Voyages | Iconic

Iconic European exploration journeys

A handful of exploration voyages by Europeans.

Banzare voayge

Second Banzare Voyage into Antartica (1930-1931), courtesy of Museums Victoria
Here is a list of European exploration journeys that changed the course of history and (re)discovered places on earth.

A post-mortem portrait of Vasco Da Gama (1838).
Vasco da Gama (1469-1524) was the first European to reach the country of India by sea in 1499. It ignited a long era of 'East Asia trade', orientalism, European colonization in Asia and further explorations.

Christopher Columbus on the Santa Maria
After Vasco da Gama established a sea route between Europe and East Asia, stakeholders sought ways to decrease travel times and find even faster routes. For that reason, Christopher Columbus set out to circumvent the earth by sailing West rather than East. Little did Columbus know that he would never reach Asia on this journey. Instead, he reached the shores of America.

While vikings and Native Americans discovered the American continent much earlier than Columbus did, his exploration journey had much impact on history: it sparked an era of Transatlantic and European-American trade.

An illustration of Nova Zembla
After Columbus, there were more attempts to decrease travel times to Asia. The attempt to establish a Northern Sea Route (above Russia) is a prime example.

One famous attempt is by Willem Barentsz, who got stuck on the island Nova Zembla when the sea froze around his ship.

Willem Janszoon
Willem Janszoon was first to discover Australia. He was a Dutchman and found the large island on his voyage between 1605 and 1606.

Abel Tasman's ship 'Duyfhen'
Have you heard of Tasmania, the island off of Australia's southcoast? It is named after the Dutch navigator Abel Tasman, who discovered it in 1642. He had explored Oceania in name of the VOC (East Indies Company) from the Netherlands.

Besides Tasmania, Abel Tasman was the one who discovered New Zealand and Fiji.

Roald Amundsen and his crew reached the Earth's South Pole (1911)
Several European countries had raced each other to reach the South Pole first. But, the Norwegians led by Roald Amundsen were first to set their flag on this iconic point.

Peary's Sledge Party (1909)
Peary's sledge party was first to reach the absolute North Pole. From left to right, the figures are holding:

  • the Navy League flag
  • The fraternity flag
  • The polar flag
  • The peace flag
  • The red cross flag
(End of Gallery)

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