Archivo de Indias

Housed in a sober Renaissance merchants' exchange beside the cathedral, this archive holds the vast documentary record of Spain's administration of its overseas empire. Established in the late eighteenth century to consolidate scattered colonial papers, it preserves millions of documents, maps, and manuscripts of transatlantic history. The building, designed by the architect of the Escorial, is a restrained masterpiece of Spanish Renaissance style, and part of a world heritage ensemble.