The caravel Vera Cruz will dock at Doca de Alcântara on April 20th. Between 10.00 and 13.00 and 14.00 and 18.00, the deck doors will be open for those who want to learn more about the country’s maritime history and the role that these vessels played in the Age of Great Navigation in the 15th and 16th centuries.
Perhaps you have already had the opportunity to see the caravel Vera Cruz in the latest edition of The Tall Ships Races, the regatta for large sailing ships, which passed through Portugal between August and September last year. The ship is an exact replica of the Portuguese caravels, a vessel invented and used by the Portuguese during the Age of Great Navigation, including to tell the world that we were the first to round the Cape of Storms (later renamed the Cape of Good Hope), with Bartolomeu Dias on command.
Built in 2000, at the Vila do Conde naval shipyard, as part of the celebration of the 500th anniversary of the arrival of the Portuguese in the lands of what would become Brazil, the caravel Vera Cruz It is intended for sea training, especially for young people, as well as research into the behavior and maneuvering of ancient caravels and carrying out study visits with schools in Lisbon and other national ports.
According to APORVELA – Portuguese Sailing Training Association, the school visit program receives thousands of students from all over the country every year. The objective is to promote ocean literacy, the sustainability of the seas and knowledge of Portuguese maritime culture.
Alcântara Dock. 20 Apr, Sat 10.00-13.00 and 14.00-18.00. Free entry
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