On February 22, 1931, the School Ship Amerigo Vespucci, imposing and immobile, awaits its moment on the notches of the historic Royal shipyard of Castellammare di Stabia, founded in 1783. From the aft cradle you can see the writing "Amerigo Vespucci", there is still no trace of the garden or of the leaf friezes pure gold stern. There is not even the gilt bronze figurehead on the stem.
It is a very heartfelt event by the authorities, by the workers but above all by the citizens. In just over 9 months from the date of construction (12 May 1930), the professionalism and shipbuilding excellence of the time had managed to give birth to a real jewel. Nothing is left to chance, everything is taken care of in the smallest details, even the date has been carefully chosen: February 22, in fact, is the anniversary of the death of the Florentine navigator, after whom the ship was named, which took place in 1522.
SE Pasquale Ragosta, bishop of the city, at the end of the celebration of Holy Mass in the chapel of the shipyard, goes to the stage of the authorities from which he blesses the ship and subsequently also the whole crowd of spectators, unwitting witnesses, of a historic event. The godmother of the launch, Miss Elena Cerio, daughter of the maritime commander Oscar Cerio, who sits next to her, also takes their place on the stage. Everything's ready. It is 10.30 o'clock when col. Odoardo Giannelli, director of the shipyard, pronounces, in a loud voice, excited, the long-awaited ... "In the name of God, cut!", The godmother lets go of the bottle of sparkling wine which ends its run by breaking against the prow of the ship while, almost simultaneously, the ax falls on the trenches in the absolute and surreal silence of those present.
The ship slowly begins to slide on the wooden sliding surface towards the waters of the Gulf of Naples, the silence is broken by the applause, spontaneous and thunderous eruptions, of the enthusiastic people and by the deafening whistle of the sirens of the other ships in port. The Mare Nostrum, bathing the hulled metal plates with its waters, had symbolically named the training ship Amerigo Vespucci who was going to travel the first few miles of a long and glorious navigation that would have taken her, for 88 years, around the seven seas to be admired as the one that, by now everyone, is recognized as the Most beautiful ship in the world!
We just have to wish a happy birthday to the "Most Beautiful Ship in the World" which tirelessly continues to show its beauty to the world. Not only a training ship but also an ambassador of the Made in Italy and the values of the Navy.
