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The world’s biggest yachts – what’s behind the growth of the gigayacht

• Helen Fretter
• March 14, 2017

The last few years have seen launches of some of the world's largest yachts, truly gigayachts. Helen Fretter delves into the world of the gigayacht

Dwarfing not only any other yacht that happened to be on the River Eider, but even the buildings along the foreshore, the monolithic Sailing Yacht A made quite an impression when she was launched from the Nobriskrug yard in Hamburg in the autumn of 2016.

The 142m, eight-deck behemoth is the archetypal ‘gigayacht’, phenomenal not just in her dimensions but also in her radicalism.

The Philippe Starck-designed Sailing Yacht A , with her 20m freeboard, begs the question: is she even a sailing yacht? The last yacht to divide opinion, and attract the shock and awe of the non-sailing public in the same manner was Maltese Falcon , the glossy, experimental megayacht designed for Silicon Valley venture capitalist Tom Perkins.

But the Falcon was launched a decade ago, and Sailing Yacht A is just one of a crop of extraordinary gigayachts, or sailing superyachts of 80, 90 or 100m plus, to touch the water in 2016.

Besides the 142m Sailing Yacht A , another three-masted design was launched from OceanCo this autumn, the 106m  Black Pearl , which looks set to become the largest sailing yacht in the world – for a while at least. Black Pearl represents a modern evolution of the rotating Dynarig pioneered by Maltese Falcon . Meanwhile in the spring, the largest Bermudan rigged yacht ever launched, the 86m ketch Aquijo , powered through sail trials in preparation for a global adventure.

There are more in the pipeline also. Royal Huisman announced this autumn that they had been commissioned to design and build the 86m Project 400 , another three masted design, this one more conventionally rigged. A proposal for the 114m Endurance has just been unveiled, an explorer concept designed to be able to cruise unassisted for three months. There is also the 86m Komorebi , an experimental wingsail-assisted hybrid trimaran design from the French multihull experts VPLP.

Rise and rise of the gigayacht

Why the sudden flurry of these stratospherically ambitious projects? In truth, it is not that sudden – initial pitches for what ultimately became Sailing Yacht A were invited back in 2008, and pre-studies began in 2011. A decade between projects seems rather shorter when design and build takes at least five years – gigayacht owners may be exacting, but they also have to be extraordinarily patient.

The 141m four-masted Dream Symphony is currently in build out of wood in Turkey, and includes vast living accommodation, and a swimming pool that converts to become a helipad platform.

What is remarkable, though, is how rapidly the yachts have grown in size – raising the upper ceiling from 88 to over 140m in a decade. Dutch naval architecture firm Dykstra has been instrumental in many of the world’s most innovative megayachts, including Sailing Yacht A , Black Pearl , and Maltese Falcon .

Managing director Thys Nikkels comments, “Ten years ago a big boat was a very different size than a big boat is now. I can still remember when I started working in ’91 a 40-metre yacht in those days was a big boat. In the mid-90s we started to design the yacht Athena , which we thought was the biggest boat we were ever going to see in our lives, as a sailing yacht she was 80 metres on the water.”

The largest single sloop rigged yacht in the world remains Mirabella V , launched back in 2003 and since renamed (and slightly lengthened during a refit) M5 at just over 77m. Rob Doyle, who worked on the project led by Ron Holland, recalls:

“We started designing her 17 years ago now. We hit a very natural sweet spot with Mirabella and that’s why it has taken so long for other boats to suddenly go over her length and over her rig height.

“ Mirabella still has the highest ‘P’ measurement [distance from boom to top of mast] and the longest boom in the world, though there are taller masts now.

“She set a bar and we didn’t realise we’d actually set it. It came down to a ratio of the rig weight to the draught and the keel weights, and everything else to be able to carry that amount of sail and that ballast to satisfy the rules.

“We pushed technology a lot – about 16 companies went bust over Mirabella  because the jump was so massive. We were jumping from a 64m to a 75m [yacht] and that jump was like learning to fly, then going to the moon!”

Article continues below

Video of Sailing Yacht A, the world’s largest sail-assisted vessel, during early sea trials

This video footage of Sailing Yacht A shows her with her towering free-standing masts and illustrates the jaw-dropping scale of the world’s…

A look on board the extraordinary 86m Aquijo, the world’s largest ketch

The largest Bermudan rigged ketch ever launched, the 86m Aquijo was designed by Bill Tripp and launched last year. The build came…

Ken Freivokh, who was responsible for the radical styling of Maltese Falcon , also points out that after the much publicised launch of the Falcon many buyers did not want to be seen to be emulating Tom Perkins’s unique style, preferring to wait, or opt for a conservative design. After the Falcon , Freivokh’s next radical Dynarig yacht was Black Pearl , which he began work on six years ago. At 106m Black Pearl dwarfs Maltese Falcon , with a 2,700GT volume that puts her just under the key 3,000GT limit.

Surprisingly, Dykstra’s Thys Nikkels says that the Dynarigs being built today are not markedly different to the one developed for Maltese Falcon a decade ago. “In concept it is not very different. In detail there are a number of improvements that have been made.

But Maltese Falcon was – for her time – years far ahead and she proved to be very successful in sail handling and sailing, so there are not many improvements to be done. Nowadays you just have different materials you can use, or different electronics and software systems that you can use for control.”

Maltese Falcon, launched in 2006, pioneered the Dynarig concept utilised on many of the next generation of larger gigayachts.

Sail handling

Meanwhile a decade of development in superyacht rigs and sail systems, means that Aquijo ’s owner could opt for a conventional ketch rig, which can deploy over 3,000m2 of sails in around six minutes.

Sail handling routines are necessarily different – the jib is furled when tacking. “Vitters organised a nice system that keeps just a nice amount of tension on the jib sheets furling in and out so that they are not flailing about,” explains Aquijo ’s designer, Bill Tripp. “So it’s not a dinghy tack, but it is safe and orderly.

“The spinnaker is on a fast furler and furls up in 30 seconds, making gybes less complex. There is the ketch choreography of bringing the main and mizzen in, but the steering is precise and there is no need to put too much sail up for the conditions.”

