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The Archivo de Indias ("General Archive of the Indies") was designed by the great architect, Juan de Herrera. The construction of the building took place from 1584 to 1646 reflecting the style of the architecture of the Italian Spanish Renaissance.
The building has a large patio and consists of two stories in a rectangular shape. The windows are built between flat pilasters in panels which are slightly sunk. Over the space of each window are constructed square tablets are constructed over the space of each window .A balustrade was built to support the building with the corners having small towers. The beauty of the building is brought out by the contrast of stucco and stone.
The Archivo de Indias is located near the cathedral and was formerly the Stock Exchange (Lonja) where commercial exchanges with America took place. The Academy of Seville, founded by Murillo,a reputed Spanish artist, had its headquarters there in the 17th century. Later during King Charles III’s reign in 1785 the Archivo de Indias became an office of general records of the Indies.
Many unique documents like letters between Columbus the explorer and Patron Queen Isabella, the Bull of Demarcation Intercaetera by Pope Alexander VI which divided the globe between Portugal and Spain, the document recording the request for an official post by Miguel de Cervantes, are kept there in storage with air conditioned facilities to prevent the documents from decaying. One has to seek permission from the concerned authorities to investigate the documents.
Many interesting documents entailing the dreams of the explorers are showcased in glass cases. Nearly four million documents of antique value relating to the finding of West- India and serving as historical evidence of the Spanish empire in Philippines and the Americas are kept in the Archivo de Indias.
This voluminous storage of valuable documents right from the first conquistadors to the nineteenth century makes the Archivo de Indias one of the important archives in the world. Besides serving this purpose it is also known for conserving some exquisite furniture.
In 1987 the building of the Archivo de Indias with its collection of documents was registered as a World Heritage Site by the UNESCO. During 2002-2004, a restoration was undertaken in the structure without affecting the research library from functioning. In 2005 the mammoth work of digitizing all its documents was in process.
The Archivo de Indias along with the Cathedral and the Alcazar form a complex of remarkable monuments in the centre of Seville.
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