The General Archive of the Indies in Seville was created in 1785 at the wish of King Charles III, with the aim of centralising in a single place the documentation relating to the administration of the Spanish overseas territories, which until then had been dispersed in different archives: Simancas, Cadiz and Seville.

The archive contains some 43,000 files, with some 80 million pages and 8,000 maps and drawings, mainly from the bodies responsible for the administration of the overseas territories. It was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1987, along with the Cathedral and the Real Alcázar.

As for the history of its construction, after the discovery of America, the Crown chose the city of Seville as the exclusive port for trade with the continent. The place used by the merchants to carry out their trading activities was the steps of the Cathedral, around the Iron Fountain, located on the site currently occupied by the Church of El Sagrario. During the second half of the 16th century, the Cathedral Chapter, in order to avoid the excesses committed by the merchants, who did not hesitate to complete their deals inside the temple on rainy days, installed columns with chains around the temple and hired bailiffs to prevent pack animals from passing through the street.

In response to complaints from the Metropolitan Chapter, King Philip II decided to construct a building to house the Lonja (market) for merchants who traded with America, which was to be built on the same avenue, next to the Cathedral. Its construction was carried out between 1584 and 1598, by Juan de Minjares, based on plans by Juan de Herrera, and it would end up being the headquarters of the Archive of the Indies, a task it performs to this day.

As far as the building itself is concerned, it is a free-standing building, with a square ground plan and central courtyard, set on a podium, two storeys high, with a combination of red brick and stone elements on the outside, a combination that would continue in different buildings in Seville. Inside is the central courtyard, built in stone and of ample proportions, with arches supported on pillars with half-columns. The building's current main staircase, designed by Lucas Cintora, stands out. It was built after the building was constructed, at the end of the 18th century, and is decorated with marble veneers. Above the staircase is a lantern dome.