Aquijo master cabin

The forces generated on yachts such as Aquijo may be enormous – mast compression can reach around 580 tons – but are no longer beyond the realms of riggers’ experience. “When we started building boats like Saudade [the 2009 45m Wally], 14 tonnes was a very big load. Once we understood racing these boats, and understood they were controllable, you can take another step.

“We were delighted when sailing Aquijo upwind in a lot of breeze that the load on the mainsheet was showing around 12 tonnes. It’s 2:1 so that’s 24 tonnes. I’m not saying that’s not a massive load, but it’s similar to what we have on Saudade ’s big sheet 1:1, and we have years of experience with handling that.” Custom built 40 ton carbon and alloy winches help manage the sheet loads.

Tripp notes that a Dynarig was never considered as an option. “What you’re really asking is do you want the ease of sailing or do you want to be able to access something exciting? And we wanted both of them.

“Sailors tend to like the more fundamental experiences, and when the technology allows them to access those more fundamental experiences, well that’s a great joy.”

Aquijo is the world’s largest ketch, with a mainsail that can be furled or unfurled in around four seconds

Finding the limit

Just how big can a sailing yacht go? Five years ago plans were unveiled for a 101m sloop, with a single 125m carbon mast, which raised a few eyebrows and discussions over whether it might be possible. Malcolm McKeon worked on the proposal and says that it was the cost, rather than technical limitations, which put the brakes on the project.

“It was an evolving process. The owner has a 50m-plus sailing superyacht, and he wanted a new yacht big enough that he could put a reasonably sized chase boat on board. He wanted an explorer type sailboat that he could go to the Pacific on, and carry all his toys with him, and not have to have a support boat.

“The design started at 65 or 70m and it just grew and grew and grew until it got to 100m, and then it basically just got too expensive.

Recent sail trials on Sailing Yacht A saw the 1,464m2 mainsail unfurled from the 27.5m carbon U-shaped boom. Incredibly she is designed to heel up to a maximum angle of 12 degrees under full sail.

“The big problem with the large sail boats is the mast price goes up by a bigger proportion to everything else so the rig price becomes a much bigger percentage of the overall build. Technically it can all be done, it’s just the value of that part becomes a much more significant part and sometimes more difficult for an owner to accept.

“If somebody came to me and said they wanted to build a boat with a 200m mast I would think well, is that really possible? Certainly rigs up to 100m and a bit more I think are possible today, but where we’re going to go after that I don’t know.”

Rob Doyle points out that sailing superyacht owners pay around a 30 per cent premium over opting for a motoryacht, yet the boats lose around a third of the equivalent interior volume. However, for him the biggest limitations are the humans onboard.

“I think we are coming to a stage where we need a new type of rig, to be honest, to be able to safely deploy these sails without killing people. I think we are getting very close to where the metal meets the flesh at the deck level where the people and the guests are hanging around.”

With the ever-increasing winch and line speeds needed to handle the huge loads, serious hand and limb injuries can happen in the blink of an eye. “There is a moral hazard there that keeps playing on my mind,” says Doyle. “We are building very dangerous machines and we have to be very careful of people.”

The newly announced Endurance concept design is a 114m four-masted explorer design with a 6,000 mile range under power.

More prosaically, the bigger your gigayacht, the bigger the challenge of just getting on and off it. “Once you are getting to a stage where you can’t get into anchorages you are in constant fear of drifting – even putting down an anchor you need a huge amount of space around you.

“So then you anchor further out into the slop and the big waves, so the owners find it difficult to get on and off the boat, and suddenly other problems can overwhelm the project,” Doyle points out. One increasingly popular solution to that particular problem is a luxury landing craft.

Too big for the Panama Canal

It might seem counter-intuitive, but it is Aquijo ’s owner’s focus on the sailing experience that has enabled the designers of the 86m ketch to push the size limits of a traditionally rigged yacht.

“ Aquijo is a sophisticated machine and brings most aspects of a 1,600GT motor yacht with her,” comments designer Bill Tripp. “But she does not aspire to helicopters or submarines, the feeling of the boat is one of use. She is for getting out there, and for going out sailing. In Greece this summer, she would go out for an afternoon of sailing in 35 knot Meltemi because it is so much fun to sail at 20 knots, as if on rails.

“We have always done sailboats that can get under the Panama Canal bridge, and the biggest we were happy to do and put under the bridge was really 46m because after that we didn’t have big enough sails for the boat.

“Then five years ago we launched A Better Place , and the owner said ‘I’ll go around, I don’t want to limit my boat because of the bridges.’ With Aquijo they said, we want to go to these places anyway, so let’s get the best sailboat we can. So suddenly, instead of having this 63m limit on the rig, that all opened up and we could start doing a sailing boat that had a gross tonnage like some of the bigger motoryachts.

“I think we’re going to see more of that. You can look at the Strait of Magellan [an alternative route to rounding Cape Horn ], as a place that’s a really long way away or a place you really want to go.”

The three-masted Black Pearl  has an angular ‘Pacman’ bow with a wave-piercing reverse sheer lower section, and extended traditional foredeck above

The wish list

Russian billionaire Andrey Melnichenko is keeping his Sailing Yacht A tightly wrapped under non-disclosure agreements, but a few intriguing details have been released, including magnifying windows which appear larger inside than outside, and a gimballed crow’s nest, accessible by lift, 60m high in the curved mast.

An observation pod embedded in the keel with foot-thick glass gives a mesmerising – and frankly terrifying-sounding – view of the propellers, and there’s a three-man submarine.

Gigayacht designers have come up with some imaginative solutions to meet owners’ foibles and demands. Drawings for the 101m sloop incorporated an entirely retractable hardtop to the flybridge to give the owner his requested uninterrupted view of the sails and sky.

Plans for the Japanese-influenced Komorebi design feature a live tree on the aft deck. Watersports toys are old news – now tender garages are specified to house motorbikes, amphibious quad bikes, even custom-built marinised supercars.

On Aquijo , the headline feature is the ‘beach club’ on the lower deck. “For a sailing boat it is a huge area, they have a sauna, hamman [Turkish Bath], a rainfall shower, a relaxing area, this huge whirlpool in the middle, a little pantry, and enough space for gym equipment around the pool,” explains interior designer Robert Voges.

