Fragata D. Fernando II e Glória
The last exclusively sailing warship of the Portuguese Navy and the last vessel that made the so-called "India Run", a route connecting Portugal to its old possession in India
Anchored at Ponta Delgada (1878-08) by Portuguese NavyFrigate D. Fernando II e Glória
The operational phase
Frigate D. Fernando II e Glória is a wooden-hulled, 50 gun frigate of the Portuguese Navy, built at the shipyard of Daman in the Portuguese India and was Portugal's last sailing warship to be built. She was launched in 1843 and made her maiden voyage from Goa to Lisbon in 1845
She was the last ship that undertook the India Run and remained in active service until 1878, when she made her last sea voyage, having travelled more than one hundred thousand miles, the equivalent to five circumnavigations of the world
Naval Gunnery School (1920) by Portuguese NavyFrigate D. Fernando II e Glória
Acting as Naval Gunnery School
From 1865 to1937, with a small interruption in 1866, she served as Practical School of Naval Artillery
At anchor in Tagus (1884) by Portuguese NavyFrigate D. Fernando II e Glória
In 1889 she underwent deep structural works to better serve this mission, by replacing the former masts by three ungainly one-piece masts, with two signal yards, and two modern pieces of artillery on board
Headquarters of Fragata D. Fernando social interest institution (1947) by Portuguese NavyFrigate D. Fernando II e Glória
Headquarters of a social interest institution
From 1947 to 1963 the Frigate had a completely different life phase as headquarters of the "Fragata D. Fernando" social interest institution aiming to host deprived boys on board and provide them basic and seamanship education
Fire on board (1963) by Portuguese NavyFrigate D. Fernando II e Glória
Fire on board
On April 3, 1963, with 124 boys aboard, a raging fire largely destroyed the ship, without any death
After the fire (1963) by Portuguese NavyFrigate D. Fernando II e Glória
After the fire
After the fire, the burned wooden-hull remaining beached at the mud-flats of the river Tagus for the next 29 years, until 1992
Transportation to Aveiro, after refloated (1992) by Portuguese Navy and Alfeite shipyardFrigate D. Fernando II e Glória
The restoration. Transportation to Aveiro, after refloated
In January 1992, the ship's hull was re-floated and removed from the place where it was wrecked, having been transported on a floating dock to the Ria Marine shipyard, in Aveiro, in September 1992, for structural restoration
Structural restoration in Ria-Marine shipyard, Aveiro (1993) by Portuguese Navy and Ria Marine ShipyardFrigate D. Fernando II e Glória
Structural restoration in Ria-Marine shipyard, Aveiro
In July 1993, the ship's structural restoration work began, in a national wooden shipbuilding shipyard - the Ria-Marine Naval Shipyard
Structural restoration in Ria-Marine shipyard, Aveiro (1997) by Portuguese Navy and Ria Marine ShipyardFrigate D. Fernando II e Glória
The structural restoration was complete in april 1997, having launched the hull in water, in Aveiro Ria, on April 8, same year, 34 years and five days after the fire that nearly destroyed her
Returning to Lisbon after structural restoration, for final works (1997-05-02) by Portuguese Navy and Alfeite shipyardFrigate D. Fernando II e Glória
Returning to Lisbon for restoration final works
The Frigate left the Ria de Aveiro on May 1, 1997, in tow, went up the Tagus River the next day, came alongside at the Lisbon Naval Base and remained in the dry dock at Arsenal do Alfeite from July to September of same year
Outfitting in Portuguese Navy Shipyard, Arsenal do Alfeite (1997) by Portuguese Navy and Alfeite shipyardFrigate D. Fernando II e Glória
Outfitting in Portuguese Navy Shipyard, Arsenal do Alfeite
At Arsenal do Alfeite, the ship's outfitting was carried out, including the masting, the rigging, the sails and even the museum equipment
Frigate towing to Expo'98 marina (1998) by Portuguese NavyFrigate D. Fernando II e Glória
Transit to Expo'98 marina
Once comissioned into Portuguese Navy, on April 28, 1998, she performed her first mission on May 13. She left Lisbon Naval Base, in tow, to the marina at 1998 Lisbon World Exposition – Expo’98, for the nautical exhibition, to serve as the Portuguese Communities Pavilion
Present on the closing night of Lisbon World Exposition - Expo'98 (1998) by Portuguese NavyFrigate D. Fernando II e Glória
Presence at Lisbon World Exposition - Expo'98
The Frigate D. Fernando II e Glória was one of the main attractions at Expo '98 in the 500th anniversary celebrating Vasco da Gama's arrival in India, having been visited by 857.576 people
Word Trust Ship Award (1999) by World Ship TrustFrigate D. Fernando II e Glória
World Trust Ship Award
In March 1999 the World Ship Trust awarded the Dom Fernando II e Glória with the International Maritime Heritage Award, who considers her restoration as one of the most astonishing historic ship preservation achievements of our time
Frigate D. Fernando II e Glória In dry-dock open to visits (2007) by Portuguese NavyFrigate D. Fernando II e Glória
Present role as ship museum
Since 2007 she is berthed in the Parry&Son dry-dock number 2, at Cacilhas, Almada, acting as a museum open to the public
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