Born at the end of the 15th century in the village of Ponte da Barca, he was one of the greatest Portuguese explorers of all time. He is credited with authoring the first circumnavigation in history around the earth, begun in 1519 (at the service of the King of Spain) and completed by Juan Sebastian Elcano after his death in 1522.

By means of an agreement signed with Charles V in Seville, he insisted on reaching the Moluccas (an archipelago of islands today part of Indonesia), heading westwards, through half of the world “from Spain” according to the Treaty of Tordesillas. The strait that separates the southern part of Argentina and Chile is called by its name. It is known to all navigators as one of the most difficult sea crossings in the world, precisely where the Atlantic and the South Pacific meet. His crew would arrive in the Moluccas almost 100 days later, after passing through Guam, where a fight would end the Minho’s life. In 1522, only 18 of the nearly 200 crew would return to Seville with the good news aboard the ship Victoria.

To commemorate the discoverer’s life and work, Ponte da Barca erected a monument with his figure, and made available, within the Interpretive Center, a specific area to promote Magalhães. Next to this room, which pays tribute to his maritime adventure, life, type of trip and characteristics of circumnavigation, there are two others ones that speak to the visitor about the human occupation of the county and the ways of life aforetime.