Alcazar Palace of Seville belonged for the Kings of Spain for 700 hundred years and has an impressive room, decorated with the painting called La Virgen de Los Navigant (Madonna of the Seafarers).

Madonna of sailors and ships

Seville is still full of traces of great geographical discoveries and travels. From here, such famous explorers as Christopher Columbus started their journeys. To their discovered lands, a lot of local officers, soldiers and merchants travelled in their caravels. Such journeys were dangerous and many sailors believed in superstition, whereas the divine providence could protect them.

In the Catholic Spain, high hopes were put into the Holy Virgin Mary, who was believed to protect sailors, ships and ports. Even to this day, in Spain and many other countries of Latin and South Americas, especially Brazil, February 2^nd is celebrated as the day of Sailors’ Holy Virgin.

Let’s get back to the 14^th century. At that time, the chamber of commerce, La Casa de Contratacion, was operating in Seville. They controlled taxes and duties, guarding the secret information on routes and production of maps. They also ordered a painting from a famous artist Alejo Fernandez (1475-1545) to paint the Holy Virgin. The painting was put in the Audience Hall. It served as a chapel. Here, the sea travelers could pray and ask the Virgin Mary for her grace and protection for their ships sailing across the Atlantic.

Associated with the discovery of America

Madonna of the Seafarers is the oldest known painting, associated with the discovery of America. The painting shows the Virgin Mary, surrounded by the Queen of Spain Isabella I and her husband the King of Spain Ferdinand II, who both united Spain and supported Columbus’s voyage. Columbus himself is in the painting, kneeling beside the Royal couple.

According to historians, this could be the most authentic portrayal of the discoverer of America because Fernandez spent his childhood in Cordoba, to which Columbus sailed back from his first journey. It is believed, that Fernandez attended Columbus’s homecoming festivities and saw the man himself.

The painting also shows few other figures, related to the discoveries of America, such as an Italian sailor and geographer Amerigo Vespucci (1454-1512). While serving the King of Spain, he made four voyages to New World and was the first to write about South American countries and made maps. In addition, the painting shows famous Spanish sailors brothers Pinzon, who participated in the journeys of Columbus. The Virgin Mary is surrounded by Native Americans, who were converted into Catholic faith by the sailors. Below the clouds, on which stands the Virgin Mary surrounded by honorable people, Spanish ships are sailing. Some of the ships are marked with the flags of Andalusia, which played an important role in bringing Spain together.

The decoration of Alcazar Palace

Now, the famous painting is exhibited in another palace, the impressive medieval palace of Alcazar. Its top-floor space is still used by the Spanish royal family as their residence in Seville. Tourists are free to visit many excellent halls, richly decorated. Few years ago, I was lucky to visit the palace and see the famous painting in Spanish called La Virgen de Los Navigant, in English - Our Lady of Navigators and in German - Die Jungfrau der Seefahrer.