Beach club on Aquijo.

Voges says the trickiest element on the yacht was the flawless high shine steel mast claddings which run through the interior. “It is like a piece of art. The mast was going through the main saloon and guest corridor, and we didn’t want to hide it. So we decided to make a feature out of it with seamless stainless steel cladding with integrated LED strip lights from top to bottom over two decks.”

One of the most radical projects in progress is the 141m Dream Symphony , a four-masted design currently in build in Turkey. Originally slated for launch this year, the project is progressing slowly – in part due to the fact the yacht is constructed of wood. Her design includes a large aft deck swimming pool that transforms into a raised helipad area.

This is the type of concept which seemed fantastical just a few years ago, but is now reality in the motoryachts world where designs like the 81m Alfa Nero have deployed it successfully.

“It’s a good solution because you usually have to drop down all the stanchions and any elements that are higher than the helipad itself, whereas if you lift the helipad you don’t have to lower the other elements,” explains Dream Symphony designer Ken Freivokh.

The 141m four-masted Dream Symphony

“The brief did not call for a resident helicopter that would have its own hanger – it’s just a ‘touch and go’. You don’t want to set aside space for a helicopter permanently that’s almost never there, so if you have a reasonably sized swimming pool why not use the base of a pool to just receive the helicopter, and then once the helicopter flies away you can put it back to normal operations?” Why not indeed?

No matter how grandiose your ideas, however, not even the vast volumes of a gigayacht can be entirely filled with art galleries and Reiki studios. Robert Voges explains that, like any other ship, “We have to start with all the emergency exits, the corridors, staircases . . . and from there we can work with the other areas which are left over.”

Ken Freivokh estimates that at least 20 per cent of the interior space has to be allocated to the back-of-house systems required to maintain the equivalent of a small hotel – air conditioning, waste, media, and other unglamorous elements behind the touch-screen luxury.

Edge of reason

At 12,700 GT, Sailing Yacht A has the vastest volume of all. But can she be called a sailing yacht? She carries three of the world’s largest carbon rigs – curved, unstayed, capable of rotating a maximum of 70 degrees – featuring in-boom furling that can deploy 3,747 square metres of sail area (67 per cent more than Maltese Falcon ) from a finger tip command. And yet she cannot help but look implausible.

The hull has a maximum beam of 24.8m and includes 24 shell doors.

No matter how innovative the technology on board, or how vast the expense, the elements will not bend to the will of man or millionaire. Various estimates have put her cost at $400-500million, or in the region of £320 to £400 million – to put those sort of figures in context, the bill for the London Olympics Aquatics centre came in at under £300m.

Sailing Yacht A will be ‘sail-assisted’, not wind-powered. Confounding, aggressive in her styling, she’s a yacht that has attracted scathing opinions as often as wide-eyed wonder. But what is the point of creating a gigayacht that doesn’t?

“It is a creative process with the owner,” comments Aquijo ’s designer Bill Tripp, “They have this idea that they can make something that speaks to them. They don’t write symphonies, and they’re not great painters or sculptors, but on the other hand money is vital energy, and they can create these things that wouldn’t exist otherwise.

“It’s great when someone says, ‘Life’s short, I’m just going to do this.’”

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EARTH 300 – The Incredible 984ft Gigayacht Design Concept

Iddes Yachts has unveiled a new concept for an exploration and research vessel that seems to break all boundaries previously known to yacht design.

At a length of 300 meters (984 ft), this concept vessel named EARTH 300 would be longer than the Titanic and fit into an entirely new category, the Giga yacht. 

EARTH 300 yacht interior

EARTH 300 will not be a private superyacht made for relaxation and luxury. The concept focuses on scientific research and providing state-of-the-art facilities.

More than 400 people will be able to fit on this incredible yacht which could include 160 scientists, 165 crew members, 40 guests, 20 students, and a further 20 resident experts. A total of 22 laboratories are designed to give researchers all the necessary supplies and gear they need to conduct studies right aboard the vessel.

The concept is meant to unite features from luxury yachts, cruises, exploration, and research ships without being too close to any one of them.

This is how Aaron Olivera, the CEO of the Earth 300 initiative has described the Giga yacht which will take marine conservation efforts to a new level.

EARTH 300 yacht exterior

The EARTH 300 Giga yacht looks incredibly futuristic and surreal with its large science sphere that will house what the CEO has described as a “science city” of laboratories and research facilities.

The founder of Iddes Yachts and lead naval architect of the project Iván Salas Jefferson states that EARTH 300 will help conquer “earth’s greatest challenges” suggesting an involvement of the vessel in sustainability and research efforts. 

The entire concept is highly futuristic with Jefferson even describing Iddes as becoming an “alchemist of global solutions”.

The sphere is somewhat of a symbolic element that is meant to represent the earth in addition to looking like an alien spaceship.

Although the science sphere is the most prominent feature of the EARTH 300 she also features a large observation deck with an attached helipad at the bow of the vessel.

The views from this part of the yacht will be nearly 360° providing the perfect opportunity for stargazing.

EARTH 300 yacht specifications

As is to be expected from a vessel meant for conservation efforts EARTH 300 will sail emission-free due to its engines powered by nuclear energy (specifically MSRs).

This technology has gained popularity in recent times and millions are expected to be invested in its research in the coming years.

The yacht is expected to carry a whole fleet of submarines to aid in underwater exploration. Exact specifications of EARTH 300 such as speed, reach and measurements are not currently available until the concept is further developed by Iddes.

EARTH 300 yacht price

Since the EARTH 300 Giga yacht is only a concept at this point in time there is no exact price tag that can be attached to this extraordinary vessel.

While the design and engineering processes are complete the research yacht is not expected to set sail before 2025 at the earliest.

However, large companies such as IBM, Triton Submarines, and RINA have announced their support for the project which will hopefully aid it in reaching completion in the coming years.

