Russia Naval Museum FDC

Russia FDC
Name: The 300th Anniversary of Foundation of the Central Naval Museum
Date of Issue: 22 January 2009

The museum started as a model-chamber built to the instructions of Peter the Great in 1709. It is one of the oldest museums in the world, with two thousand unique models of ships, many of which are notable for their artistic worth. The museum has a rich collection of different works of fine arts, as well as a large collection of paintings, photographs, uniforms, flags and banners contains, many of which are extremely rare.

The pride of the museum has to be the boat of Peter the Great, known as the "Grandfather of the Russian Navy". It was on this very boat that Peter learned to sail as a teenager and acquired his fascination for the sea, sea faring and shipbuilding. This fascination later prompted Peter the Great to found the Russian navy. If you are interested in military and naval memorabilia, this is THE place to go!

The museum is located on the eastern tip of Vasilyevsky Island, in the impressive white, pillared building of the former Stock Exchange. The building, inspired by the best examples of ancient Greek and Roman architecture, was constructed by the architect Thomas de Tomon between 1805 and 1810. Back in the late 18th - early 19th century this part of Vasilyevsky Island was still a seaport, and visitors can see high up on the portico of the Stock Exchange building an imposing statue of Neptune, the ancient God of the Sea. Two Rostral Columns, monuments to Russia's many naval victories, flank the modern home of the Naval Museum.