Barcelona - Maritime Museum Museu Marítim

The large exhibition hall is dominated by an excellent full-size replica of the galleon "Real". This was the flagship of the fleet which, under the command of Don Juan d'Austria, defeated the Turks on October 7, 1571 off Lepanto (Greek: Naupaktos; southwest Peloponnes) to give Spain mastery of the Mediterranean. The original figurehead, the "Christ of Lepanto", can now be seen in the Cathedral. The reason for the rebuilding which took place from 1960 onwards was the approaching 400th anniversary of that victory.

The shipyard was first built in the 13th C., and by the 18th C. it had been extended to twelve bays. This is where the galleys of the Crown of Aragoàn were built, serviced and repaired. However, after the discovery of America maritime interests moved to the Atlantic, the importance of the shipyards fell appreciably, and the buildings became used as storage warehouses, powder magazines and military barracks. In 1936 it was officially decided to set up a museum here. Since 1976 the whole complex has been under a preservation order. On the southern side, on the Avinguda del Parallel, remains of the old town wall have been preserved.

A large number of explanatory diagrams and drawings show the submarine topography of the globe, characteristic Mediterranean winds and their names in various Mediterranean languages, migration routes taken by the most important of the marine animals, the maritime food-chain, sailors' knots and rigging. Also exhibited are some fishing boats (including one from Málaga painted in typical designs), ships' guns, torpedoes and mines.