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the galleon, a futuristic sailing gigayacht concept that can host 200 guests

steve kozloff has unveiled a new gigayacht concept called galleon. inspired by the multi-decked sailing ships of yore, the concept yacht has been brought to the future through the addition of modern-day amenities including both indoor and outdoor pools, a full-sized basketball court, an air craft hangar, a heliport and four submarines among others.  

the galleon gigayacht concept by steve kozloff is an expansive 160-meter vessel with eight different decks. it’s massive size gives it the flexibility of being a cruise ship for up to 200 guests, a sailing vessel with up to 20 private residences, or a large sailing yacht for one owner. on the upper deck guests will find a lounging area, a full luxury bar, and a 74’ by 32’ pool while a 44.5’ by 25’ indoor pool is located on the level below the bridge deck. both pools featured an automated hard cover designed by kozloff that can seal them in order to avoid draining them in rough conditions. on the upper forward decks are two lazy river pools connected by a waterslide.

sports have also been highlight in this gigayacht. for those who enjoy moving the body, the galleon features an indoor sports center with a full-sized basketball court, a tennis court, and four handball courts. the many open common areas in the hull can include amenities such as a park, café, pub, theater, restaurant and more.

the galleon has four full-beam garages designed for six luxury speedboat tenders, four U-boat worx NEMO submarines, six rib tenders, and 21 personal water crafts. each garage is equipped with a launch and recovery system for all water vessels. two cranes are available to load and off-load recreation vehicles. the 4,500 sq ft fully-enclosed hangar includes space for 10 helicopters and an aircraft maintenance facility. twelve free-fall lifeboats for both crew and guests can accommodate up to 30 people each.

project info:

name: galleon

design:  steve kozloff

type:  gigayacht

status:  concept

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Superyacht Valkyrie – The 229m/751ft luxury giga yacht concept from science fiction to the sea

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Written by Rachael Steele

Chulhun Design has created a striking 229m/751ft giga yacht concept known as VALKYRIE, packed with luxury amenities and an exterior that has a carapace-like appearance that looks as if it has come straight out of science fiction.

Profile of the 229m mega yacht concept VALKYRIE © Chalhun Design

The concept images show a deceptively sleek appearance for the chrome-coloured hull and superstructure, where dark glazing covers multiple floors and creates a svelte stern, concealing the large open areas with flowing forms. The mega yacht covers seven decks, with the entire top deck dedicated to the wheelhouse and the below decks boasting an array of amenities more often seen aboard a luxury cruise ship than even a mega yacht.

229m giga yacht concept VALKYRIE © Chalhun Design

The exterior styling showcases three extensive foredecks that a perfect for hosting hundreds of guests at dockside events, or for outdoor exercise and relaxation while cruising.

Extensive glazing curves down the aft of the topmost four decks, providing panoramic 180 views in all weather conditions. The lower decks host a helipad, an alfresco lounge and dining area and a swim platform that acts as an extension to the beach club.

Motor yacht concept VALKYRIE © Chalhun Design

To match her incredible length, motor yacht VALKYRIE would also have an expansive beam of 30m/98ft to ensure that there is plenty of room on board for amenities such as the salon and spa, beach club, casino, restaurant, exhibition hall, three-floor theatre and secondary theatre. A performers’ waiting room is also included in the design, and that is to say nothing of the accommodation for guests and crew, which includes an Owner’s salon and suite.

Technical specs © Chalhun Design

A pair of 17Mw engines would give her a top speed of 25 knots, a cruising speed of 20 knots and at an economical 16 knots would give M/Y VALKYRIE a staggering range of 10,000 nautical miles.

Please contact CharterWorld - the luxury yacht charter specialist - for more on superyacht news item "Superyacht Valkyrie - The 229m/751ft luxury giga yacht concept from science fiction to the sea".

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Inside Benetti's 107m Giga Yacht Luminosity

By Jenna Mehdi

Launched under the codename of ‘Project Zoza’, Luminosity departed the Livorno shed in the midst of Benetti’s ‘Giga Season’ at the beginning of 2019. Representing the second in a series of launches which would prove to propel the Italian yard into new heights of Top 100 build, images and details of Luminosity have thus far been extremely thin on the ground. Now, a collection of unseen images of the ‘glass palace’ have been released, offering a tantalising taste of life onboard Luminosity.

For a Top 100 superyacht of her size, it will come as no surprise that Luminosity ’s ability to accommodate a large number of guests in ultimate luxury is almost unsurpassed. In compliance with the Passenger Yacht Code classification, Luminosity comfortably houses up to 27 guests in 12 spacious suites, as well as 37 crew members. The superyacht also features a certified helipad, health club and 30-meter-square swimming pool, suitably up to standard with vessels of her size and stature. 

Yet even the most seasoned of superyacht guests will be taken aback with the ethereal character instilled throughout Luminosity's interior design. The yacht’s interior designer, Zaniz Jakubowski Design, has taken every measure to ensure an otherworldly atmosphere reverberates throughout her six decks of decadence. 

Tributes to art and literature can be found everywhere; from Damien Hirst’s famous coloured circles on the French limestone floor of the Main Deck Lobby, to the beginnings of Melville’s Moby Dick engraved on the crafted pillars. In the main lounge area, 264 white magnolia flowers sculpted in Corian resin on the aft wall greet guests by opening and closing as they pass by. The main lobby stairwell is a virtual forest, vibrant and moody, realised by a visual panel stretching 370 square meters along the height of the stairwell. 

Life onboard Luminosity is no ordinary experience, and the yacht’s designer has made no pretence of this. The result is an immersion into a floating fairytale, an onboard character and charm quite unlike any other, bolstered by the galvanising power, technology and innovation typical of any Benetti new build. 

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Daily Nautica

The light of the sea inundates “Luminosity”, the new hybrid giga yacht by Benetti, which looks like a glass palace

Built with a steel hull and aluminium superstructure, luminosity is 107.6 metres long and 17 metres wide. it is the second of three giga yachts over 100 metres long to have been built during the “benetti giga season”, photo gallery 27 images.

HYBRID GIGA YACHT

Light inundates luminosity, onboard entertainment.

Topics: benetti , FB272 , Giga Yacht , Luminosity

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The most extreme superyacht concepts in the world

BOAT takes a look at the most radical and otherworldy superyacht concepts guaranteed to inspire your inner designer. 

