Madrid - Museum of the Americas

(Local Name: Museo de América) The building which houses the Museum of America, immediately adjoining the Ciudad Universitaria, also contains the University church, dedicated to St Thomas Aquinas. It affords a fine view of the Sierra de Guadarrama. The museum contains a wealth of material illustrating the history of America both before and after its discovery by Columbus in 1492. It concentrates particularly on the development of the Spanish colonies down to the 19th C., the history, life and customs of the peoples of South and Central America, and Pre-Columbian art. Among the most notable items in the collection are the "Treasure of the Quimbayas", a hoard of 62 articles of solid gold, weighing altogether 16 kg