The Castle of Simancas, situated in Simancas, central Spain, is unique as it was the first and only purpose-built state archive in Europe. Originally a 15th-century pentagon of the Enríquez admirals, it was transformed by Charles V and Philip II between 1540 and 1578. Today, it houses nearly 75,000 legajos (bundles), documenting the Spanish monarchy's government from the Catholic Monarchs to the 1830s. Recognized as a UNESCO Memory of the World in 2017, this archive is not exclusive to researchers as the castle welcomes visitors with free, unguided tours, along with bookable guided ones. It's important to check the visiting rules published by the Ministry of Culture before your travel.
Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons
Written by Nik Frost
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