The Presidential Library’s video lecture marking the 245th anniversary of Vice Admiral Vasily Golovnin

Video lecture dedicated to Vice Admiral, head of expeditions around the world, Corresponding Member of the St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences Vasily Golovnin (1776-1831) was held within the framework of Knowledge of Russia project on June 10, 2021. The event marked the 245th anniversary of the birth of the outstanding Russian navigator.

The video lecture was free. The meeting was broadcast live on the Presidential Library's portal in Live broadcasts section in accordance with the live events program and on the institution's YouTube channel.

Vasily Golovnin was born in the village of Gulynki, Ryazan Region. Having lost his parents at a young age, he was assigned to the Naval Cadet Corps. Vasily Golovnin became famous for his achievements in naval affairs, including participation in the Krasnogorsk and Vyborg battles against the Swedes, in the 1799 Russian-English expedition to Holland and two round the world travels. Vasily Golovnin also wrote a huge number of works on geography, naval and shipbuilding. Among his famous works is the book Naval Signals for Day and Night, which the Russian Navy has been using for 24 years.

Nikolai Popov, a researcher at the Ryazan Museum of Travelers, a member of the Ryazan Branch of the Russian Geographical Society and the Ryazan Branch of the Russian Military Historical Society, spoke about the life and career of Vasily Golovnin, the significance of his research work. The event participants found out what work was being done to perpetuate the memory of the vice admiral in his homeland.

One of the main areas of work of the Presidential Library is the digital preservation of the most important documents on the history, theory and practice of Russian statehood. The volume of the institution's electronic collections today is more than a million depository items including materials by Vasily Golovnin. The electronic reading room of the Presidential Library features Works and translations by Vasily Mikhailovich Golovnin, presented in several volumes as well as on the institution’s official portal. Everyone has opportunity to study his works About the state of the Russian fleet in 1824, The journey of the Russian imperial sloop Diana, from Kronstadt to Kamchatka, committed under the command of the fleet of lieutenant (now captain of the 1st rank) Golovnin in 1807, 1808 and 1809 and others.

Interactive lessons and video lectures are regularly held in the Presidential Library. More information about them is available on the institution's portal in Multimedia lessons section and in the Video lectures for school section, which features records of lectures and open lessons held in the Presidential Library.