Viking sailboat Saga Farmann 'Winters' in Istanbul, set to revisit historic routes

By Mehmet Kara

ISTANBUL (AA) - The replica of the Viking sailboat Saga Farmann, discovered in archaeological excavations and dating back to the 10th century AD, will spend the winter in Istanbul's Golden Horn.

Saga Farmann will first be exhibited for three months at the Rahmi M. Koc Museum in maritime terms and then set sail to complete the historic trade route of the Vikings across the Mediterranean.

After a 13-week journey with a crew of 12 people, the sailboat, which arrived in Istanbul in August, will continue to stay as a guest in Istanbul during the winter season as it is not suitable to go to sea.

Completely handmade from wood and wrought iron materials, adhering to ancient techniques, Saga Farmann will undergo weekly checks by a special team at the Golden Horn Shipyard until April.

In April, the ship will set sail to the Mediterranean with the crew and technical personnel coming to the shipyard for the final maintenance work, following the historic trade route of the Vikings, reaching Norway.

It is planned for the ship to travel through the Marmara Sea and the Dardanelles Strait to Greece, the Adriatic Sea, Italy, Tunisia, France, and the coastal cities of Spain, passing through the Strait of Gibraltar and reaching its first destination, Tonsberg.

The sailboat, which arrived in Istanbul at the beginning of August with a journey of approximately 90 days, will stay in Turkish waters for a total of eight months.

- Interest of Turkish citizens in Viking

Lars Bill, the project manager and captain of the Saga Farmann sailboat, told Anadolu that the ship came following the commercial route of the Vikings to Istanbul centuries ago.

Bill, noting that they were welcomed very nicely in Istanbul and that Viking fans visited wherever they anchored, expressed their satisfaction with the interest in the museum.

"We were always welcomed very nicely in Istanbul. Vikings used to come to Miklagard [the name Vikings used for Istanbul, meaning the great city] very often for trade. We share a common history," he said.

He said he was "really surprised" by people's interest in the Vikings. "Young people went on board, felt the atmosphere, took selfies. They smelled the wood here, just like they would feel on a Viking ship a thousand years ago," Bill added.

- Return route to be similar route to the ones Vikings used

Captain Bill emphasized that the historical route of the Vikings was an inspiration and guide for them.

"We have many ideas for the return route. We will leave the Sea of Marmara and cruise along the coasts to Italy. We could go to Africa, Tunisia, like the Vikings."

"We will try to go over the Mediterranean on a route similar to the ones Vikings used. We will meet with academics, archaeologists, and experts in the places we visit and introduce the ship to people," he said.