Calling on businesses to convert Atatürk’s yacht
Güncelleme Tarihi:
Anatolia News Agency
Oluşturulma Tarihi: Mayıs 23, 2009 00:00
ISTANBUL - After the association made a call on the business world to purchase the Savarona yacht to convert it into a museum, the businessman who signed a 49-year lease for the Savarona in the 1980s says he is open to the project
Başaran Ulusoy, president of the Turkish Association of Travel Agents, calls on organizations from the business world to purchase the Savarona yacht, where Atatürk resided for six weeks, and turn it into a museum. Representatives of Turkey’s business world have been asked to contribute to the conversion of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk’s beloved presidential yacht into a museum.
The founder of the Turkish Republic lived on the Savarona yacht for almost six weeks toward the end of his life, while he was residing in Dolmabahçe Palace. "Our ancestor’s belongings are there as they were before. There is even a drop of his blood. Let us buy it and give it to the ministry to anchor in front of Dolmabahçe as a museum," Başaran Ulusoy, president of the Turkish Association of Travel Agents, or TÜRSAB, told members of leading business organizations.
The yacht saved by owner
The business organizations included the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey, or TOBB; the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce, or İTO; the Istanbul Chamber of Industry, or İSO; and the Turkish Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association, or TÜSİAD.
Ulusoy said he is often asked why the historic yacht, which was so beloved by Atatürk, has not been bought by tourism industry representatives and turned into a museum. "At the moment, it is sitting there at Kuruçeşme. It is fortunate that Kahraman Sadıkoğlu, its owner, saved it from becoming scrap metal at the time. I say, TOBB, İTO, TÜSİAD, İSO, the syndicates and the tourism sector, let us all purchase it and donate it to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism to be turned into a museum." Ulusoy added that if those organizations do not become involved, a national campaign will be planned.
Hosting world leaders
If the ministry turns it into a museum, the president and the prime minister may host visiting world leaders there, according to Ulusoy. "I hope Mr. Sadıkoğlu will show understanding about this project. To save this yacht, which Atatürk spent some of his last days on, is a very holy mission. Right now, the reminder of Atatürk is crying by the shore," he said.
Kahraman Sadıkoğlu, the businessman who signed a lease for 49 years for the Savarona in the 1980s and saved it from being scrapped, said he would not say "no" to such a project. "Let our minister of culture and tourism come and see it. Only the front of Dolmabahçe is worthy of this boat," he said. "If I receive such an offer, of course I would be sympathetic toward it. I have spent approximately $45 million up to this day. I still have the right of usage for 30 years."
Sadıkoğlu said that if Savarona became a museum, it would attract more tourists than Dolmabahçe Palace. "Our ancestor’s bed, bed sheets, luggage, cabinets, two handkerchiefs, even his blood is there Ğ dropped during a bloodletting. His cigarette, rakı, glass, barber chair Ğ they are all genuine. There is his passport, tie and bedcover."
Sadıkoğlu said there was ordinary modern furniture in the bedroom when he rented the yacht, but he bought the original furniture back from a general who took them for himself at the time.
CHARACTERISTICS OF THE YACHT
The Savarona is 136 meters long. Its mast is 16 meters, and its ship girder is 61 meters long. Its highest speed is 18 sea knots. It was built in the shipyards of Blohm & Voss in Hamburg in 1931.
Sadıkoğlu told the story of saving Savarona in 1989 as such: "The Navy was transferring it to the Mechanical and Chemical Industry Corporation for $6,000 as salvage. When I heard of it, I said that was a shame and wanted to buy it. They said, ’We cannot give it to the private sector.’" Sadıkoğlu then called the Finance Minister Adnan Kahveci, who told him to call Güneş Taner or Turgut Özal, the minister of state and the prime minister in 1989. Finally, Özal intervened and allowed the boat to go on bid for 49 years using the "build-operate-transfer" system. "The German firm Blohm & Voss, Net Tourism and I had entered the bid. I renovated it at my own shipyard in two and a half years with a crew of 600."
Flue dust on Edward VII
Edward VII, king of the United Kingdom and the British dominions and Emperor of India at the time, visited Istanbul in 1938 and was hosted by Atatürk on the state yacht Ertuğrul. While on the yacht, flue dust from the yacht’s chimney dirtied the king’s white flannel and caused Atatürk to give the order to purchase a new yacht.
