Russian State Naval Archive, Saint Petersburg, Federal archive in Saint Petersburg, Russia.
The Russian State Naval Archive is a federal archive in Saint Petersburg that holds documents related to the Russian navy, including ship records, navigational charts, and port files. Its holdings span from the earliest days of the Russian fleet through the 20th century.
The archive was founded in 1724 by order of Tsar Peter I as the Archive of the Admiralty-Collegium, created to gather naval documents from the start. Over the following centuries it grew into one of Russia's main repositories for seafaring records.
The archive preserves maritime heritage through maps and ship records that show how the Russian fleet developed over centuries. Visitors can understand the role naval power played in Russia's growth and expansion.
Researchers can visit the archive on Zanevski Street and should contact staff by phone or email before arriving to arrange access to the materials they need. Getting in touch ahead of time helps avoid delays, as not all records are immediately available on arrival.
Among the holdings are so-called Duma Lists, which record the names and ranks of naval officers from the Russian Empire up to 1918. This type of document is rarely found elsewhere and gives a precise picture of how the command of the imperial fleet was organized.
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