World's oldest warship returns to Boston Harbor after restoration

July 24 (UPI) -- The USS Constitution, the War of 1812 warship known as "Old Ironsides," returned to Boston Harbor after completion of a 26-month restoration.

Billed as the world's oldest commissioned warship still afloat, the ship left dry dock in the Charlestown, Mass., Navy Yard and slid into the water after high tide on Sunday evening, after a day of celebration.

An all-day event Sunday to mark the occasion included knot-tying and model shipbuilding booths, a live band, and other elements of a maritime atmosphere, the Boston Globe reported.

The ship, now 219 years old and a historic icon of the U.S. Navy's mission, undergoes restoration every 20 years.