The Savarona was anchored in front of Dolmabahçe Palace on May 31, 1938, and Atatürk moved into the yacht the next day. The founder of the Turkish Republic was sick, and he believed sea air would improve his health. Atatürk stayed on the Savarona for six weeks.
The founder of the Turkish Republic lived on the Savarona yacht for almost six weeks toward the end of his life, while he was residing in Dolmabahçe Palace. "Our ancestor’s belongings are there as they were before. There is even a drop of his blood. Let us buy it and give it to the ministry to anchor in front of Dolmabahçe as a museum," Başaran Ulusoy, president of the Turkish Association of Travel Agents, or TÜRSAB, told members of leading business organizations.
The yacht saved by owner
The business organizations included the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey, or TOBB; the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce, or İTO; the Istanbul Chamber of Industry, or İSO; and the Turkish Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association, or TÜSİAD.
Ulusoy said he is often asked why the historic yacht, which was so beloved by Atatürk, has not been bought by tourism industry representatives and turned into a museum. "At the moment, it is sitting there at Kuruçeşme. It is fortunate that Kahraman Sadıkoğlu, its owner, saved it from becoming scrap metal at the time. I say, TOBB, İTO, TÜSİAD, İSO, the syndicates and the tourism sector, let us all purchase it and donate it to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism to be turned into a museum." Ulusoy added that if those organizations do not become involved, a national campaign will be planned.
Hosting world leaders
If the ministry turns it into a museum, the president and the prime minister may host visiting world leaders there, according to Ulusoy. "I hope Mr. Sadıkoğlu will show understanding about this project. To save this yacht, which Atatürk spent some of his last days on, is a very holy mission. Right now, the reminder of Atatürk is crying by the shore," he said.
Kahraman Sadıkoğlu, the businessman who signed a lease for 49 years for the Savarona in the 1980s and saved it from being scrapped, said he would not say "no" to such a project. "Let our minister of culture and tourism come and see it. Only the front of Dolmabahçe is worthy of this boat," he said. "If I receive such an offer, of course I would be sympathetic toward it. I have spent approximately $45 million up to this day. I still have the right of usage for 30 years."
Sadıkoğlu said that if Savarona became a museum, it would attract more tourists than Dolmabahçe Palace. "Our ancestor’s bed, bed sheets, luggage, cabinets, two handkerchiefs, even his blood is there Ğ dropped during a bloodletting. His cigarette, rakı, glass, barber chair Ğ they are all genuine. There is his passport, tie and bedcover."
Sadıkoğlu said there was ordinary modern furniture in the bedroom when he rented the yacht, but he bought the original furniture back from a general who took them for himself at the time.
CHARACTERISTICS OF THE YACHT
The Savarona is 136 meters long. Its mast is 16 meters, and its ship girder is 61 meters long. Its highest speed is 18 sea knots. It was built in the shipyards of Blohm & Voss in Hamburg in 1931.
Sadıkoğlu told the story of saving Savarona in 1989 as such: "The Navy was transferring it to the Mechanical and Chemical Industry Corporation for $6,000 as salvage. When I heard of it, I said that was a shame and wanted to buy it. They said, ’We cannot give it to the private sector.’" Sadıkoğlu then called the Finance Minister Adnan Kahveci, who told him to call Güneş Taner or Turgut Özal, the minister of state and the prime minister in 1989. Finally, Özal intervened and allowed the boat to go on bid for 49 years using the "build-operate-transfer" system. "The German firm Blohm & Voss, Net Tourism and I had entered the bid. I renovated it at my own shipyard in two and a half years with a crew of 600."
Flue dust on Edward VII
Edward VII, king of the United Kingdom and the British dominions and Emperor of India at the time, visited Istanbul in 1938 and was hosted by Atatürk on the state yacht Ertuğrul. While on the yacht, flue dust from the yacht’s chimney dirtied the king’s white flannel and caused Atatürk to give the order to purchase a new yacht.
The Savarona was anchored in front of Dolmabahçe Palace on May 31, 1938, and Atatürk moved into the yacht the next day. The founder of the Turkish Republic was sick, and he believed sea air would improve his health. Atatürk stayed on the Savarona for six weeks.