The frigate that began the Baltic Fleet
The story of the “firstborn of the fleet”: from Peter the Great’s vision and the birth of the name Shtandart to her service, conversion into a museum, and the loss of the original hull.
The story of a name — and a great maritime transformation
In 1702, by decree of Tsar Peter and order of Governor Alexander Menshikov, ships for the Russian fleet began to be built at the Olonets Shipyard. The flagship was the frigate Shtandart, which Peter called the “firstborn of the fleet”.
How the name Shtandart was born
After Russia’s military successes in the south, Peter sought a trade route to Europe through the Baltic Sea. The country needed a fleet to protect its Baltic territories and commerce. During the Grand Embassy, Peter studied shipbuilding: in Amsterdam, the frigate Peter and Paul was built and launched especially for him so that he could observe the entire process.
The Dutch school relied mainly on practical skills passed down by master shipwrights, while the English school used more formal calculations and design methods. After five months in Holland, Peter spent another four months in England, met shipwrights and admirals, and recruited about 500 specialists for Russian service.
In 1703, Peter altered his standard: a map of the Baltic was added to the maps of Russia’s three seas. The first ship of the Baltic Fleet was named after the new banner.
The frigate was built on the Svir
Ships intended to protect the port and the Baltic trade routes were built on the Syas and Svir rivers. The Olonets Shipyard stood on the Svir, near present-day Lodeynoye Pole. Work began literally in an open field, with the shipyard itself being built at the same time. The first ten vessels were completed here in five months.
The largest was the 28-gun Shtandart. She was based on the yacht Royal Transport, presented to Peter by William III on 14 March 1698. Dutch and English masters worked alongside Russian apprentices. Construction of the tsar’s ship was entrusted to the Dutch shipwright Wybe Gerens, who had already worked in Voronezh and Arkhangelsk.
Peter’s drawings have not survived. Historian Viktor Krainyukov reconstructed the ship’s appearance from documents of the Olonets Shipyard and other archival sources.
Dutch draught and English rig
The design combined features of two traditions. Dutch ships were broad, flat-bottomed and shallow-draught, which helped them navigate shoal waters. English vessels sailed closer to the wind: they had sharper frames, a more pronounced keel and a taller sail plan.
Peter sought to unite the most suitable qualities of both schools: a shallow draught for the Gulf of Finland and a tall, slender English-style rig. The reconstructed lines plan shows the full shape of the hull and a more elegant stern.
From Olonets to Saint Petersburg
Peter took a personal part in the construction and stayed at the Olonets Shipyard from 21 July 1703. The frigate was fitted with masts and sails in just two weeks. On 8 September 1703, she departed for Saint Petersburg carrying guns from the Olonets works. Her first captain was Peter Mikhailov — the name used by the tsar during the Grand Embassy.
“To be preserved forever”
In 1711, the haste of construction and the use of unseasoned timber began to affect the hull: the ship had deteriorated and was laid up for a major repair in which parts of the planking and frames were replaced. After the refit, Shtandart returned to service.
In 1719, Peter ordered her to be preserved forever as the firstborn of the fleet and a monument to the art of shipbuilding. The ship was moored in the Kronverk Channel as a museum. Without proper care, she quickly fell into decay. In 1727, a commission appointed by Catherine I decided to raise and restore the hull, but the lifting cables literally cut the time-damaged vessel into pieces. The old Shtandart was dismantled; Peter’s decree required a new ship to be laid down in memory of her name.
The ship’s name returned to the sea
Almost three centuries later, a team of enthusiasts built a working historical replica.