ORP Błyskawica, Naval museum ship in Gdynia, Poland.
ORP Błyskawica is a warship at the harbor in Gdynia. Onboard, visitors can see the gun turrets, torpedo tubes and navigation instruments from the late thirties.
The destroyer was launched in 1936 at a British shipyard and served in the Polish Navy until 1976. After the Second World War, it was used for training purposes before becoming a museum ship.
The name Błyskawica means lightning in Polish and reflects the speed for which this destroyer was built. Visitors today can still see the crew quarters and command rooms that show how around three hundred sailors lived together in tight spaces.
The decks and some interior spaces are accessible via metal steps and narrow passages. Sturdy footwear is recommended as the visit involves climbing stairs and moving across uneven surfaces.
The ship still carries its original wartime paint scheme, which is rare to find on preserved military vessels. Many of the machines in the engine room still function, though they have not been in operation for decades.
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