Yenikapı 12 shipwreck will come to life again

The Yenikapı 12 shipwreck will come to life again: A copy of the shipwreck called "Yenikapı 12", which was found in the archaeological excavations carried out in Marmaray and metro projects in Istanbul, is aimed to be launched next year.

The boat named "Yenikapı 37", which is among the 12 works considered as the "largest ship collection in the world", which was unearthed during the archaeological excavations carried out within the scope of Marmaray and metro projects in Istanbul, will come to life once its copy is completed.

A copy of the 9,64 meter-long and 2,60 meter-wide boat, which is considered to be of medieval age, is expected to be launched next year.

Istanbul University (IU) Faculty of Letters, Department of Conservation of Underwater Culture Residues and IU Yenikapı Shipwrecks Project, Assoc. Dr. Ufuk Kocabaş reminded that in the excavations that started in Yenikapı in 2004, there were 37 wooden boats and ship remains beside thousands of works.

Expressing that the boats built between the 5th and 10th centuries AD were accepted as the “largest collection of sunken ships in the world”, Kocabaş stated that Yenikapı shipwrecks, which contain the technology of a little-known period, reached today in a very solid condition.

Kocabaş shared the information that the original size copy of the sunken boat 12 in Yenikapı will be built within the scope of the project initiated within the framework of the Cross Border Cooperation Program in the ENPI Black Sea Basin.

Kocabas, said:

“We will make a copy of Yenikapı 12 with the budget provided to us from this project. A 55-euro grant was provided from the EU project. We are thinking of preparing a documentary and creating an archive by viewing the production process from start to finish. Replika will be launched in 2016 after its completion, and 'Yenikapı 12' will continue its life in the seas for a different purpose by providing its visitors with a wonderful cruise experience on the medieval boat. The reconstruction of the ship will draw attention to the rich maritime culture of the city and will provide the opportunity to witness a thousand years of maritime traditions. Preliminary preparations are completed, we will do the construction in a shipyard.