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he museum is named after its owner, and
those who know Rahmi Koç also know
that he’s not one for simple challenges. His
mission in life is salvaging classic boats,
preferably ones built before WWII and filled
with rot. These restorations have become a
trademark of his tireless philanthropic activity.
Among his jewels are the 1925 William Fife-designed
12-metre Lady Edith, the 1937 Swedish ketch Cassiopeia and
various steamers. These include a former minelayer converted
into a yacht (Gonca), the 1873 Dutch-built tugboat Rosalie, and
the UK-built launches Esra and Ysolt – launched in 1888 and
1893 respectively.
Koç is the honorary chairman of the Koç Group, a
100-company conglomerate started by his late father,
Vehbi, back in 1926. Last year the group recorded a €21
billion turnover. A passionate collector of items related to
transportation and industry, Koç’s collection eventually forced
him, in 1994, to establish his own museum to house them all.
This museum was enlarged considerably in 2001, when Koç
embraced the opportunity to restore a 19th century shipyard
located on the shores of the Golden Horn, Istanbul’s naturalT