SIMANCAS, a walled town of Spain, 8 ½ miles southwest from Valladolid, on the road to Zamora, is situated on the Pisuerga, here crossed by a fine bridge of seventeen arches. The population within the municipal boundaries was 1258 in 1885. In the north-western angle of the town stands the Archivo General del Reino, originally a fortified castle, to which the national archives of Spain were removed in 1563 (the suggestion was due to Ximenez). The extensive architectural alterations and repairs which were necessary were made under the direction of Herrera, Berruguete, and Mora, and the arrangement of the papers was entrusted to Diego de Ayala. They now occupy forty-six rooms, and are arranged in upwards of 80,000 bundles (30,000,000 documents), including important private as well as state papers, ambassadors’ correspondence, and the like. The archives of the Indies, originally lodged here, were transferred in the 18th century to the Lonja of Seville. Permission to consult the documents at Simancas can now be readily obtained.