The STS Mir is a Russian three-masted, full-rigged sailing ship, registered at St. Petersburg, Russia (STS = Sail Training Ship). She is the second largest of six sister ships (Dar Młodzieży, Druzhba, Pallada, Khersones and Nadezhda). She was built on the Lenin Shipyard in Gdańsk, Poland, in 1987 (Lech Wałęsa, leader of Solidarność (Solidarity) and later president of Poland, participated in the construction of this ship). Ship’s measurements :
- length : 109.2 m
- beam : 13.9 m
- draught : 6.3 m
- the mainmast is 52 m high.
- sail area : 2,771 square metres.
- tonnage : 2,385 t
This huge ship was originally built as a cadet training ship, numbering between 70 and 144 cadets. The total transport capacity is however 199 people. Nowadays the Mir also offers commercial sailing trips, daytrips or cruises from port to port, for a modest sum, taking into account the unique experience of sailing along on one of the tallest and fastest sailships in the world (the longest sailship is the Sedov with 117.5 m). She has successfully taken part in many races, such as the Cutty Sark Tall Ships' Race, winning various prizes. In the Grand Regatta Columbus- 1992, celebrating the discovery of America by Christopher Columbus in 1492, the Mir came out as the absolute winner.
STS Mir at Trafalgar 200
During the afternoon of the 28 June 2005 Elizabeth II, as Lord High Admiral of the United Kingdom, embarked onboard HMS Endurance and, escorted by THV Patricia, set sail to review a fleet of over 167 ships from over 30 nations. STS Mir from Russia is pictured at anchor with her sister ship Dar Mlodziezy from Poland and the training ship Mercedes from the Netherlands in the Solent Portsmouth during the Trafalgar 200 International Fleet Review.
