The Maritime Museum in Barcelona

The Maritime Museum in Barcelona

We have included on our list this Museum, more out of curiosity than out of interest, because it is an interesting Museum, where you learn new things about the history of Catalonia as a Kingdom by the sea.  The Museum is next to the port, more exactly between La Rambla and the statue of Columbus, the street Avenida de les Drassanes and is housed in the former Royal Reials Drassanes, doc. It is open daily from 10.00-20.00, the last entry is at 19.30. There are several exhibitions housed in this Museum, one of them being the Vikings, but if you want to see it you have to pay extra.

The Museum is relatively small, it has only 3 rooms. Immediately after the ticket office is a miniature layout representing the front maritim of Barcelona in the 15th century. Why in this century? Because, it seems that in the 15th century Barcelona was a town with a strong economic activity at sea. A little later another clip, this time coloured with ships, trees, houses and the Vikings.

Going forward we saw an enormous ship, highly colored, beautifully decorated and finding out later that we are talking about a large scale copy of the Royal ship, the ship commanded by Don Juan de Austria in the battle of the Lepante. In this battle, which took place in the year 1571, the Ottoman fleet fought with the Christian. The Turks were defeated, although they were numerically superior, and was notable as the last great battle on the water carried almost entirely with the rowing vessels. Ship on display in the Museum is very beautiful, I managed to do some pictures even inside her. You can't climb the ship but here are some places where you can see the barrels stacked on shelves, twine, bags (probably with food), even a fisherman who arranges some Twine. There is also a small mouse that we haven't managed to catch  well in the photo. In addition to those presented in the Museum were exposed to several kinds of boats, a few copies of some students and I could see he was in Barcelona Frigate restoration.  After I saw all the models on display, we went further, in another room, where we visited the exhibition "Overseas Travel". Here is the impressive collection of models of miniature boats, marine-themed paintings, maps and navigational instruments, objects that they took with them or used those bowing at sea for a long time, the food used by them, etc.

Playmate 14 '-is a recreational vessel called the "Gullwing", equipped with a two-stroke engine with 90 HP. this ship represents an innovation in terms of the design of the vessels. This design has forced a radical change in both the line and the navigation style. It was built in 1966 to Americans.

Rowboat-is a small boat, for for walks along the coast or through the port. The number of boat oars depends on the size.They sat on benches inside the boat.

Papet Caro d 'art- is a fishing boat traditionally used on the Catalan coast. Has a long and narrow shape, it is quite small and is driven with oars. These boats were used to fish around the coast, because the nets on the Beach had only used up to 160 meters in length. The method consists in dragging fishing net in a form of a circle and return to the beach where the net was drawn out. The material used to construct the frames is oak and the pieces are assembling in pine. The boat was restored by the exposed employees of the Museum.  

Jean at Marie-also called "lute" and is on the coast of Roussillon (Northern Catalonia). In addition to the traditional techniques with the nets, the Catalan coast used the technique of "ox" and the two were involved, going in parallel, pulling open a net between them. Boat on display was built in 1906 and is in the Museum since 1987.

Caught my attention here, particularly a maritime compass built in the 19th century which was for a long time the most important guide to navigators, although it was only used as a reference point for orientation. Relying on the strength of a directional bars of iron, clip with natural iron oxide (magnetite), which, if placed on a slippery surface (water and oil) always point to the North.  I viewed a model GPSMAP 180 GPS, built in 1999 by Garmin, especially for boats. Miniature model of the vessel Royal of which I have recounted at the beginning is also displayed here.

Outside the Museum is a kind of restaurant (where there is also the toilet). In the courtyard of the Museum is also a terrace with tables and chairs, where you can drink a coffee or tea.  We liked what we saw in this Museum, we learned a lot of interesting things that we didn't know. And the quide was delighted, he watched the boats carefully while you listen to his explanations. Although it was an interesting experience, it is put before the other places you want to visit in Barcelona. If you stay long after you've visited that you intended to visit, then I recommend you this museum.