About Us
Seeing Istanbul from a different perspective, through the eyes of the sultans…
The “Sultan Boats” project started in September 2002, and by the end of April 2003, three boats were launched into the sea. The replicas were produced to be identical to the originals, ensuring every detail was meticulously crafted by skilled boat artisans. All the woodcarving, painting, and gilding work is done by hand.
Projects we support:
- Give Kids the World; World Passport for Kids
- Peace through Tourism
Experience
History
Once upon a time, there were boatmen who worked under the supervision of the Dock Master, ferrying passengers with fez hats and umbrellas across the Golden Horn, from Galata to Eminönü, from Hasköy to Balat, all day long. It is said that until the late 19th century, there were about 10,000 of these boatmen. In addition to being a means of transportation, boat excursions were regarded as the most enjoyable and beautiful form of Ottoman entertainment. In fact, boat trips served as inspiration for many Ottoman artists and became the subject of songs and poems.
During the Ottoman period, the boats were named according to their purpose and users. There was a hierarchy among the boats, with the one carrying the Sultan occupying the highest position. Only the Sultan himself, his mother, wives, and children could use this boat. It was so magnificent that it symbolized the sovereignty, power, and strength of the empire.
A French count described this boat as having waters that cut like a sword, with mesmerizing beauty. He referred to the gilded wooden decorations as craftsmanship and magnificence. He wrote about the golden bird, symbol of the empire, at the front of the boat, the pavilion resembling the Sultan’s throne, and the jewels embedded in the ceiling.
Every week, before the Sultan embarked on a pleasure trip, cannons were fired from the armed ships in the harbor, from the Maiden’s Tower, and from the shores to clear the way for the imperial boat, while numerous palace boats set sail. When the Ottoman people heard the sound of the cannons and saw the procession of boats, they would gather to greet the Sultan.
Abdul Hamid arrived at his coronation ceremony at Dolmabahçe Palace in a Sultan Boat. However, after the events of the two dethronements, he moved to Yıldız Palace on the hills and, during his 33-year reign, all the splendid boats were left to decay in the boatyard of Dolmabahçe Palace.
When Mehmet V Reşat (1909-1918) ascended the throne, he attempted to revive the tradition of the Sultan Boat. However, with the decline of the Empire, the manufacturing of steamships and automobiles led to a shift of settlements towards the hills, and the boats became a forgotten part of the city.
Until the year 2002, the Sultan Boat had not seen the waters of Istanbul…