Simancas Castle & General Archive
Archivo General de Simancas
The General Archive of the Kingdom of Spain, founded by Philip II and housed in Simancas Castle, one of Europe's earliest national archives.
In 1540, Charles V ordered royal documents to be stored in Simancas Castle, and Philip II formally established the General Archive. It holds tens of millions of pages of documents from the Spanish Empire between the 15th and 18th centuries, including records related to Columbus. The castle has round towers and a moat. Its exterior can be admired at any time, while the interior is open only on weekdays to researchers and to visitors on pre-booked tours. The village of Simancas is only about 11 kilometres from the city, and the old town and the Romanesque stone bridge over the Pisuerga are also worth a stroll.
Opening hours
Exterior open all day; interior visits on weekdays by appointment
Nearby sights
- Science Museum of Valladolid
- Dome of the Millennium
- Oriental Museum
- Campo Grande Park
- Cervantes House Museum
- Patio Herreriano Museum
- Plaza Mayor of Valladolid
- Church of San Benito el Real