Extreme feature: a spider-like exterior design with four legs

Realised by Christian Leyk of coquine![design], Tobiko translates from Japanese as "flying fish roe". The 40-metre concept, with its imposing arachnid-like design, is a SWATH (small waterplane area twin hull) vessel that gives the illusion of flying low over the water. Although the yacht has parts that remain below the sea's surface, the living platform is "virtually unaffected by the waves", according to the designer. Most of the hull of this extreme superyacht concept does not exist, with just a shield against the waves and tender garage clipped to it. Instead, the studio strengthened the backbone of its inter-deck space and put all the yacht's systems inside. There’s one lounge, two guest suites, a semi-open galley area and a small crew space, while the upper deck has a bridge and sundeck space.

Standout feature: hybrid superyacht-submarine engineering

Believing in the future of "submersibles" as a new category of private vessels, Migaloo PSY had designed a superyacht able to function underwater for approximately four weeks. The 165.8-metre can accommodate between 14-20 guests and 32-40 crew, dependent on the owners' preference in ratio. Leisure highlights include a 200-square-metre spa, an outdoor cinema and a helipad. There are also two "Midget Submarines" on hand for deep sea exploration, while a 12.5-metre limousine tender and two expedition vehicles facilitate adventures on the surface.

Extreme feature: a blimp docking station

Lazzarini Design Studio is the mind behind this 204-metre superyacht, constructed entirely in carbon-fibre with a build cost of $1 billion. Colossea functions as a floating docking station for an airship and is inspired by the airship Norge, the first aircraft to fly over the polar ice cap that separates America and Europe. The vessel can accommodate up to 44 guests and has incredibly spacious decks that lend themselves well to several sunloungers and swimming pools.

Extreme feature: asymmetric decks and its own personal port

Milan-based designer Enzo Manca is the mind behind this curved, military-style concept, designed "with the idea it should become the official flagship mega yacht of the [UAE]." UAE One was conceived with input from a Sheikh, with a focus on privacy and additional space for international meetings, as well as multiple transfer options, including a "mini-internal port" for tenders and a submarine. The 140-metre vessel also houses a spa, wellness centre and 18-metre swimming pool that sits transversely on the sundeck.

Extreme feature: an exterior constructed entirely in glass

Named after the Lakota word for "thunder", the 130-metre trimaran has a minimalist, bird-like silhouette courtesy of Turkish yacht designer Aras Kazar. Full-height tempered glass wraps each deck and allows natural light to fill the interior from all angles, with sculptural wave-like designs shielding the open main deck aft from the elements. Wakíŋyaŋ has also been loaded with electric and hydrofoil technology, giving it an impressive top speed of 32 knots.

Extreme feature: able to "fly" at exhilarating speeds

Plectrum is a 'flying' yacht concept that takes inspiration from the more contemporary America’s Cup sailboats - specifically the Luna Rossa design - and would be the largest example of foiling technology installed on a yacht. Designed by Lazzarini Design Studio , the yacht would have an eye-watering top speed of 75 knots thanks to three hydrogen-powered motors, capable of 5,000hp each. Plectrum is also envisioned with an adjustable beam of up to 20 metres that can be reduced to 15 metres when the yacht is berthed or at anchor.

Extreme feature: its futuristic hull shape

This 80-metre catamaran concept was designed by Andy Waugh Yacht Design, who took his inspiration from the automotive and aeronautical advances seen in the 1920s. The futuristic SWATH hull would allow for several technical developments, such as an estimated 70 percent reduction in pitch and roll movements compared to a conventional monohull superyacht, for greater comfort and safety while on board. Renderings also show retractable inflatable sails, suggesting that the yacht will benefit from added wind power.

Project Amplitude

Extreme feature: a set of computer-controlled sails

M51 and Anthony Glasson's 95-metre concept aims to combine the eco-minded features of a sailboat with the comfort, propulsion and range of a motor yacht of its size. The motorsailer is designed with two inflatable, computer-controlled wing sails, a newly developing technology that reduces the need for complex deck equipment such as winches and halyards. As it stands, this feature would have to be used in conjunction with the prop drive to reduce fuel consumption, but Glasson stated that “as technology improves, one day they could be used alone on a vessel this size.”

Extreme feature: can cruise underwater for six hours

With a depth rating of over 200 metres, Nautilus is a 37.5-metre underwater superyacht by Dutch submersible specialist U-Boat Worx . The diesel-electric model has a surface cruise speed of nine knots and an underwater speed of four knots and it will able to stay underwater for up to four days at a time. At cruise speed, the underwater endurance is six hours. The interior includes a 50-square-metre dinner and lounge area with four four-metre circular windows and elsewhere houses a pressure-resistant electrical tender called Aronnax, which may also be used for transporting five scuba divers underwater to the intended dive spot.

Extreme feature: an exterior inspired by a species of shark

London-based studio State of Craft has released designs for a 120-metre concept named Mako. The superyacht is an adventurous take on explorers and features long-range ice cruising capabilities. Inspired by the Mako species of shark, it will be powered by a propulsion system that combines hydrogen, fuel cells and electric engines to be able to operate with a zero-carbon footprint. Situated above the top deck is a "pavilion" space, intended to be used as an observatory, panoramic lounge, fitness studio or yoga space. Having already created numerous residential developments and private homes, Mako is the first nautical design from State of Craft.

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Yachting Pleasure INTERNATIONAL

“LUMINOSITY” THE HYBRID GIGA YACHT

BENETTI INTRODUCES FB272 M/Y “LUMINOSITY”, THE HYBRID GIGA YACHT THAT REDEFINES OCEAN-BASED LEISURE

Palace of glass

Benetti FB272 M/Y “Luminosity” is a moving palace of glass with unparalleled views of every changing landscape. The Giga yacht spectacular exterior design exterior design is a collaboration between Zaniz Jakubowski, Andrew Langton and Giorgio M. Cassetta, while her interiors are entirely the work of Zaniz Jakubowski.

