To mention the origin of Spain's National Day, we might as well start with a painting called Virgen de los Navegantes (Our Lady of the Navigators). If you have the opportunity to visit the Royal Alcázar of Seville, you can look for this painting.
It was created by Alejo Fernandez in the 16th century, a time of unprecedented maritime trade. In the foreground of the painting, various ships are coming and going on the sea; some seem to be heading towards unknown destinations, while others appear to be returning from afar laden with goods and wealth. In the center of the painting, the Virgin stands above the ocean, arms outstretched, her cloak enveloping merchants and navigators, symbolizing her protection over these brave individuals, blessing them and their ships for a safe journey across the treacherous Atlantic. Notably, below the Virgin are depicted Christopher Columbus, King Ferdinand, and King Charles V of Spain. It was indeed the contract between the Catholic Monarchs of Spain and navigator Columbus that enabled Spain to rapidly rise to power through colonization of the New World and maritime trade, dominating the era.
1492 is a year of great significance for Spain. Under the leadership of the Catholic Monarchs Ferdinand and Isabella, Spanish Catholics finally reclaimed the last piece of lost territory from the Moors—Granada, marking the victory of a reconquest that lasted for eight centuries. At the same time, Columbus, who faced setbacks in Portugal, arrived in another country on the Iberian Peninsula—Spain, seeking funding from the Catholic Monarchs for his grand yet seemingly impractical maritime plan. The fall of the Eastern Roman Empire in 1453 severed trade routes between East and West, and Europeans were eager to open a new route, a path paved with gold, spices, and silk, leading to power and wealth. The ambitious Spanish monarchs accepted Columbus's proposal and funded this Italian navigator to explore a route to the mysterious East. Columbus set sail from a southern Spanish port and, after a long two months at sea, finally arrived on October 12 of the same year at what is now referred to as the "New World," namely the Americas. He made three more voyages to the continent, but until his death, he believed he had reached India.
The Age of Discovery brought prosperity and wealth to Spain. Wave after wave of Spaniards followed the routes opened by Columbus to South America, bringing back abundant riches. Along the banks of the Guadalquivir River in Seville stands a structure known as the "Torre del Oro" (Tower of Gold), which may seem ordinary today, but in the 16th century, all ships returning from the Americas laden with gold had to register at this tower. The Torre del Oro witnessed Spain's Golden Age, known as the Siglo de Oro.
Although the Age of Discovery brought endless suffering to the indigenous peoples of the Americas, we cannot deny the indelible contributions made by the Catholic Monarchs and Columbus to world geography and human civilization. To commemorate the great historical event of Columbus's arrival in the Americas on December 12, 1492, Spain designated this day as National Day. Every year during the National Day ceremony, a military parade is held, personally reviewed by the King, showcasing the army, navy, and air force.
