General Archive of the Indies in Seville — Juan de Herrera’s Renaissance Palace
The imposing General Archive of the Indies in the heart of Seville houses over 80 million pages that transport us to the Spanish colonial era: original manuscripts, trade route maps, and the Capitulations of Santa Fe that authorized Columbus’s voyage to the “Indies.”
A Herrerian Palace for Commerce
Designed by Juan de Herrera from 1583, this Renaissance building was originally the Merchants’ Exchange, distancing commercial bustle from the cathedral. Built in brick and ashlar, it took over 60 years to complete under architects such as Juan de Minjares and Alonso de Vandelvira.
Neuralgic Center of Overseas Archives
In 1785, King Charles III converted the former exchange into the General Archive of the Indies, gathering all colonial documents in one place. Here rest crucial texts: the Treaty of Tordesillas (1494), Elcano’s will drafted at sea, and letters by Columbus, Cortés, and Pizarro.
Documentary and Cartographic Treasures
Over 8,000 maps, bundles, parchments, and property titles narrate the New World adventure. If its shelves were lined up, they would extend over 9 km of living history, consulted annually by researchers worldwide.
A UNESCO World Heritage Monument
In 1987, UNESCO listed the Archive alongside the Cathedral, Giralda, and Alcázar as a World Heritage site, recognizing its universal value as guardian of Spain and America’s shared memory.
How to get there
Decimal: 37.385000°, -5.993333°
DMS: 37°23'06" N, 5°59'36" O
