MV 21

XVI Century armed Portuguese merchantman
Sc. 1:54 L. 843mm. H. 630mm

Three-masted carrack. Length of the hull: approx. 35 m. Height from the top of the mast to the keel: approx. 30 m. The prints of that name and the documents found in the historical archives of the naval museum of Barcelona allowed the reconstruction of the Ship’s plans, which takes its stand between the medieval merchant ship and the galleon, classifiable for its particular structures of the forecastle and quarterdeck among the carracks. Probably around 1519 in took part in an important expedition, which led Fernando Cortez to conquer Mexico. The outer galleries, one of which is a balcony, the apartments under the small quarterdeck, the superstructures of the decks providing the installation of awnings for protection against the sun, clearly indicate that they were employed for the transport of passengers of high class. Characteristics of this ship are the escutcheons at prow, painted with bright colours and having merely a decoration function.