The Forgotten Submarine of History
Many people believe modern submarines began with German U-boats or the USS Nautilus in the 1950s. However, more than a century before that, a Catalan engineer named Narcís Monturiol had built and tested the world's first manned submarine that operated entirely beneath the surface of the sea — not as a static prototype, but as a functional vessel capable of diving, moving, and returning to the surface reliably.Revolutionary Design Without Batteries or Engines
The Ictineo II, launched in 1864 in the port of Barcelona, was 14 meters long and built from wood and iron. Surprisingly: it did not use a steam engine (dangerous in enclosed spaces) or a mechanical air compressor system. Instead, Monturiol developed an innovative chemical system — a mixture of potassium chlorate and manganese dioxide — to produce oxygen internally, while the movement power was generated through bicycle-like pedals that were pedaled by the crew. It successfully made over 20 dives to a depth of 30 meters.Why Was It Not Continued?
Although the tests were successful and witnessed by independent observers, Monturiol's project failed to gain financial support from the Spanish government. He eventually went bankrupt after investing almost all of his assets into the Ictineo II. The ship was then dismantled for steel in 1870 — but technical records, original drawings, and test reports are preserved at the Catalonia Historical Technology Archive. In 2014, a full-scale replica of the Ictineo II was rebuilt and displayed at the Barcelona Maritime Museum as a tribute to the scientific vision that was far ahead of its time.