"In 1907 the navy of the dualist, multinational Austro-Hungarian Empire placed an order for a new class of warships, whose design was based on the "all big gun" concept pioneered by HMS Dreadnought. Eventually four Tegetthoff class vessels were laid down, including the flagship Viribus Unitis, Tegetthoff, Prinz Eugen and Szent István. The last warship of the class was not completed until well into World War I. The vessels' careers were not especially eventful. They spent most of their service lives as a "fleet in being" anchored in a well-protected port of Pola with only occasional trips to the Fazana Channel (well-screened by Brijuni Islands) for gunnery practice. During the war the ships were manned mainly by reservists, while the most promising and experienced members of their crews were detached to serve onboard submarines or torpedo boats, or assigned to land-based units. The second ship of the class (Viribus Unitis) ended her career in rather dramatic circumstances, which is why she perhaps deserves a more detailed treatment." - Super Drawings in 3D by Friedrich Prasky and Andrew Wilkie.

This website is dedicated to the battleship Viribus Unitis and her sister ships, detailing their history, design and fate. Also included, is an explanation of the preliminary battleship and battlecruiser designs of the Austro-Hungarian Navy. Content on this website is a collaboration of many historians of whom I am very grateful for their assistance & friendship, today and over the past years. May the history of this not so well know ship be kept alive by those whose keen fascination drives them to share what they know.

Thank you for visiting www.ViribusUnitis.ca.