La Santa Mara de la Inmaculada Concepción, or La Santa Mara, originally La Gallega, was the largest of the three ships used by Christopher Columbus in his first voyage. Her master and owner was Juan de la Cosa. Santa Mara was built in Pontevedra, Galicia, in Spain’s north-west region.‚ Santa Mara was probably a medium-sized nau (carrack), about 58‚ ft (17.7‚ m) long on deck, and according to Juan Escalante de Mendoza in 1575, Santa Maria was “very little larger than 100 toneladas” (about 100 tons, or tuns) burthen, or burden,‚ and was used as the flagship for the expedition. Santa Mara had a single deck and three small masts.
