The Archivo General de Indias is the General Archive of the Indies in Seville — a late-16th-century Renaissance building that since 1785 houses Spain’s central documentary collection on its American and Philippine territories, with roughly 43,000 files, 80 million pages and 8,000 maps; it is a UNESCO World Heritage site located between the Cathedral and the Alcázar.
Overview
The Archivo General de Indias was created in 1785 by order of King Charles III to centralize records relating to the administration of Spain’s overseas territories; it occupies the former Casa Lonja de Mercaderes (the merchants’ exchange), a Renaissance building completed in the late 16th century and associated with architect Juan de Herrera. The archive preserves an unparalleled documentary record of exploration, administration and trade between Spain and the Americas and the Philippines, and was inscribed as part of Seville’s World Heritage ensemble in 1987.What’s notable inside
Collections: About 43,000 archival bundles, some 80 million pages and roughly 8,000 maps and drawings documenting voyages, royal decrees, commercial records and colonial administration — including material connected to figures such as Columbus and Pizarro.Architecture: the building’s central stone courtyard, grand staircase and Renaissance symmetry are highlights even if you do not view original documents.
Exhibitions: the Archive runs rotating temporary exhibitions that present selected documents and maps for public viewing; only a portion of the holdings is on display at any time.
