From riches to rags to restoration: Savarona's refit history

When she first hit the water on 28 February 1931, the regal 135.94-metre Blohm & Voss superyacht Savarona was the world’s largest yacht. What ensued for the German-built motor yacht was nearly a century worth of prominence, demolition, abandonment, scandal, and resurrection. 

The yacht was originally designed for American heiress Emily Roebling Cadwalader, granddaughter of John A. Roebling, who was an engineer of the Brooklyn Bridge. She nonetheless belonged to a range of owners throughout her history, including founder of modern-day Türkiye, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk.

Christened after an African swan living in the Indian Ocean, Savarona features exterior design crafted by Cox & Stevens, while her interior styling stems from the drawing boards of London-based studio Donald Starkey Designs. 

Described as “probably the most sumptuously fitted yacht afloat” by Janes Fighting Ships in 1949, the yacht even made an appearance on the big screen, alongside a star studded cast in the 1934 German science-fiction film Gold.

After spending seven serene years in the ownership of Cadwalader, Savarona was purchased by the Turkish government in 1938, and gifted to the country’s then ailing president, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. 

Following the late president’s death in November of that year, just six weeks after obtaining the yacht, Savarona’s glory days were seemingly behind her. The once majestic watercraft was left to gather dust in Kanlıca Bay on the Bosporus throughout World War II.

However, by 1951, the tide was beginning to turn for Savarona, as she was converted and repurposed to the training ship Güneş Dil, which translates to “Sun Language” in English, going on to explore the globe for the next 28 years. 

Unfortunately, disaster struck for Savarona once again in October 1979, when a fire broke out onboard the Turkish navy school ship off Heybeliada Island in the Sea of Marmara, leaving her ravaged beyond use.

Now only a shell of her erstwhile self, the demolished superyacht was deserted and virtually forgotten over the course of the next decade. It wasn’t until 1989 that Savarona became the centre of any attention, when she was chartered for 49 years by Turkish businessman Kahraman Sadıkoğlu. Sadıkoğlu undertook an extensive refurbishment of the vessel, restoring her to her former glory. 

Carried out at Tuzla Shipyards, the thorough three-year rebuild saw Savarona’s original steam turbine engines get replaced by modern Caterpillar diesel engines. Her updated engines propel the superyacht to a cruising speed of 16 knots along with a top speed of 18 knots. 

The refit breathed new life into the superyacht’s interiors, so that she could play host to the rich and famous across her 16 guest staterooms, in order to preserve the memory of her best known owner, President Atatürk.

In addition to her new luxurious accommodation, Savarona was now home to a Turkish bath, a movie theatre, and a library suite, which paid tribute to the late Atatürk through the presence of several of his personal artefacts, including his handkerchief and gloves. Meanwhile, the standout 86-metre gold-trimmed, grand staircase from Savarona’s previous life still remained following this refit. 

Other notably lavish features onboard Savarona were her helipad, Jacuzzi’s, swimming pool, water sports facilities catering to water-skiing, jetskiing, scuba diving, windsurfing and sailing, along with her well-appointed fitness centre. 

However, the luxury craft came under fire in the autumn of 2010, when she made the headlines in several media outlets, such as The Guardian and Sky News, reporting on the alleged presence of underage sex workers onboard.

Following this scandal, the lease contract was rescinded, giving the Turkish government ownership of Savarona yet again, despite the fact that Sadıkoğlu denied the allegations. It wasn’t until August 2014 that Savarona would be ready for official use again, after a 10-month restoration period. This refit involved the renewal of her electronic devices and installations, as she was fitted with the latest technology. Additionally, Savarona’s capacious saloon was redecorated to accommodate new seating and dining arrangements, making her ideal for hosting larger social gatherings. 

On 4 March, 2014, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan hosted the first official reception on board, which involved a cruise along the Bosporus with his guest, the Bosnian politician Bakir Izetbegović. 

Most recently, Savarona benefitted from nearly a year-long refit at the Istanbul Shipyard Command’s drydock as part of the recommissioning efforts launched by the Turkish Naval Forces. The drydocking maintenance and repair operations first commenced in September 2023, and the historic superyacht was relaunched in the summer of 2024.

According to Turkish media reports, the Naval Forces had discovered asbestos in the coatings, circuits, and insulation of Savarona during their 2023 repair works. Not only that, but materials failing to meet certain quality standards were present in the vessel’s electric cables and pipe circuits. In light of these flaws, the Istanbul Shipyard Command proceeded to decontaminate the affected areas in late November 2023. Furthermore, Savarona’s twin Caterpillar engines and the machine control system were overhauled during the comprehensive maintenance and repair work carried out by the shipyard personnel.

According to local media outlets, the Defense Ministry announced that moving forward, Savarona would be used for the sea training of Naval Academy students. Thus, in spite of her repurposing and refurbishing, as well as her many trials and tribulations, the legacy of the historic superyacht Savarona continues to live on.