Tsar’s gift to Danish king relaunched after 30 years on land

A 150-year-old royal rowing boat, once a gift from a Russian tsar to Denmark’s king, has returned to the water in Randers after three decades on dry land, reports DR.

The 16-metre vessel, known as Den Blå Chalup (The Blue Barge), was originally presented to King Christian IX in 1873 by his son-in-law, the future Tsar Alexander III of Russia, who was married to the king’s daughter Dagmar. The boat, designed to carry 18 oarsmen, a coxswain, and 15 passengers—often of royal status—remained in the Danish royal family’s possession until 1959.

After passing through the National Museum of Denmark and Valdemar Castle, the boat was transferred last year to the guild Den Blå Chalup in Randers. The group has since restored it for sailing, marking its first return to water since 1996, when it appeared during Copenhagen’s year as European Capital of Culture.

Flemming Vang, guild elder, called the vessel “one of Denmark’s oldest national treasures,” noting the craftsmanship of the Russian artisans who built it. While confident in the restoration, he acknowledged uncertainty about how the wood—dry for 30 years—would reseal once submerged. “We’re eager to see how quickly it swells shut again,” he said.

The guild plans future sailings in collaboration with Museum Østjylland.