The Nao Santa María

In 2018, the Nao Victoria Foundation took on a new challenge: the construction of a full-scale replica of the Nao Santa María, the most famous ship in the history of the Discoveries.

This vessel was built as part of the celebration of the 525th Anniversary of the Encounter between Two Worlds (an event of exceptional public interest), with the support of the Provincial Council of Huelva and the CAJASOL Foundation, at the Varaderos Palmás shipyards in Punta Umbría (Huelva, Spain).

The construction of the vessel involved nearly a hundred professionals from various disciplines: shipwrights, ropemakers, and other maritime craftsmen, alongside historians and engineers who worked on planning the initial designs for the replica and the design of the ship’s shapes and measurements.

During the process, an innovative system was applied in the field of historic vessel replica construction, combining fiberglass construction with a subsequent wooden coating. Finally, after fourteen months of intense work, the Nao Santa María was launched on March 16, 2018. A 200-ton ship, with a maximum length of 28.30 meters, a beam of 7.96 meters, and a draft of 3.49 meters.

Since its construction, the Santa María has participated in major tours, visiting numerous ports around the world and receiving excellent reception from the public and the media.