Google

The Routes of Cervantes

Discover the life and work of Spanish literary titan Miguel de Cervantes.

The sixteenth century writer Miguel de Cervantes is a titan of Spanish literature and one of the originators of the novel.

For the 400 year anniversary of his death, we partnered with Google Arts & Culture to create an immersive exploration of the key stories and events that shaped his life.

The Route of Cervantes tells the story of Cervantes’ birth in Alcalá de Henares in 1547 through to his eventual death in Madrid some 68 years later. In between, users witness the genesis of some of his most famous works, from 1585’s pastoral novel Galatea to 1603’s canonical Don Quixote to his swansong, a posthumously published Byzantine romance called The Trials of Persiles and Sigismunda.

We developed this fully responsive experience alongside a team of historians and content curators. The site uses narrative audio, custom animations, Google Street View technology and archival material like paintings and letters to take us through Cervantes’ life and body of work.