With over 800 square meters of exterior glass wrapping around the main decks, “ Luminosity ” has become a record breaker for Benetti . 3-meter-high windows are entirely uninterrupted by structure, giving a floating appearance. A straight bow offers brilliant seakeeping credentials, while a huge forward deck area brings guests a thrilling vantage point from which to cruise and relax. From here, the main deck is a step lower, offering further dining and social spaces, sheltered and shaded by the graceful overhang of the beautifully styled superstructure. Above this is the wheelhouse and above again is a secluded, private deck leading towards the certified helipad capable of accepting a Bell 429 helicopter. It’s worth noting the space and flexibility of this deck currently set up to accommodate two cars including a Rolls Royce Phantom , as well as a 24’ sailboat and two motor bikes. At the stern of the yacht, the individual decks step up in perfectly balanced overhangs, each one offering a different configuration of seating and relaxation areas.

Cutting-edge technology

The Generation/Propulsion Package is obtained by six generators of approximately 1,000 KW each. The electricity produced by those generators is managed electronically, by a sophisticated fully integrated power management system, to feed the consumption of the services on board and the electric motors of two Azipods of 2,200 KW each. The spare electricity is also used to charge 36 tons of batteries which are sufficient to run the vessel for 12 hours without generator power – a huge convenience when at anchor with no shore power.

This propulsion package is the state-of-the-art of technology today, made by top names such as Caterpillar , Seastema, ABB, under the coordination of Benetti Technical Department. The advantage of this system is a vibration-free navigation in total silence: with such stable and soundless cruising, guests might hardly realize they are underway.

The air conditioning system and chiller units – which is supplied by H&H – are one of the biggest ever installed inside a yacht of this size with a total cooling capacity of approximately 3,000 KW. The yacht is equipped with a waste heat recovery system that is capable to feed the yacht and save electrical power in line with the latest green environment requirements.

“Luminosity” also features an advanced Lutron domotics system with approximately 500 kilometres of cable run across her hull and superstructure.

Symphony of light

The defining characteristic of FB272’s interiors are the huge 3-meter-high windows flooding spaces with light and providing a seamless connection with the outside world. A magnificent skylight at Sun Deck level fills the yacht with a longitudinal axis of light, cascading down the 18-meter staircase that passes through five of the yacht’s 6 decks, its polished steel and toughened glass giving the structure a sculptural yet floating appearance. Within the sumptuously proportioned interior, an incredible variety of glazed surfaces creates a constant impression of shifting light, which enters the yacht from all angles. The materials and colors used in fabric, furnishings and fittings offer a continuity between indoor and outdoor spaces. On the Bridge Deck, a VIP Stateroom and lounge stretches out onto a spacious aft deck harmoniously connecting through 9-meter-wide sliding windows. Clad in Malachite green paired with Lapis Lazuli blue and Belgian black marbles, this cabin has its own chic identity illuminated by a 3-meter-wide white onyx moon.

The Owner’s Deck, one below the bridge deck, encapsulated in the 3-meter high windows, so iconic in this yacht, is defined by ever-changing views. Down a corridor decorated by ten different types of marble, the stateroom itself is punctuated by granite details, with the Owner’s bed able to lift electrically by 80cm enabling an opportune position for the views. Behind the headboard, what appears as another splendid view is in fact a virtual window, channeling the wonderful sights that are visible from the bow of the yacht through a hidden camera. A vast walk-in wardrobe leads to a private massage room, and an ensuite bathroom. This deck hosts 3 further guest staterooms and a private study for the Owner with ensuite bathroom and a separate office for a PA.

A spacious and inviting lounge area on the Main Deck seduces guests with its unique design elements all conceived to enhance guest relaxation. Beyond this are 3 exquisite staterooms, each one differing in its design and materials. Gold leaf riffs with brushed cement, while onyx and ceramic carved by water jets combine in a virtuoso feat of elaborate design. Further forward a large galley fitted with state-of-the-art equipment is befitting for the demands of the world’s top chefs.

Also on this deck, towards the bow, is the enormous tender bay designed to accommodate custom built tenders and toys, including a 40’ Limousine Tender, a 40’ Landing craft, and an additional 40’ luxury tender – all custom built for the yacht.

On the Lower Deck, a glorious lobby leads to the stairwell and elevator, beyond which are 4 sumptuous guest staterooms. Spending much of their time on this deck, guests will enjoy the yacht’s in-house spa and private luxury health club, complete with elegant sauna and Turkish bath. With shell doors open, the spa space and fully equipped gymnasium sits right on the water with guests refreshed by the breeze. On this deck, the jaw-dropping 30-meter-square swimming pool is a delight for guests, further surprising them with its transformation into a dance floor by raising the level of the pool bottom. With plenty of bar space and ample social seating groups, this entertainment area will be the envy of all who cast eyes on it.

The Crew Quarters can accommodatea crew of 37 along with their own galley and large mess. Built to Passenger Yacht Code (PYC) Classification, it is a point of pride for Benetti that the shipyard can create such spacious accommodation for the hardworking crew with comfortable cabins and large berths. To further ensure safety on board, Benetti designers had to divide the entire crew quarters into vertical sections and ensure that each one had a dedicated staircase for emergency escape.

Natural connection

Another truly unique and visually dazzling aspect of “Luminosity” are the visual artworks that bring the natural rhythms and energy of the organic world into the heart of the yacht’s interior. One such feat is the visual panel of 370-sq meters that stretches along the height of the main lobby stairwell. Depicting a moving forest, these images gently sway as guests pass, bringing a dynamic and unexpected vibrancy to the space. More interactive technology in the main lounge area comes in the form of 264 white magnolia flowers sculpted in Corian resin on the aft wall. In a charming visual greeting, they open and close at varying speeds as a person passes by.

Art on the sea

“Luminosity” embraces art in an extraordinary way. Beauty in its purest form blends with comfort and onboard needs. Every single detail tells a story. Every creation evokes masterpieces of artists who have left a mark on the history of art. Endless details catch the eye without having to compete for the attention. Damien Hirst’s famous coloured circles find new expression on the French limestone floor in the Main Deck Lobby. As for Man Ray, an extraordinary eye-shaped construction at the base of the 18-meter-high stairwell winks at his magnificent work. The hymn to life of Matisse’s collages inspires the intriguing shapes throughout the yacht’s Main Saloon and Lounge. Among them, a sinuous configuration of hand-forged steel polished to a mirror that encloses a thousand Bohemian crystal bulbs illuminates the main lounge.

