An old-school ship brings history lessons to Miami

The Spanish navy school vessel Juan Sebastián de Elcano sailed into Miami on Wednesday morning carrying 256 sailors and a load of history.

The four-masted topsail is named for Spanish explorer Juan Sebastián Elcano, who captained the last exploratory fleet Ferdinand Magellan, the man who completed the first circumnavigation of the world 500 years ago in 1522.

The steel-hulled ship, built in Cádiz, Spain, in 1927, carries the Elcano coat of arms, which was granted to the family by Emperor Charles I following Elcano’s return in 1522 from Magellan’s global expedition.

The ship’s itinerary traces the countries that contributed seafarers to the original expedition

500 years ago.

So far, the Juan Sebastián de Elcano has visited Piraeus in Greece and Civitavecchia in Italy; also, Saint-Maló in France and Spanish cities Barcelona, La Coruña and Santander.

The voyage made visits in San Juan and Havana before its last stop, Miami, where Capt. Manuel García Ruiz docked around 8:15 a.m. Wednesday.

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

Several ceremonial functions will be held on board. Among them: Her Majesty Queen Sofía was to preside over a solemn flag lowering on Wednesday night. The crew will host a Mass on Thursday. On Friday afternoon, Secretary of the U.S. Navy Carlos del Toro will have lunch and take a guided tour. On Saturday, the lowering ceremony takes place, after three years, of the Explorers Club flag, an act that will be presided over by the ambassador of Spain in the U.S.

WHAT PUBLIC CAN SEE

The Juan Sebastián de Elcano is docked at Maurice A. Ferré Park at 1075 Biscayne Blvd., Miami, and will be open to public visitations from 4-7:30 p.m. Thursday; 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and 4-7:30 p.m.

Friday and 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and 4-7:30 p.m. Saturday.

There will be no charge to visit the ship.

Ship personnel will salute and greet visitors and instruct them on entry protocol.

AFTER MIAMI

When the Juan Sebastián de Elcano departs Miami on Sunday, the training ship will sail to Santander, Spain, where it is scheduled to arrive on June 20.

The vessel will then embark on an instructional

cruise that will end on July 21 in Cádiz, the city where the commemorative tour began last February.

CARL JUSTE cjuste@miamiherald.com The Spanish navy ship Juan Sebastián de Elcano passes a cruise ship as it heads to Maurice A. Ferré Park in Miami on Wednesday. The public can tour the ship at no cost.