Power beyond the battle line

Armored Cruisers

Built for fleet reconnaissance, overseas command and independent operations, these cruisers grew from protected designs into powerful ships that approached the first battlecruisers.

15 ships in 8 design groups

A type in rapid evolution

From Kaiserin Augusta to Blücher

German large-cruiser development balanced range, speed, armor and heavy guns. Overseas flagships gave way to fleet scouts before turbine-powered battlecruisers made the traditional armored cruiser obsolete.

Kaiserin Augusta designVictoria Louise classFürst Bismarck classPrinz Heinrich classPrinz Adalbert classRoon classScharnhorst classBlücher class
Profile of Kaiserin Augusta

Kaiserin Augusta protected cruiser

Kaiserin Augusta

1895–1920
A pioneering fast cruiser served overseas, trained gunners and remained useful through the First World War.Explore ship →
Profile of Victoria Louise

Victoria Louise protected cruiser

Victoria Louise

1899–1923
Victoria Louise led a class that served abroad before becoming an important generation of cadet training ships.Explore ship →
Profile of Victoria Louise

Victoria Louise protected cruiser

Herta

1898–1920
Herta combined East Asia service and international deployments with a second career training naval cadets.Explore ship →
Profile of Victoria Louise

Victoria Louise protected cruiser

Freya

1898–1921
Freya overcame early machinery problems to become one of the Imperial Navy's principal training cruisers.Explore ship →
Profile of Victoria Louise

Victoria Louise protected cruiser

Vineta

1899–1920
Vineta ranged from the Americas to East Asia before spending her later years as a training cruiser.Explore ship →
Profile of Victoria Louise

Victoria Louise protected cruiser

Hansa

1899–1920
Hansa served with the East Asia Squadron and later trained cadets for Germany's growing battle fleet.Explore ship →
Profile of Fürst Bismarck

Fürst Bismarck large cruiser

Fürst Bismarck

1900–1919
Germany's first armored cruiser became the long-serving flagship of the East Asia Squadron.Explore ship →
Profile of Prinz Heinrich

Prinz Heinrich armored cruiser

Prinz Heinrich

1902–1920
Prinz Heinrich introduced the fleet-oriented armored cruiser that led directly to Germany's later large cruisers.Explore ship →
Profile of Prinz Adalbert

Prinz Adalbert armored cruiser

Prinz Adalbert

1904–1915
Prinz Adalbert trained gunners before wartime Baltic service exposed armored cruisers to the submarine threat.Explore ship →
Profile of Prinz Adalbert

Prinz Adalbert armored cruiser

Friedrich Carl

1903–1914
Friedrich Carl served as a torpedo training ship before mines ended her brief wartime Baltic deployment.Explore ship →
Profile of Roon

Roon armored cruiser

Roon

1906–1921
Roon served with the scouting forces and in the Baltic before age and vulnerability forced her withdrawal.Explore ship →
Profile of Roon

Roon armored cruiser

Yorck

1905–1914
Yorck's active career ended when a navigation error carried her into a German minefield in November 1914.Explore ship →
Profile of Scharnhorst

Scharnhorst armored cruiser

Scharnhorst

1907–1914
Scharnhorst led the East Asia Squadron to victory at Coronel and destruction off the Falkland Islands.Explore ship →
Profile of Scharnhorst

Scharnhorst armored cruiser

Gneisenau

1908–1914
Gneisenau fought beside Scharnhorst from East Asia through Coronel to the squadron's last battle at the Falklands.Explore ship →
Profile of Blücher

Blücher large armored cruiser

Blücher

1909–1915
Blücher was a formidable armored cruiser, but battlecruiser opponents overwhelmed her at Dogger Bank.Explore ship →