Other enchanting stories adorn this space: the beginning of Melville’s Moby Dick is gently engraved on the crafted pillars. The adventures of the world’s great sea faring explorers enrich the refined Portuguese Majolica tiles by Boca do Lobo on the cabinetry. An ensemble of highly polished concave and convex dishes flood the Master Deck Office with light. A great tribute to the Indian sculptor Anish Kapoor. Another eyecatcher on this deck is the Master Stateroom full custom Culligan hydromassage, crafted from one single block of the same marble used by Michelangelo to sculpt his outstanding David in Florence. The changing lunar phases in a single piece of Iranian onyx cut with surgical precision. A dreamy Moon Light shines upon the Upper Deck VIP suite.

First-class entertainment

The yacht has two 3,5-meter dishes to receive signals anywhere in the world, and fibre optic cables to distribute it throughout the vessel. Where fibre optic cables are not appropriate to use, another cable called Cat 8 is employed – a cutting edge super-fast connection never used on a yacht of this size before. Two racks on board the yacht house servers for films and music, and a total of 74 top of the range televisions (70 tv + 4 cinema projectors) are distributed throughout “ Luminosity ” as well 10 intelligent mirrors on board including touch screen with multimedia and internet connection. 5G cables throughout the yacht ensure that systems are future proofed.

Safety first

Built to comply with the PYC Code,safety has been of huge importance in the creation on “Luminosity”. The most stringent requirements to use fire-proof and fire-retardant materials of a particularly high quality throughout. A sophisticated medical centre can cater for unexpected illness and injury offering guests peace of mind.

BENETTI FB272 M/Y “LUMINOSITY” TECHNICAL DATA  

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Sverdlovsk Oblast

Natural resources

Early history, medieval history and russian expansion, rise of the mining-metallurgical era, soviet ural, post-soviet transition, administrative divisions, demographics, settlements, ethnic groups, chairmen of the oblast duma, chairmen of the house of representatives of the legislative assembly, economy and transportation, sister relationships, notable people, external links.

Most of the oblast is spread over the eastern slopes of the Middle and North Urals and the Western Siberian Plain . Only in the southwest does the oblast stretch onto the western slopes of the Ural Mountains .

The highest mountains all rise in the North Urals, Konzhakovsky Kamen at 1,569 metres (5,148   ft) and Denezhkin Kamen at 1,492 metres (4,895   ft) . The Middle Urals is mostly hilly country with no discernible peaks; the mean elevation is closer to 300 to 500 metres (980 to 1,640   ft) above sea level. [9] Principal rivers include the Tavda , the Tura , the Chusovaya , and the Ufa , the latter two being tributaries of the Kama .

Sverdlovsk Oblast borders with, clockwise from the west, Perm Krai , the Komi Republic , Khanty–Mansi Autonomous Okrug , Tyumen Oblast , Kurgan , and Chelyabinsk Oblasts , and the Republic of Bashkortostan .

The area is traversed by the northeasterly line of equal latitude and longitude.

Rich in natural resources, the oblast is especially famous for metals ( iron , copper , gold , platinum ), minerals ( asbestos , gemstones , talcum ), marble and coal . It is mostly here that the bulk of Russian industry was concentrated in the 18th and 19th centuries.

The area has continental climate patterns, with long cold winters (average temperatures reaching −15   °C (5   °F) to −25   °C (−13   °F) on the Western Siberian Plain) and short warm summers. Only in the southeast of the oblast do temperatures reach +30   °C (86   °F) in July.

• You can help expand this section with text translated from the corresponding article in Russian . (November 2020) Click [show] for important translation instructions. View a machine-translated version of the Russian article.

The territory of the region has been inhabited since ancient times. Numerous sites of ancient people were discovered, dating from the Paleolithic to the Iron Age. The Upper Paleolithic includes the Garinsky site on the right bank of the Sosva river near the village of Gari , the site in the Shaitansky grotto, and the site in the Bezymyanny cave (X millennium BC). [10] [11] In 1890, the 11 thousand years old (Mesolithic) Shigir idol was discovered. [12]

A settlement and a burial ground in the Kalmatsky Brod tract are located on the right bank of the Iset river and date back to the Sarmatian time (from the 3rd century BC to the 2nd century AD). They belong to the Kalmak archaeological culture. In the Kalmatsky Brod burial ground, the skeletal skulls were strongly deformed by tight bandaging in early childhood, which indicates the penetration of steppe ethnic elements to the north. [13]

There are numerous pictograms on the Koptelovsky stone, on the Oblique stone, on the Two-eyed stone, Starichnaya, Serginskaya, the rock paintings of the Bronze Age on the Neyva River, Tagil River (villages Brekhovaya, Gaevaya, Komelskaya), rock carvings on Shaitan-Kamen on the right bank of the Rezh river tied to indigenous Ural population, possibly speakers of a Ugric language . [14] [15] The Gostkovskaya Pisanitsa refers to the Middle Ages. [12]

Before the first Russian colonists arrived to the region, it was populated by various Turkic and Ugrian tribes. By the 16th century, when the Middle Urals were under influence of various Tatar khanates, the strongest local state was the Vogul Pelym principality with its center in Pelym .

The Russian conquest of the Khanate of Kazan in the 1550s paved the way further east, which was now free from Tatar depredations (see Yermak Timofeyevich ). The first surviving Russian settlements in the area date back to the late 16th   – early 17th centuries ( Verkhoturye , 1598; Turinsk , 1600; Irbit , 1633; Alapayevsk , 1639). At that time, those small trading posts were governed under Siberian administration in Tobolsk . After the 1708 administrative reform, Verkhoturye, Pelym and Turinsk became a part of the new Siberian Governorate , in 1737 their territories were assigned to the Kazan Governorate .

During the 18th century, rich resources of iron and coal made Ural an industrial heartland of Russia. After getting control over Ural mines, the Demidov family put the region in the forefront of Russian industrialization. Yekaterinburg , Nevyansk and Tagil ironworks, founded in the 1700s to 1720s, soon joined the ranks of the major producers in Europe. Throughout the 18th and 19th century those newly founded factory towns enjoyed a status of special mining-metallurgical districts allowed to have a certain rate of financial and proprietary autonomy. During the 1781 reform middle Ural finally got its own regional administration in the form of the Perm Governorate .

