Kruzenshtern

The world’s second largest sailing ship, the Krusenstern also holds the world record for the fastest round trip passage by a tall ship.

Last survivor

The Krusenstern is a Russian four-masted ship originally called the "Padua". She was built in Germany in 1926. She is one of five clippers built for the "Flying P Line" - the last one still sailing. All of the line’s ships had names starting with “P”.

Launched in 1926, the Padua, last of the P-Liners to be built was designed to work as a cargo liner delivering construction materials to Chile and braving the treacherous Cape Horn, bringing back shipments of nitrate, on the return trip. Her maiden voyage from Hamburg to Talcahuano (Chile) took 87 days.

Undefeated records

She completed her fastest trip in 1938-1939, from Hamburg to Australia via Chile then back to Hamburg in 8 months and 23 days, under the command of Captain Richard Wendt — a world record for this kind of ship, which remains undefeated to this day.

On January 12th 1946, the ship was given to the USSR as war reparation. She joined the Soviet fleet in the Baltic Sea. Later she performed extensive hydrographical and oceanographic survey assignments for the USSR Science Academy until 1965 when she was transferred to the USSR Fisheries Ministry for use as a training boat.

In 1991, the Krusenstern joined her current home port of Kaliningrad, where she has continued to be used as a training ship for the Baltic State Fisheries Academy.

Movie Star

The ship has appeared in three German films and numerous Russian / Soviet films. In 1936, she starred in the movie « Les Mutinés de l'Elseneur », by Pierre Chenal, a film adaptation of Jack London’s novel (The Mutiny of the Elsinore).