On May 11, 1900 a ship was christened out in St. Petersburg. That ship was destined to change the course of history with a single shot, and that ship's name is Aurora.
© Sputnik / RIA Novosti / Go to the mediabankThree protected Russian Pallada-class cruisers Aurora, Diana and Pallada were touted as the next step in the naval arms race at the dawn of the 20th century.
Above: The Avrora cruiser before launch. November 11, 1900.
Above: The Avrora cruiser before launch. November 11, 1900.
![Aurora: Legendary Cruiser That Changed Russia’s History With a Single Shot Aurora: Legendary Cruiser That Changed Russia’s History With a Single Shot - Sputnik International](https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/102201/19/1022011976_0:0:1849:3000_600x0_80_0_1_465ca533f3c99ad6c615ad9844831e01.jpg)
Three protected Russian Pallada-class cruisers Aurora, Diana and Pallada were touted as the next step in the naval arms race at the dawn of the 20th century.
Above: The Avrora cruiser before launch. November 11, 1900.
Above: The Avrora cruiser before launch. November 11, 1900.
© Sputnik / RIA Novosti / Go to the mediabankAurora was christened on the Neva River before the eyes of the Russian Emperor Nicholas II on May 11, 1900.
Above: Cruiser Aurora. September 1, 1904.
Above: Cruiser Aurora. September 1, 1904.
![Aurora: Legendary Cruiser That Changed Russia’s History With a Single Shot Aurora: Legendary Cruiser That Changed Russia’s History With a Single Shot - Sputnik International](https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/102201/20/1022012072_0:0:2730:2048_600x0_80_0_1_ccfe738f029ad4bd8c376adfe1c01804.jpg)
Aurora was christened on the Neva River before the eyes of the Russian Emperor Nicholas II on May 11, 1900.
Above: Cruiser Aurora. September 1, 1904.
Above: Cruiser Aurora. September 1, 1904.
© Sputnik / Alexey Varfolomeev / Go to the mediabankThe three ships were designed to serve in the Russian Far East.
Above: Visitors on the cruiser Aurora ladder.
Above: Visitors on the cruiser Aurora ladder.
![Aurora: Legendary Cruiser That Changed Russia’s History With a Single Shot Aurora: Legendary Cruiser That Changed Russia’s History With a Single Shot - Sputnik International](https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/102201/28/1022012865_0:0:3000:2017_600x0_80_0_1_694d0f0cdb0a7a57ae46b508efb5febc.jpg)
The three ships were designed to serve in the Russian Far East.
Above: Visitors on the cruiser Aurora ladder.
Above: Visitors on the cruiser Aurora ladder.
© Sputnik / Tichonov / Go to the mediabankAurora was a 126,8-meter-long cruiser with displacement of 6,731 tons. Its armament originally included artillery guns and torpedoes.
Above: Sailors scrubbing the Aurora cruiser deck. September 4, 1967.
Above: Sailors scrubbing the Aurora cruiser deck. September 4, 1967.
![Aurora: Legendary Cruiser That Changed Russia’s History With a Single Shot Aurora: Legendary Cruiser That Changed Russia’s History With a Single Shot - Sputnik International](https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/102201/22/1022012201_0:0:3000:2016_600x0_80_0_1_d11debf6b964e0a12bf26a107234e88b.jpg)
Aurora was a 126,8-meter-long cruiser with displacement of 6,731 tons. Its armament originally included artillery guns and torpedoes.
Above: Sailors scrubbing the Aurora cruiser deck. September 4, 1967.
Above: Sailors scrubbing the Aurora cruiser deck. September 4, 1967.
© Sputnik / RIA Novosti / Go to the mediabankIn November 1903, Aurora was ordered to move to the Far East to reinforce the Russian Pacific Fleet.
Above: The Aurora cruiser radio station. August 16, 1970.
Above: The Aurora cruiser radio station. August 16, 1970.
![Aurora: Legendary Cruiser That Changed Russia’s History With a Single Shot Aurora: Legendary Cruiser That Changed Russia’s History With a Single Shot - Sputnik International](https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/102201/23/1022012359_0:0:1899:2048_600x0_80_0_1_1166b943409e020392c6b082ce224d8d.jpg)
In November 1903, Aurora was ordered to move to the Far East to reinforce the Russian Pacific Fleet.
Above: The Aurora cruiser radio station. August 16, 1970.
Above: The Aurora cruiser radio station. August 16, 1970.
