The Aurora - the cruiser that changed Russia’s history

On May 11, 1900, 110 years ago the cruiser Aurora was floated out from the Admiralty Shipyards in St. Petersburg.

On October 25, 1917 a shot from the cruiser Aurora signaled the beginning of the assault on the Winter Palace, the Tsar’s residence at that time. That was the start of the Great October Revolution in St. Petersburg. Marines from the ship participated in the coup.

The warship saw its first battles during the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905 and was part of the 2nd Pacific Squadron that fought in the Tsushima Battle in 1905. During World War I, the Aurora was on guard in the Baltic Sea. The ship was named after the sailing frigate Aurora, which distinguished itself in the defense of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky during the Crimean War of 1853-1856. In that battle Russian troops managed to defeat superior British and French forces.

During World War II the cruiser was stationed at the port of Oranienbaum, now Lomonosov, and was hit over 1,300 times by enemy fire.

In 1948, the cruiser Aurora was permanently anchored on the Bolshaya Nevka, a tributary of the Neva River, where it remains to this day.

The radio room on the cruiser Aurora.

During its latest repairs in 1984, more than 50% of the cruiser was replaced.

It has been proposed recently that a museum of military glory be opened on the cruiser.

The cruiser Aurora is currently the world’s only ship monument that has remained waterborne since the beginning of the 20th century.

However, the cruiser is still ship No.1 of the Russian navy.

Seamen washing the deck of the cruiser Aurora.

The cruiser Aurora sailing down the Neva River in 1967.