This year is the 500th anniversary of the arrival of the sailor, Juan Sebastián Elcano, after the first circumnavigation of the earth. King Felipe VI of Spain marked this moment by overseeing a major naval exercise near Cadiz.
It took Juan Sebastián Elcano three years to sail around the world on his ship, “Victoria”.
The Spanish King commemorated the circumnavigation by attending a grand naval exercise that took place in the coastal waters of Sanlucar de Barrameda near the city of Cadiz.
King Felipe began his visit at the naval base at Rota. Here, the monarch was received by the President of the Congress of Deputies, the Spanish Minister of Defence, the Chief of the Navy and a number of admirals and generals. Following the warm welcome King Felipe visited a naval school ship. Onboard the King went out to the sea to watch the naval forces in action and how the school-ship works.
Following a nine mile journey on the sea, King Felipe arrived at the exercise site where he watched what has also been regarded as a Spanish demonstration of naval power in troubled times in Europe. A number of Spain’s most modern warships took part in the naval exercise, but also several historical reconstructed ships attended the royal review.
The ship “Victoria”, a historical replica of the one that was used in the first circumnavigation, as well as five other historical ships was used during the event.
When the naval review was concluded, His Majesty paid tribute to the fallen during the First Circumnavigation with a floral offering to the sea.
When the King came ashore he ended his visit by attending a meeting with representatives of the Diplomatic Corps, made up of ambassadors from countries related to the First Circumnavigation of the Earth. This included representatives from Portugal, Italy, Ireland, Belgium, Cape Verde, the Philippines and Indonesia.
