 Liguria at anchor in 1899
| |
| History | |
|---|---|
 Italy | |
| Name | Liguria |
| Namesake | Region of Liguria |
| Builder | Gio. Ansaldo & C. |
| Laid down | 1 July 1889 |
| Launched | 8 June 1893 |
| Completed | 1 December 1894 |
| Fate | Sold for scrapping, 15 May 1920 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | Regioni-class protected cruiser |
| Displacement | |
| Length | 84.8 m (278 ft 3 in) |
| Beam | 12.03 m (39 ft 6 in) |
| Draft | 4.67 m (15 ft 4 in) |
| Installed power |
|
| Propulsion | |
| Speed | 18.1 knots (33.5 km/h; 20.8 mph) |
| Range | 2,100 nmi (3,900 km; 2,400 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) |
| Complement | 213–278 |
| Armament |
|
| Armor |
|
Liguria was a protected cruiser built for the Italian Regia Marina (Royal Navy). She was the fourth of six Regioni-class cruisers, all of which were named for regions of Italy. Liguria was built by the Ansaldo shipyard in Genoa; her keel was laid in July 1889, she was launched in June 1893, and was commissioned into the fleet in December 1894. The ship was equipped with a main armament of four 15 cm (5.9 in) and six 12 cm (4.7 in) guns, and she could steam at a speed of 18 knots (33 km/h; 21 mph).
Liguria served in a variety of roles throughout her career. She frequently was assigned to the main fleet, but in 1903–1905 she circumnavigated the world on a diplomatic and scientific mission under the Duke of the Abruzzi. In 1906, she conducted tests with coaling while at sea, and from 1908 to 1911, she was fitted with an experimental observation balloon. She saw extensive action during the Italo-Turkish War in 1911–1912. She took part in the seizure of Benghazi, provided gunfire support to the defenders of Tripoli, and conducted bombardments of Ottoman ports in western Libya and the Red Sea coast of Arabia. She was still in service during World War I as a training ship, but she did not see action during the conflict. Liguria was eventually sold for scrap in May 1921.