can go upstairs and thanks to 3D-technology feel like his captain.
Submarine "Iktineo"
In the courtyard of the Maritime Museum in Barcelona, which tells about the development of seafaring in Catalonia, you can admire an interesting exhibit - a funny underwater vessel lined with olive wood. The pretty baby was invented by the famous inventor Narcissus Monturiol, nicknamed "Catalan captain Nemo."
The genius who invented the submarine was concerned about the safety of coral hunters, who often died in the depths of the sea. So Iktineo appeared - a tiny monster that looked more like a wine barrel. This was the first submarine in Spain built for peaceful purposes. And its uniqueness was in two buildings - the outer, streamlined shape, and the inner, with oak lining. And the space between them is occupied by ballast tanks.
The submarine, launched in 1859, made 69 dives, and during this time not a single breakdown occurred. The end of the Iktineo was sad - it was accidentally crushed by a steamboat, unsuccessfully moored at the pier. A unique exhibit embodies the most innovative technical ideas of the time.
Sculptures adorning the bow of a ship
Of particular interest to tourists is the recently appeared exposition, which presents numerous bow figures of ancient ships. The fact is that since ancient times, sailors adorned the bow of the ship, thus trying to appease the spirits, which could protect against misfortune and contributed to the success of navigation. The most popular figures are sacred birds, mythological characters, animals made of life-size wood. Over time, ship masters created incredible sculptures that served not only as original amulets, but also demonstrated the wealth of the owners of the craft.
The most famous exhibit of the Maritime Museum is the figure of a black aborigine. A funny sculpture, after the ship was written off ashore, first stood at the entrance of the store, and then at the trendy restaurant, inviting guests. This is a real work of art, fully consistent with the style of the vessel.
What else to see?
Here you can get acquainted with the "Santa Maria de la Victoria" - the ship on which the famous Magellan made a trip around the world. And also with the ship "Santa Maria" - one of the flotilla of Christopher Columbus.
There are not only permanent, but also temporary expositions. Guests can watch a collection of photographs of the Mediterranean coast of the country, which tells about the historical events of the region. An exhibition entitled "Sea Photography" demonstrates the evolution of the underwater camera, and the "Pirates of the Mediterranean" exposition tells the story of piracy.
It is curious that the museum has a workshop where people, passionate about what they love, create models of sailing ships.
Sea adventure
One of the most curious and informative excursions in Barcelona ends very unusual. Tourists are waiting for a vivid audiovisual performance in the spirit of a sea adventure: first they find themselves on the captain’s bridge of an old ship, then go aboard a warship. Visitors fall into a terrible storm in the Caribbean, when the boat looks like a miserable sliver in huge waves, cross the ocean on a boat, and then find themselves at the bottom, immersed in water on a simulator of a submarine.
Where is the Maritime Museum in Barcelona located and how it works
It is located on the city promenade, near the foot of Montjuic. His address: Avinguda Drassanes 1, 08001, Barcelona.
The museum is open daily and is open from 10.00 to 20.00. Ticket price is 7 euros, children under 7 years pass free of charge. On Sundays from 15:00, admission is free for everyone.
Tourists reviews
As visitors admit, the whole maritime history of Spain passes before their eyes. The exhibits clearly demonstrate the evolution of navigation and shipbuilding in Barcelona.
A tour of the museum halls leaves no one indifferent. It is necessary to use an audio guide in Russian, which determines the position in the space of the room and talks about the exhibits, voicing the narration of ship noises. Here you can buy interesting souvenirs on the relevant topics.
This is a real adventure for the whole family, and a whole day is not enough to view all the exhibits.