Ninetieth Anniversary of the Admiral Padilla Naval Academy
Posted: Tue Sep 02, 2025 2:25 pm
The Admiral Padilla Naval Academy (ENAP) is the alma mater of Colombia’s naval officers, as well as the training center for Marine Corps and Merchant Navy officers. Located in the historic city of Cartagena de Indias, this academy educates the men and women of the Colombian Navy who safeguard sovereignty across the nation’s seas and rivers. Through its diverse academic and professional programs, ENAP prepares future naval leaders, officers, and personnel of the Colombian Merchant Marine.
The commemorative stamp features a symbolic design created for this important milestone. In the foreground, it depicts a whaleboat being rowed, while in the background cadets are shown practicing aboard a vessel equipped with two masts and sails. The mast also displays the flag of Colombia, proudly flown from the Admiral Padilla Naval Academy.
Beyond the stamp, the artwork includes a portrait of Admiral Padilla, inspired by a famous oil painting by Colombian artist and naval cadet Aníbal Endera, as well as diverse maritime figures that symbolize Colombia’s naval tradition.
The whaleboat holds a special place in naval training. Since 1947, wooden whaleboats built with clinker planking have been used to instill seamanship, leadership, and teamwork among future naval officers. Originally introduced from England for the training of Colombian Navy cadets, these boats continue to play a vital role in the academy’s curriculum. Today, the Naval Academy operates 11 whaleboats, both rowing and sailing, which are employed for cadets’ seamanship training and as preparation for their final year aboard the ARC Gloria, the nation’s flagship training vessel.
In 2025, the Academy launched its first fiberglass whaleboat, marking the beginning of a new chapter in naval training. This modern vessel, lighter yet equally reliable, measures 8.75 meters in length, 2.5 meters in beam, 0.70 meters in depth, and 0.40 meters in draft, with an approximate weight of 800 kilograms.
Colombia 2025, $20.000 pesos colombianos
Sources: - Wikipedia – Escuela Naval de Cadetes Almirante Padilla: https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Escuela_N ... te_Padilla
Official Facebook page of the Admiral Padilla Naval Academy -
https://www.4-72.com.co/publicaciones/1 ... e-padilla/
The commemorative stamp features a symbolic design created for this important milestone. In the foreground, it depicts a whaleboat being rowed, while in the background cadets are shown practicing aboard a vessel equipped with two masts and sails. The mast also displays the flag of Colombia, proudly flown from the Admiral Padilla Naval Academy.
Beyond the stamp, the artwork includes a portrait of Admiral Padilla, inspired by a famous oil painting by Colombian artist and naval cadet Aníbal Endera, as well as diverse maritime figures that symbolize Colombia’s naval tradition.
The whaleboat holds a special place in naval training. Since 1947, wooden whaleboats built with clinker planking have been used to instill seamanship, leadership, and teamwork among future naval officers. Originally introduced from England for the training of Colombian Navy cadets, these boats continue to play a vital role in the academy’s curriculum. Today, the Naval Academy operates 11 whaleboats, both rowing and sailing, which are employed for cadets’ seamanship training and as preparation for their final year aboard the ARC Gloria, the nation’s flagship training vessel.
In 2025, the Academy launched its first fiberglass whaleboat, marking the beginning of a new chapter in naval training. This modern vessel, lighter yet equally reliable, measures 8.75 meters in length, 2.5 meters in beam, 0.70 meters in depth, and 0.40 meters in draft, with an approximate weight of 800 kilograms.
Colombia 2025, $20.000 pesos colombianos
Sources: - Wikipedia – Escuela Naval de Cadetes Almirante Padilla: https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Escuela_N ... te_Padilla
Official Facebook page of the Admiral Padilla Naval Academy -
https://www.4-72.com.co/publicaciones/1 ... e-padilla/