Dar Pomorza is a Polish sailing frigate built in 1909 which is preserved in Gdynia as a museum ship. It was built in 1909 by Blohm & Voss and dedicated in 1910 by Deutscher Schulschiff-Verein as the German training ship Prinzess Eitel Friedrich. In 1920, following World War I, the ship was taken as war-reparations by Great Britain, then brought to France, where she was assigned to the seamen's school at St-Nazaire under the name 'Colbert'. The ship was then given to Baron de Forrest as compensation for the loss of a sailing yacht. Due to the high costs of refurbishing the ship, she was sold in 1929.
Still bearing the name Prinzess Eitel Friedrich, the ship was bought by the Polish community of Pomerania for £7,000, as the new training ship for the Polish Naval Academy in Gdynia. It was given the name Dar Pomorza, which means 'the gift of Pomerania'.
During the following years, Dar Pomorza was used as a training ship, receiving the nickname 'White Frigate'. In 1934-1935 it traveled around the world. During World War II the ship was interned in Stockholm. After the war she was brought to Poland and used as a training ship again.
In the 1970s Dar Pomorza took part in several Operation Sail and Cutty Sark Tall Ships' Races, winning her first race in 1972, taking the 3rd place in 1973, the 4th in 1974 and winning the 1st place and Cutty Sark Trophy in 1980. It was one of several Blohm & Voss-built tall ships, most popular in the world at that time.
Since 1983 Dar Pomorza has been a museum ship in Gdynia.
References:The Château de Foix dominates the town of Foix. An important tourist site, it is known as a centre of the Cathars. Built on an older 7th-century fortification, the castle is known from 987. In 1002, it was mentioned in the will of Roger I, Count of Carcassonne, who bequeathed the fortress to his youngest child, Bernard. In effect, the family ruling over the region were installed here which allowed them to control access to the upper Ariège valley and to keep surveillance from this strategic point over the lower land, protected behind impregnable walls.
In 1034, the castle became capital of the County of Foix and played a decisive role in medieval military history. During the two following centuries, the castle was home to Counts with shining personalities who became the soul of the Occitan resistance during the crusade against the Albigensians.