On a river which launched some of the world’s greatest ships, the freakish circular yacht built for Russian royalty, its opulent interior stuffed with tapestries, winter gardens and twinkling fountain, was surely one of the most unusual. To some, it resembled a turbot with a yacht perched on top. Almost as broad as it was long, its three funnels sat in a horizontal line overshadowing a deck strewn with plants and fancy palms.
If the exterior was eye-catching, inside was jaw-dropping. Side view of the Livadia, built in Govan for the House of Romanov It had all the plush trappings of a 19th century Imperial palace, with fine art on the walls and a marble fountain carved by the firm that created Glasgow City Chambers’ grand entrance hall. A floating treasure house, even the Livadia’s bedposts were gilded with gold.
As Tsar Alexander II’s incredible circular yacht, constructed on unsinkable and anti-rolling principles to help soothe his seasickness, departed Govan, the man who had overseen its construction puffed out his chest with pride. A floating treasure house, even the Livadia’s bedposts were gilded with gold. As Tsar Alexander II’s incredible circular yacht, constructed on unsinkable and anti-rolling principles to help soothe his seasickness, departed Govan, the man who had overseen its construction puffed out his chest with pride.
Surely this unique design proved there was not a vessel which could not be built by the Fairfield yard on the mighty Clyde? Then und.