![cover image](https://wikiwandv2-19431.kxcdn.com/_next/image?url=https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e5/Sevilla_Nuestra_Se%25C3%25B1ora_de_Atocha_Archivo_General_de_Indias_21-03-2011_11-24-15.jpg/640px-Sevilla_Nuestra_Se%25C3%25B1ora_de_Atocha_Archivo_General_de_Indias_21-03-2011_11-24-15.jpg&w=640&q=50)
Nuestra Señora de Atocha
Vessel of a fleet of ships that sank in a hurricane off the Florida Keys in 1622 / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Dear Wikiwand AI, let's keep it short by simply answering these key questions:
Can you list the top facts and stats about Nuestra Señora de Atocha?
Summarize this article for a 10 year old
Nuestra Señora de Atocha (Spanish: Our Lady of Atocha) was a Spanish treasure galleon and the most widely known vessel of a fleet of ships that sank in a hurricane off the Florida Keys in 1622. At the time of her sinking, Nuestra Señora de Atocha was heavily laden with copper, silver, gold, tobacco, gems, and indigo from Spanish ports at Cartagena and Porto Bello in New Granada (present-day Colombia and Panama, respectively) and Havana, bound for Spain. The Nuestra Señora de Atocha was named for the Basilica of Nuestra Señora de Atocha in Madrid, Spain. It was a heavily armed Spanish galleon that served as the almirante (rear guard) for the Spanish fleet. It would trail behind the other ships in the flotilla to prevent an attack from the rear.
![]() Cannon from Nuestra Señora de Atocha at the Archivo General de Indias, Seville | |
History | |
---|---|
![]() | |
Name | Nuestra Señora de Atocha |
Owner | King Philip IV |
Ordered | 1620 |
Builder | Havana Shipyard |
Acquired | early 1621 |
Commissioned | 1621 |
Stricken | 1623 |
Fate | Wrecked at sea in a major hurricane on 6 September 1622 |
General characteristics | |
Type | Galleon |
Masts: | 3 |
Foremast: | 2 square-rigged |
Mainmast: | 2 square-rigged |
Mizzenmast: | 1 lateen-rigged |
Other masts: | Spritsail off bowsprit |
Tons burthen | 550 toneladas |
Length | 34 m (111 ft 7 in) |
Beam | 10 m (32 ft 10 in) |
Draught | 4.3 m (14 ft 1 in) |
Complement | 90 |
Crew | 110 |
Armament | 20 heavy guns plus 4–8 versos |
Notes | Hull constructed (rather poorly) from mahogany rather than traditional oak |
Much of the wreck of Nuestra Señora de Atocha was famously recovered by an American commercial treasure hunting expedition in 1985. Following a lengthy court battle against the State of Florida, the finders were ultimately awarded sole ownership of the rights to the treasure.