ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. – A piece of Spanish history returned to its U.S. homeport with a bang.
The replica ship, the Nao Trinidad, made its journey back to St. Augustine and arrived Monday morning.
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However, upon arrival, the ship “lost propulsion” waiting for the bridge to open and ended up bumping into the historic Bridge of Lions. Luckily, neither the ship nor the bridge were damaged.
According to the St. Augustine Municipal Marina, the ship was removed immediately and towed safely to the barge pilings just north of the bridge.
The Nao Trinidad will serve as a floating museum once opened and have both guided and self-guided tours. The tours will include access to the ship’s four decks and panels telling the history of the ship and what Spanish sailors experienced over 500 years ago.
“The nao Trinidad was the flagship of the Magellan-Elcano expedition, leading the first sailing around the world between 1519 and 1522, which was the greatest maritime feat in history,” according to the ship’s website.
Tickets are available for purchase in advance online at tickets.velacuadra.es.
Visitors to the Nao Trinidad may also purchase tickets dockside upon arrival. For further questions about ticket sales, people are encouraged to call (904) 770-0293 or email cgodoy@fundacionnaovictoria.org for more information.
There are currently no tours scheduled at this time.