© Wikipedia / Vitaly V. KuzminThe cruiser participated in the Russo-Japanese War (February 9, 1904 – September 5, 1905).
![Aurora: Legendary Cruiser That Changed Russia’s History With a Single Shot Aurora: Legendary Cruiser That Changed Russia’s History With a Single Shot - Sputnik International](https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/102201/66/1022016675_0:0:1999:1341_600x0_80_0_1_4972382081276fc7648759308aa1ac9c.jpg)
The cruiser participated in the Russo-Japanese War (February 9, 1904 – September 5, 1905).
© Flickr / Christophe ChenevierDuring the Battle of Tsushima in May 1905, Aurora covered slower Russian ships and managed to break out and reach neutral Manila.
![Aurora: Legendary Cruiser That Changed Russia’s History With a Single Shot Aurora: Legendary Cruiser That Changed Russia’s History With a Single Shot - Sputnik International](https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/102201/51/1022015123_0:0:1680:1116_600x0_80_0_1_7a859e2c8507d5685f83091ade628da2.jpg)
During the Battle of Tsushima in May 1905, Aurora covered slower Russian ships and managed to break out and reach neutral Manila.
© AP Photo / Dmitry LovetskyThe cruiser returned to Russia in 1906 and became a cadet training ship in the Baltic Sea.
Above: Naval cadets lower the flag of the navy cruiser Aurora at a daily ceremony near the front deck gun in St.Petersburg, January 26, 2012, with the St. Isaak's Cathedral seen on the background.
Above: Naval cadets lower the flag of the navy cruiser Aurora at a daily ceremony near the front deck gun in St.Petersburg, January 26, 2012, with the St. Isaak's Cathedral seen on the background.
![Aurora: Legendary Cruiser That Changed Russia’s History With a Single Shot Aurora: Legendary Cruiser That Changed Russia’s History With a Single Shot - Sputnik International](https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/102201/35/1022013562_0:0:4656:3018_600x0_80_0_1_62a15fcdd0300ae7326fe096d07b4184.jpg)
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© AP Photo / Dmitry Lovetsky
The cruiser returned to Russia in 1906 and became a cadet training ship in the Baltic Sea.
Above: Naval cadets lower the flag of the navy cruiser Aurora at a daily ceremony near the front deck gun in St.Petersburg, January 26, 2012, with the St. Isaak's Cathedral seen on the background.
Above: Naval cadets lower the flag of the navy cruiser Aurora at a daily ceremony near the front deck gun in St.Petersburg, January 26, 2012, with the St. Isaak's Cathedral seen on the background.
© Sputnik / Mikhail Dmitiev / Go to the mediabankThe vessel was repaired and its armament was changed.
Above: Restored cruiser Aurora enters Neva waterway.
Above: Restored cruiser Aurora enters Neva waterway.
![Aurora: Legendary Cruiser That Changed Russia’s History With a Single Shot Aurora: Legendary Cruiser That Changed Russia’s History With a Single Shot - Sputnik International](https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/102201/57/1022015732_0:0:3000:1590_600x0_80_0_1_0913e1d2301f3c620ef1439c911d2b1f.jpg)
The vessel was repaired and its armament was changed.
Above: Restored cruiser Aurora enters Neva waterway.
Above: Restored cruiser Aurora enters Neva waterway.
© AFP 2023 / GEORGY POLYAKOVAurora participated in World War I patrolling the Baltic Sea.
Above: Museum ship, the cruiser Aurora, is towed along the Neva River in St. Petersburg on September 21, 2014.
Above: Museum ship, the cruiser Aurora, is towed along the Neva River in St. Petersburg on September 21, 2014.
![Aurora: Legendary Cruiser That Changed Russia’s History With a Single Shot Aurora: Legendary Cruiser That Changed Russia’s History With a Single Shot - Sputnik International](https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/102201/34/1022013422_0:0:3200:2082_600x0_80_0_1_91e4517ea2b51eca2f47212ce9e05f47.jpg)
Aurora participated in World War I patrolling the Baltic Sea.
Above: Museum ship, the cruiser Aurora, is towed along the Neva River in St. Petersburg on September 21, 2014.
Above: Museum ship, the cruiser Aurora, is towed along the Neva River in St. Petersburg on September 21, 2014.
© Sputnik / RIA Novosti / Go to the mediabankIn 1917, after the February Revolution, the most of Aurora’s crew joined the Bolsheviks and a revolutionary committee was formed on the ship.
Above: Aurora cruiser sailors in the streets of Petrograd, October of 1917.
