Türkiye’s maritime heritage in ‘Miniature Shipyard’

MUĞLA

Diver and instructor Murat Demirci turned his childhood dream of building model ships into a professional craft in the Milas district of the western province of Muğla, bringing Türkiye’s maritime history to life through miniature replicas.

Living in the Güllük neighborhood, Demirci mastered model making over two years after starting it as a hobby. He closely studies historically significant ships, boats, and rowboats from Turkish maritime history, recreating them with original materials.

His collection spans the iconic Bodrum gulet (wooden sailing yacht) and tirhandil (Bodrum-style sailing boat), sponge-diving boats, historic rowboats from Istanbul, and modern coast guard vessels, totaling around 50 miniature ships that attract widespread attention.

Describing model making as a painstaking craft, Demirci told AA, “It is like digging a well with a needle. Before starting a model, I conduct extensive archival research, obtain authentic materials, and construct pieces sometimes only millimeters in size. Even the slightest mistake can waste months of work.”

Seeing his craft as a matter of “national consciousness,” Demirci’s greatest ambition is to assemble a comprehensive collection reflecting Turkey’s maritime history. He hopes to present the works in an exhibition, saying, “These models provide a visual memory of our national maritime history, especially for young people. Every day, I return to my workbench to complete another piece. In my miniature shipyard, I will continue working to carry this heritage into the future.”