The Expedition — Google Arts & Culture

The timeline

The call of adventure

Retrace the route

The Route of Magellan and Elcano (1519–1522)

It's throwback time

How long did the first circumnavigation of the world take?

Almost 3 years

The expedition route

Who was who?

Juan Sebastián Elcano

“To drown in the abyss-heaven or hell, who cares? Through the unknown, we'll find the new...”Charles Baudelaire

A pinch of clove and nutmeg

Why Were Spices So Important?

In ship shape

Hit the deck of the Nao Victoria

Pushing the boats out

“Keep Ithaca always in your mind. Arriving there is what you are destined for”.Constantine Peter Cavafy

The hazardous return

The timeline

What happened before, during, and after the journey

The call of adventure

21th century scientists and explorers reflect on the courage it takes to face the unknown

What Drives Us To Explore?

The modern experience when undertaking a journey to the unknown

What Is The Limit Of Exploration?

Technology and human will as the limits of exploration

What Does The Explorer Fear?

The fears when undertaking the journey

Why Do We Get On Board?

Historians, sailors, athletes, explorers and astronauts tell what the call of adventure is like.

Is The Ship A Microworld?

Scientists and explorers relate their experience during the trip.

Retrace the route

Follow the steps of the expedition in this interactive map

The Route of Magellan and Elcano (1519–1522)

Travelling used to be very different without the speed and convenience of airplanes...

It's throwback time

Looking back on a world that no one knew the size or shape of

16 Questions About The 16th Century

The historical context of when the voyage took place

Who was who?

Learn about the main characters that made the voyage possible

Juan Sebastián Elcano

Discover the epic story of the Basque sailor who proved that the world was round.

A pinch of clove and nutmeg

Learn how the spices motivated maritime voyages to undiscovered lands

Why Were Spices So Important?

Imagine what supper would be like without any seasoning...

In ship shape

Five naos left Seville for the expedition, only one returned

The Nao Victoria: The Ship That Travelled Round the World

Take a stroll around the full scale replica of the Nao Victoria

The Scale Model Ships of the Expedition

San Antonio, Trinidad, Concepción, Victoria, and Santiago

Life On Board On A 16th Century Spanish Ship

Revive the voyage around the world aboard a replica of the Nao Victoria

Hit the deck of the Nao Victoria

Take a tour of the only ship that returned to Sevilla

Pushing the boats out

Join the illustrator Arturo Redondo on a journey around the departure ports

Zoom into the details

Seville in 1519

Zoom into the details

Sanlúcar in 1519

The hazardous return

Two ships arrived at the Spice Islands in 1521 but only one made it home

The Nao Victoria And Elcano's Return

The moment Elcano, followed by his crew, disembarked in Seville on September 8, 1522

But What Happened To The Nao Trinidad?

Discover what happened to the ship that could have completed the first circumnavigation in history

The women left behind

Women remained at home while the men set off in search of new lands

Abandoned On The Shore

Discover how women fought for their and their children's survival

Enter the archives

Go straight to the source of historical knowledge

How a 16th-Century Document Gets Restored

Restoring the "Letter From Gonzalo Gómez de Espinosa to Carlos I of Spain"

HOME

Unravelling the history of the first ever expedition around the world

THE EXPLORATION

The encounter with the unknown