Turkish navy stages parade along Istanbul’s Bosphorus

ISTANBUL

Selected units of the Turkish Navy staged a grand parade along Istanbul’s Bosphorus on Aug. 24, as part of the maritime edition of Türkiye’s largest technology festival, Teknofest.

A total of nine vessels — including the flagship amphibious assault ship TCG Anadolu, the historic yacht TCG Savarona and submarine TCG Hızırreis — sailed along the Bosphorus in a striking show of naval strength and heritage.

The procession began in Sarıyer and followed a route through Tarabya, Rumeli Hisarı, Kandilli, Bebek and Ortaköy before reaching Dolmabahçe, where President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan received the naval salute.

The fleet then proceeded toward the shores of the Asian side’s Moda, Caddebostan and Maltepe, concluding the day’s pageantry.

The maritime spectacle marked the opening of Teknofest’s “Blue Homeland” segment, which will continue on Aug. 30–31 at the Istanbul Naval Shipyard Command. The Blue Homeland doctrine envisions Türkiye’s sovereignty across its territorial waters and maritime zones, and forms the conceptual backbone of the event.

One of the parade’s most notable highlights was the participation of Savarona, the yacht of modern Türkiye founder Mustafa Kemal Atatürk.

After an extensive restoration, the vessel rejoined the fleet for the first time in decades. Departing from the Istanbul Naval Shipyard on the evening of Aug. 23, the yacht welcomed 13 students in Sarıyer, offering them a tour and a presentation on the vessel’s history and restoration.

Savarona carries profound historical significance as onboard are personal belongings of Atatürk, including the suitcase in which he transported his books from one front to another, the coverlet stained during his illness and his desk.

The yacht bore witness to his final days and hosted several high-level meetings during that period. After Atatürk’s passing in 1938, Savarona was rarely used until 1951, when it was assigned to the Turkish Navy.

Between 1951 and 1986, it served naval duties before being set aside once again. In 2013, the vessel was allocated for use by President Erdoğan, and since 2015, it has been preserved and restored at the Istanbul Naval Shipyard.

Meanwhile, Türkiye’s first domestically produced assault ship, TCG Anadolu, completed its “Journey of Victory,” a symbolic voyage that began in the northwestern province of Çanakkale in honor of the 954th anniversary of the Battle of Manzikert and the upcoming Victory Day on Aug. 30. The vessel joined the Bosphorus parade as the culmination of its commemorative mission.

This year marks the 954th anniversary of the Battle of Manzikert in 1071, a decisive Seljuk triumph that opened Anatolia to Turkish settlement. Later this week, Türkiye will also observe Victory Day on Aug. 30, commemorating the pivotal 1922 military triumph that sealed the Turkish War of Independence, with official ceremonies and celebrations planned across all provinces.