Above: Aurora cruiser sailors in the streets of Petrograd, October of 1917.
![Aurora: Legendary Cruiser That Changed Russia’s History With a Single Shot Aurora: Legendary Cruiser That Changed Russia’s History With a Single Shot - Sputnik International](https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/102201/31/1022013103_0:0:3000:1991_600x0_80_0_1_e39ba82be2065a3d985313f323c579de.jpg)
In 1917, after the February Revolution, the most of Aurora’s crew joined the Bolsheviks and a revolutionary committee was formed on the ship.
Above: Aurora cruiser sailors in the streets of Petrograd, October of 1917.
Above: Aurora cruiser sailors in the streets of Petrograd, October of 1917.
© Sputnik / Alexei Danichev / Go to the mediabankAurora’s finest hour occurred on October 25. A shot from its forecastle gun served as a signal for storming the Winter Palace in Petrograd, which was the beginning of the October Socialist Revolution in Russia. Most historians believe that the shot was blank.
![Aurora: Legendary Cruiser That Changed Russia’s History With a Single Shot Aurora: Legendary Cruiser That Changed Russia’s History With a Single Shot - Sputnik International](https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/102201/60/1022016026_0:0:3321:2048_600x0_80_0_1_30b1bca97252fedd298cdc0a73672d06.jpg)
Aurora’s finest hour occurred on October 25. A shot from its forecastle gun served as a signal for storming the Winter Palace in Petrograd, which was the beginning of the October Socialist Revolution in Russia. Most historians believe that the shot was blank.
© AFP 2023 / OLGA MALTSEVADuring the Great Patriotic War, German troops hunted Aurora as a symbol of the Soviet Union. But the ship survived all air raids.
![Aurora: Legendary Cruiser That Changed Russia’s History With a Single Shot Aurora: Legendary Cruiser That Changed Russia’s History With a Single Shot - Sputnik International](https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/102201/34/1022013468_0:0:2784:1488_600x0_80_0_1_d3b53444914eb21b4fbd63f2acf481c1.jpg)
During the Great Patriotic War, German troops hunted Aurora as a symbol of the Soviet Union. But the ship survived all air raids.
© AFP 2023 / GEORGY POLYAKOVCurrently Aurora, one of the symbols of the Russian history, is stationed in St. Petersburg and serves as a museum.
Above: Museum ship, the cruiser Aurora, is towed along the Neva River in St. Petersburg on September 21, 2014.
Above: Museum ship, the cruiser Aurora, is towed along the Neva River in St. Petersburg on September 21, 2014.
![Aurora: Legendary Cruiser That Changed Russia’s History With a Single Shot Aurora: Legendary Cruiser That Changed Russia’s History With a Single Shot - Sputnik International](https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/102201/34/1022013452_0:0:5184:3456_600x0_80_0_1_86dbdd28841c93ab21461644112db7eb.jpg)
Currently Aurora, one of the symbols of the Russian history, is stationed in St. Petersburg and serves as a museum.
Above: Museum ship, the cruiser Aurora, is towed along the Neva River in St. Petersburg on September 21, 2014.
Above: Museum ship, the cruiser Aurora, is towed along the Neva River in St. Petersburg on September 21, 2014.
© AFP 2023 / KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEVAurora gained a broad reflection in culture. It is the subject of songs and movies, and appeared on coins and stamps in different countries.
Above: Russian Navy sailors stand in front of the Aurora cruiser during a Navy Day parade rehearsal on Neva River in St. Petersburg, July 29, 2011.
Above: Russian Navy sailors stand in front of the Aurora cruiser during a Navy Day parade rehearsal on Neva River in St. Petersburg, July 29, 2011.
![Aurora: Legendary Cruiser That Changed Russia’s History With a Single Shot Aurora: Legendary Cruiser That Changed Russia’s History With a Single Shot - Sputnik International](https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/102201/33/1022013382_0:0:3600:2400_600x0_80_0_1_8865cab16f26bcd5f5a06e5ea97961b5.jpg)
Aurora gained a broad reflection in culture. It is the subject of songs and movies, and appeared on coins and stamps in different countries.
Above: Russian Navy sailors stand in front of the Aurora cruiser during a Navy Day parade rehearsal on Neva River in St. Petersburg, July 29, 2011.
Above: Russian Navy sailors stand in front of the Aurora cruiser during a Navy Day parade rehearsal on Neva River in St. Petersburg, July 29, 2011.