The life-size replica of the royal galley is the most unique and impressive element of the Barcelona Maritime Museum. Visitors can admire it through a gallery built on the nave. No one without special authorization can directly access the ship and, much less, live the experience of going down to the hold, where part of what life was like on the flagship of the Christian fleet in the Battle of Lepanto is reproduced. La Vanguardia has been able to live this experience.
The current ship was built in 1971 to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the battle that took place in Greek waters against the Christian fleet that defeated the Ottoman fleet. The battle was directed from the royal galley, the original of which was built in 1568 in the Drassanes of Barcelona, ??a fortified medieval shipyard that had the capacity to manufacture up to 16 of these ships at the same time and ground zero of the dominion of the Crown of Aragon. in the Mediterranean.
The royal galley, commanded by Juan de Austria, Philip II’s captain general of the sea, measured 60 meters in length and was powered by 59 large oars handled by 236 rowers. A central hallway allows you to cross the ship from bow to stern. The corridor divides the port rowers from the starboard rowers, and one can imagine the very harsh living conditions to which they were condemned, chained in ones in which they had to remain throughout the journey.
Towards the middle of the corridor, a trapdoor opens that allows you to go down to the cellar, where the Maritime Museum sets what this warehouse should have been like. Barrels and other belongings populate the room. On two screens, visible from the outside of the galley through an opening in the hull, videos are projected that help to imagine the activity that took place there. Access to the cellar is via a narrow wooden staircase and is limited to the rare occasions when it is accessed by the museum’s maintenance and conservation teams.
The replica of the galley was a work carried out with great detail that reproduced the rich decoration that is concentrated in the stern with sculptures and bas-reliefs that recreate religious scenes. The galley, painted in red and gold, directly faced the leading galley of the Ottoman contingent in battle. In the fight, Ali Pachá, who commanded the enemy fleet, died, which was key to the Christian victory.
The few people who have been able to go down to the winery live a unique experience of immersion in the life of a galley. If you ever have the opportunity to do so, don’t hesitate.
