Russian Cruiser Aurora

A digital rendering of the Russian Cruiser Aurora moored in the Neva river at St. Petersburg. Cyrillic text reading "Крейсер Аврора" (The Cruiser AURORA) and "Санкт-Петербург" (St. Petersbutg) also appears. The Aurora is an iconic symbol of the Russian October Revolution of 1917. At the time of the earlier February Revolution the Aurora was docked in the Neva river at Petrograd (St. Petersburg), later renamed Leningrad, for repairs. Some of the vessel's crew had participated in the revolution which resulted in the abdication of Tsar Nicholas II. A revolutionary committee was created on the ship and most of the crew joined Lenin's Bolsheviks, who were preparing for a Communist revolution. At 9.45 p.m on 25 October 1917 the Aurora fired a blank round from her forecastle gun to signal the start of the assault on the Winter Palace. The Aurora has served as a museum ship and tourist attraction for millions of visitors at her present location in Leningrad (now St. Petersburg) for decades.