Russian Cruise Ship "Aurora" Postcard

Aurora (Russian: Авро́ра, tr. Avrora; IPA: [ɐˈvrorə]) is a 1900 Russian protected cruiser, currently preserved as a museum ship in St. Petersburg. One of the first incidents of the October Revolution in Russia took place on the cruiser Aurora in 1917. It is shown here moored in St. Petersburg. Aurora stands today as the oldest commissioned ship of the Russian Navy, still flying the naval ensign under which she was commissioned, but now under the care of the Central Naval Museum. She is still manned by an active service crew commanded by a Captain of the 1st Rank. Aurora was one of three Pallada-class cruisers, built in St. Petersburg for service in the Pacific Far East. All three ships of this class served during the Russo-Japanese War. The Aurora survived the Battle of Tsushima and was interned under U.S. protection in the Philippines, eventually returned to the Baltic Fleet. The second ship, Pallada, was sunk by the Japanese at Port Arthur in 1904. The third ship, Diana, was interned in Saigon after the Battle of the Yellow Sea. In January 2013, Russian Defence Minister Sergey Shoygu announced plans to recommission the Aurora and make it the flagship of the Russian Navy due to her historical and cultural importance. On 21 September 2014, the ship was towed to the Admiralty Shipyard to be overhauled. It is planned that the ship will return to its harbour in 2016