In the waters off Sanlúcar de Barrameda in Cádiz, a naval commemoration unfolds this week to mark a landmark. Five centuries ago, a Victorian ship completed a remarkable voyage, returning to the same port after a three-year circuit commanded by Juan Sebastián Elcano. It was the first ship in history to circumnavigate the globe.
A naval procession will feature ships from the era, including the replica of Victoria, and will launch a program that will culminate in Seville, the city where Elcano’s voyage would be formally concluded. Elcano and seventeen sailors who survived the historic expedition are celebrated as the first crew to prove that the world is round. The moment became a turning point in world navigation and exploration, a benchmark echoed in chronicles and histories of the period.
As soon as he reached Sanlúcar de Barrameda, Elcano wrote of the discovery that would change humanity’s understanding of the Earth. The Basque sailor, who served under Charles V, considered this voyage a leap comparable to humanity’s first ascent to the Moon, a testament to endurance, seamanship, and global curiosity that defined a new era of exploration.
To honor this milestone, events are scheduled from September 6 through September 11. After the naval tribute in Sanlúcar, the Audaz naval operations ship and other historic vessels will sail from the Guadalquivir River to Seville, retracing the route Elcano and his crew followed to officially close their journey.
The replica of the Nao Victoria will be welcomed on Thursday at Seville’s Muelle de las Delicias, accompanied by ceremonial salutes and formal honors from the Tercio de la Armada de Infantería de Marina. A series of commemorations will accompany the arrival, reflecting the shared pride in a voyage that linked continents and cultures.
A program in the presence of the King will include tributes to the sailors who took part in the first circumnavigation, honoring their endurance and seamanship during the voyage that spanned 1519 to 1522. The events reaffirm the historical significance of the expedition and its enduring legacy in naval history.
The city will stage a living recreation featuring a group of actors portraying the 18 crew members who returned from the expedition. They will reenact the moment of arrival in Seville and then participate in a religious procession at the Church of Santa Ana, offering thanks for the successful return and commemorating the Virgin of Victory, whose protection was sought at the journey’s end.
As part of the commemorative program, a bust of Juan Sebastián Elcano will be presented to the Permanent Representation of the European Commission in Spain, recognizing support for a high-level meeting and the broader commemorative project between Spain and Portugal. The festival will also celebrate the V Centenario de la Vuelta al Mundo, a maritime festival marking the voyage’s quincentennial milestone.
On September 9, a drone light show of 250 illuminated devices will illuminate Plaza de España, while on September 10, the Fura dels Baus company will premiere a production titled Esfera Mundi along the Guadalquivir, culminating at Torre del Oro. These performances connect history with contemporary artistic expression, drawing audiences into the narrative of exploration and discovery.
The commemorations close a three-year program that began on August 10, 1519, when five Spanish ships captained by Ferdinand Magellan departed from Seville’s Mule Dock and received authorization from Charles I to begin a voyage west toward the Spice Islands, with the journey concluding on September 6, 1522. Only Victoria returned to Sanlúcar de Barrameda, bringing home eighteen hungry and exhausted sailors after a perilous circumnavigation that reshaped world history. The memory of that voyage continues to inspire discussions of navigation, diplomacy, and cross-cultural exchange across generations. (citation: historical archives and royal records)