The Kruzenshtern
- volkerbattke
- 17. Dez. 2025
- 2 Min. Lesezeit
A legendary four-masted barque with a story that spans continents and decades.
Originally launched in 1926 as the Padua for Germany’s famed "Flying P-Line" to trade in nitrates, this majestic windjammer now sails under the Russian flag as a premier sail training ship. It's not just a vessel; it's a floating piece of maritime heritage.
A Ship Born from German Engineering Excellence
The story of the Kruzenshtern begins in 1926 in the renowned shipyards of Tecklenborg in Geestemünde, Germany. Originally christened Padua, she was built as a cargo-carrying sailing ship during the final golden age of commercial sail. At 114.5 meters (376 feet) in length with a beam of 14.02 meters (46 feet), she was designed to be both fast and capacious, capable of carrying substantial cargo loads across the world's oceans while maintaining the speed necessary for profitable commercial operations.
The ship's four-masted barque rig was a masterpiece of maritime engineering, featuring 34 sails with a total sail area of approximately 3,400 square meters (36,600 square feet). This impressive sail plan, combined with her sleek steel hull, made her one of the fastest cargo sailing ships of her era, capable of sustained speeds that could rival many steamships of the time.
From Padua to Kruzenshtern: A Cold War Transformation
The ship's destiny changed dramatically following World War II. As part of war reparations, the Soviet Union acquired the vessel in 1946, renaming her Kruzenshtern in honor of Admiral Ivan Fyodorovich Kruzenshtern, the famous Russian explorer who led the first Russian circumnavigation of the globe between 1803 and 1806.
Under Soviet ownership, the ship underwent a remarkable transformation from commercial cargo carrier to training vessel. The spacious cargo holds were converted into accommodations for cadets, classrooms, and training facilities.
The Digital Kruzenshtern: Bringing History to Life
Our artists have built a highly optimized 3D-model with Blender and Substance Painter. Balancing low polygon counts with fine details like rigging and netting, making them perfect for real-time rendering.
These aren’t just a static model; they’re built with accurate scaling and textures, ready to come alive in virtual environments.
