Text and photo by Maarten Janssen
According to local Turkish newspaper reports, the Turkish Culture and Tourism Ministry has applied to buy superyacht Savarona, and turn it into a museum and venue to host foreign officials.
The 135.95 metre Savarona was built in 1931 by Blohm & Voss for Mrs. Emily Roebling Cadwalader,at a cost of $4 million, a huge figure in those days. In 1938 she was purchased by the Turkish government and was presented to Mustapha Kemal Atatürk. In the late eighties Savarona's faith was uncertain, and she was laid up to be scrapped. A Turkish ship owner saved her, and completely restored her.
Donald Starkey Designs were involved in the refit, and created a highly luxurious interior. Amongst her many new features were an 80 square metre Turkish hamam, made out of 65 tons of marble. To give you an idea of her size, her sun deck alone measures 550 square metres, and there is a 300 square metre aft deck.