Strana 22
preserved. The bridge is a roofed and glazed
room above the forward gun turret, quite small,
but much of the equipment is clearly visible,
such as the steering wheel, compass, sound
pipes and telegraph equipment for each of the
engine rooms separately. Immediately behind it
is the combat bridge, protected by 130mm thick
armor, from where the ship was controlled in
combat situations. It houses the rangefinder
for the main armament. Under the bridge are
the firing positions of the auxiliary armament,
but without the guns installed. There is also
a souvenir shop on the ship, which is located
in the forward superstructure right behind the
gun turret and it is possible to buy a number
of theme appropriate souvenirs. You can also
look into the forward gun turret, which is
fully equipped, but due to the thick and dusty
plexiglass it is not possible to take quality
photos. At the rear of the superstructure
there is an auxiliary wheelhouse, located in an
armored turret, which in its upper part carries
an artillery rangefinder for the main guns.
You can also look into the wheelhouse and will
be surprised by its miniature dimensions.
Below decks, on the other hand, are
spacious and well-organized. The ship's
interior is equipped with period artifacts,
such as various types of uniforms, medals,
as well as folding furniture or hanging beds for
regular sailors. Of course, the officers were
assigned their own cabins and also their own
dining room, but the ship also has an admiral's
suite with its own dining room and salon.
Interestingly, there were separate kitchens
for the crew, officers and admiral. These are
also accessible below deck. Separate displays
guide the visitor through the history of the
ship, including portraits of commanders and
artifacts of participation in various important
events, such as the coronation of the English
king. The aforementioned uniforms map out
the entire service life of the ship, including
tropical variants when serving in equatorial
waters. An interesting example is the sail for
transferring coal to the below deck storage
bunkers, which was undoubtedly strenuous
work, especially in the summer, taking into
account dust and sweat.
The exhibition also includes fragments
of Turkish artillery shells from the battle in
1912, bags with sailors' equipment (colored
according to their assignment to starboard or
port), life jackets, flashlights and navigational
instruments. Other interesting features
include preserved racks for storing the crew's
rifles, including the weapons themselves,
a ship's bakery and blacksmith shop, and
a ship's chapel dedicated to St. Nicholas,
the patron saint of sailors. It is located in the
superstructure at the stern.
But not all parts of the ship are accessible,
because it has its permanent crew, who also
require a certain amount of space. Apparently
for security reasons, it is not possible to
enter the engine rooms, which are accessible
to passages, but not to ordinary visitors.
It is certainly a good thing that most of the
descriptions on the displays are also in English.
Although the Greeks sometimes refer to
the Averof as a battleship, in terms of design
and tonnage it is an armored cruiser. But this
REPORT
The interior of the chapel of St. Nicholas.
Passage to the engine room, unfortunately not accessible to visitors. The crew's personal weapons were used for ceremonial or guard duties,
among others.
INFO Eduard22
January 2025