Replica 17th century ship to dock in London

Tower Bridge will be opened to let the 500-ton ship pass through

A full-sized replica of a 17th-century Spanish merchant ship is due to arrive in London.

Tower Bridge will be opened to let the 500-ton Galeon Andalucia pass through, before it arrives at St Katherine Docks on 23 September.

The vessel - which is 162ft (49m) long and 33ft (10m) wide - is a floating tourist attraction and the capital is its latest destination.

The ship was launched in 2009 and has sailed more than 70,000 nautical miles, having visited more than a hundred ports on four continents.

Sample life aboard

It is a unique example of the type of trading and fighting vessels used by the Spanish Crown for maritime expeditions from 16th to the 18th centuries.

Ships like the Galeon Andalucia established trade routes between Spain, the Americas and the Philippines, when Spanish galleons and crossed the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans and the Caribbean.

Visitors will be able to find out about life aboard across six decks with interactive presentations and exhibits, displays, videos, historical documents and demonstrations by crew members in costume.

The Galeon Andalucía will be docked at St Katherine Docks near Tower Bridge from 23 September until 6 October.