From Peter the Great to the present day: how Russia honours sailors and preserves its naval traditions

Every year, on the last Sunday of July, the whole of Russia pays tribute to those who guard the country's maritime borders. Navy Day brings together not only naval personnel but everyone involved in creating and maintaining the Navy's proud traditions. It is symbolic that the celebrations take place at the height of summer, when the sea is particularly calm and serene, as though it too were showing its respect and favour towards those who have devoted their lives to it.

The history of the Russian Navy spans more than three centuries. It began in 1696, when, by decree of Peter the Great, the Boyar Duma adopted the momentous decision: "There Shall Be Sea Vessels". This marked the beginning of the regular Navy, which has evolved over the centuries from a modest fleet of wooden ships into a formidable force of nuclear-powered cruisers and special-purpose missile submarines. Today, the Russian Navy is one of the largest in the world and comprises four fleets and the Red Banner Caspian Flotilla.

Navy Day was established in 1939 at the initiative of the legendary Admiral Nikolai Kuznetsov. Ceremonial formations, naval parades, artillery salutes, expositions, concerts and other festive events are held across Russia on this day. Major naval parades attract tens of thousands of spectators every year in St Petersburg, Sevastopol, Vladivostok, Baltiysk and other cities that are home to the principal bases of the country's fleets. Veterans and serving personnel are honoured throughout the country and, of course, St Andrew's flag — a symbol of naval valour — is raised. The holiday serves as a reminder that the maritime borders of our Motherland are reliably protected and that the Navy remains a source of national pride and a pillar of the state.

Visitors can explore the history of the Russian Navy and learn more about the proud traditions of sailors, as well as the peaceful traditions of shipbuilding, at the National Centre RUSSIA. The permanent exposition "Journey Across Russia" allows visitors to trace how maritime history connects the country's regions, from the Baltic Sea to the Pacific Ocean.

In the Northwestern Federal District area, tour guides tell guests about transporting cargo along the Northern Sea Route — the shortest route between Europe and Asia, running along the Russian coast through Arctic waters. Year-round navigation along this route is maintained by Russia's nuclear-powered icebreaker fleet, the only one of its kind in the world.

Another striking symbol of Russia's maritime legacy is the barque Sedov, one of the largest and best-known sailing ships in the world. It is listed in the Guinness World Records as the largest training sailing ship still in service today. Built in 1921 at the Krupp shipyard in Kiel, Germany, and named after the Russian polar explorer Georgy Sedov, the barque continues to serve as a training vessel for cadets from maritime universities.

The "Geography Lessons" exposition featured a model of the legendary sloop Vostok, one of the ships on which Russian navigators undertook round-the-world expeditions and discovered Antarctica. Guests of the "Birth of Scale" exposition could also learn about a giant timber barge designed to transport timber along the Volga, the Kama and other major Russian rivers. These vessels were enormous even by modern standards. The earliest timber barges, like many masterpieces of Russian wooden architecture, were built without a single nail.

Visit the National Centre RUSSIA to see how the history of the Navy is woven into the history of the entire country.