Four-masted barque PASSAT

Built in 1911 by Blohm & Voss in Hamburg for the shipping company F. Laeisz, she was the last true Cape Horn sailing ship, and has become the maritime symbol of the Baltic resort of Travemünde.

Although she no longer carries heavy freight across the world's seas, this elegant sailing ship reminds visitors of the time when the Passat defied force 10 gales and high waves under full sail. A love of adventure and a desire for freedom often yielded to a simple struggle for survival at this time.

Numerous pictures in the museum section of the ship give an idea of what it was like to serve on board what at the time was a state-of-the-art freight sailing ship.

The Passat was one of a group of ships built for all weathers, and dubbed the “Flying P-Liners” by the sailors because of their speed, which also included the Preußen, Padua, Peking, Pommern and Pamir.

Their voyages took them half-way around the world and lasted for months. Perhaps it is this knowledge that captures your imagination during a visit on board. The romance of the sea and wanderlust take hold and you listen with awe to the exciting stories of the “contemporary witnesses”, who are happy to regale visitors with tales of their experiences at sea during tours on board the Passat.

However, this ship has more to offer than just exciting stories – it is now a well-established meeting place and event venue with overnight accommodation. The ship is also becoming an increasingly popular venue for conferences and celebrations of every kind. There are bunks and washrooms below decks and anyone who looks through the porthole at the beautifully illuminated Travemünde before they go to sleep is bound to get that real “sailing ship feeling”: because the Passat moves gently with the swell of the Baltic, she truly is
still a proper ship!