Londoners were met with a rare sight this week as the replica of a 15th century Spanish galleon ship was seen sailing up the River Thames on its tour of the UK.
The Galeon Andalucia had previously been docked at Gravesend Town Pier before heading upriver on Monday (September 23) to dock at St Katharine Docks, making its way past many London landmarks before passing underneath Tower Bridge, which opened to make way for the vessel.
The ship is a replica of the famous 15th century ship that was part of the galleons used by the Spanish to explore America and parts of Asia up until the 18th century.
It was first constructed in 2009, and used “original and innovative” technology to create a replica of the ship that first set sail in 1492, measuring 55 metres and weighing in at 500 tons.
The ship was the work of 128 carpenters and is operated by a crew of 15 to 35 strong, sailing across the globe navigating the Red Sea, the Pacific and Indian Oceans to name a few.
Where you can see it
The ship will be docked at St Katharine Docks from September 24 to October 6, with visitors able to go aboard the ship to explore its impressive structure.
The experience, run by Vela Cuadra, will give visitors the one-off chance to explore this historic vessel in a self-guided tour, where you can walk around its decks and explore its many exhibits, featuring historic documents as well as videos and photos, and talk to the crew responsible for sailing the ship.
The ship will be open from September 24 to October 6, open from 10am to 8pm.
Tickets are priced at £12 for adults, £6 for children and £30 for a family of 5.
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