Gravesend welcomes replica Columbus flagship
A replica of Christopher Columbus's flagship has docked in Kent.The Nao Santa María, which operates as a floating museum, is docked in Gravesend Town Pier and is open to the public until Monday.The Nao Victoria Foundation, which built the ship in 2018, said it was a "faithful, full-scale historical reproduction", with four masts, five sails, and five decks.A ship spokesperson said: "This is the first time the historic ship visits the town and marks one of the ports of call on its grand European tour, which will take it to several ports in the United Kingdom, France, Spain and the Netherlands."
Since its launch in 2018, the ship has toured ports across Mexico, the United States and Europe - including Jersey and London.The ship, which was constructed in Spain, weighs about 180 tonnes, is 29m (95ft) long, and 8m (26ft) wide.The original Santa María was the largest of the three small ships used by Christopher Columbus in his first expedition across the Atlantic Ocean in 1492.It sank on the return leg of the journey, after running aground off the north coast of Haiti on Christmas Day the same year.
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