When in 1812 the Russian government legalized gold digging for its citizens, Middle Ural became a center of gold mining. Entrepreneurs of the Perm Governorate also started the gold rush in West Siberia, soon Yekaterinburgers began to dominate the Russian market of precious metals and gemstones.

After the emancipation reform of 1861 , major Middle Uralian industries that were heavily dependent on serf labor entered decline, although it also allowed light industry to thrive. In 1878, Perm and Yekaterinburg were connected with a railroad, in 1888, railroads reached Tyumen , and ultimately, in 1897, Yekaterinburg joined the Trans-Siberian network . Emergence of railroad transportation helped to revitalize economy of Ural.

The Bolsheviks established their power in Yekaterinburg and Perm during the first days of the October Revolution of 1917. In early 1918 the dethroned Czar Nicholas II and his family were transferred under custody to Yekaterinburg. Local Bolsheviks decided autonomously to execute the royal family on July 17, 1918, to prevent its rescue of by the approaching White Army forces. Ten days later Yekaterinburg was captured by the Czechoslovak troops of Sergei Wojciechowski . For the next year the Anti-bolshevik forces took control over the region. On 19 August 1918, Provisional Government of Ural was formed in Yekaterinburg by a coalition of liberal and democratic socialist parties, it was supposed to serve as a buffer between the Komuch and Provisional Siberian governments. After the Kolchak coup d'état in Omsk in November 1918, the Government of Ural was disbanded.

In July 1919, in the course of the Yekaterinburg offense, Yekaterinburg and the surrounding areas were recaptured by the Red Army forces under command of Vasily Shorin . On the July 15th, the Perm Governorate was split by the Soviets and the east, for the first time in history, became a separate region, the Yekaterinburg Governorate. It was soon abolished and replaced by the Ural Oblast (1923-1934).

In the 1930s many industrial enterprises were established and built with the help of forced labour. [16] Local industry received another impetus during World War II, when important producing facilities were relocated here from the European part of Russia to safeguard them from the advancing Germans (for example, IMZ-Ural , Kamensk-Uralsky Metallurgical Works ). In the postwar period much of the region was off-limits to foreigners. It was over Sverdlovsk that the American U-2 spy plane pilot Gary Powers was shot down on May 1, 1960, while on a reconnaissance mission.

In 1979, there was an anthrax outbreak caused by an accident in a facility to develop biological weapons.

In 1993, Governor Eduard Rossel responded to perceived economic inequality by attempting to create a " Ural Republic ." Sverdlovsk led the "Urals Five" ( Kurgan Oblast , Orenburg Oblast , Perm Krai , Chelyabinsk Oblast and Sverdlovsk) in a call for greater regional power. They argued that the oblasts deserved as much power as the ethnic homeland republics . The Urals Republic Constitution went into effect on October 27, 1993. Then Russian President Boris Yeltsin dissolved the Urals Republic and the Sverdlovsk Parliament 10 days later (on November 9).

Population : 4,268,998   ( 2021 Census ) ; [5] 4,297,747   ( 2010 Russian census ) ; [17] 4,486,214   ( 2002 Census ) ; [18] 4,716,768   ( 1989 Soviet census ) . [19]

Vital statistics for 2022: [20] [21]

• Births: 39,958 (9.4 per 1,000)
• Deaths: 59,316 (13.9 per 1,000)

Total fertility rate (2022): [22] 1.56 children per woman

Life expectancy (2021): [23] Total — 68.79 years (male   — 63.72, female   — 73.80)

There were twenty-one recognized ethnic groups of more than two thousand persons each in the oblast. Residents identified themselves as belonging to a total of 148 different ethnic groups, including: [17]

• 3,684,843 Russians (90.6%);
• 143,803 Tatars (3.5%);
• 35,563 Ukrainians (0.9%);
• 31,183 Bashkirs (0.8%);
• 23,801 Mari (0.6%);
• 14,914 Germans (0.4%);
• 14,215 Azerbaijanis (0.3%);
• 13,789 Udmurts (0.3%);
• 11,670 Belarusians (0.3%);
• 11,510 Chuvash (0.26%);
• 11,501 Armenians (0.3%);
• 11,138 Tajiks (0.3%);
• 9,702 Mordovians (0.22%);
• 9,358 Uzbeks (0.2%);

232,978 people were registered from administrative databases, and could not declare an ethnicity. It is estimated that the proportion of ethnicities in this group is the same as that of the declared group. [24]

Christianity is the largest religion in Sverdlovsk Oblast. According to a 2012 survey [25] 43% of the population of Sverdlovsk Oblast adheres to the Russian Orthodox Church , 5% are nondenominational Christians (excluding Protestant churches), 3% are Muslims , 2% are Orthodox Christian believers without belonging to any Church or are members of other Orthodox churches , 1% are adherents of the Slavic native faith (Rodnovery), and 0.3% are adherents of forms of Hinduism ( Vedism , Krishnaism or Tantrism ). In addition, 36% of the population declares to be "spiritual but not religious", and 9.7% is atheist . [25]

The most important institutions of higher education include Ural Federal University , Ural State Medical University , Ural State University of Economics , Ural State Law University , Ural State Mining University and Ural State Academy of Architecture and Arts , all located in the capital Yekaterinburg.

The oblast's Charter, adopted on 17 December 1994, with subsequent amendments, establishes the oblast government. The Governor is the chief executive, who appoints the Government, consisting of ministries and departments. The Chairman of the Government, commonly referred to as the Prime Minister, is appointed with the consent of the lower house of the legislature , a process similar to the appointment of the federal Prime Minister . But the Governor cannot nominate the same candidate more than twice, yet he/she can dismiss the house after three failed attempts to appoint the Premier. [ needs update ]

The Legislative Assembly is the regional parliament of Sverdlovsk Oblast. Until 2011, it was a bicameral legislature consisting of the Oblast Duma, the lower house , and the House of Representatives, the upper house . [27] Before the reform, members of the legislature served four-year terms with half of the Duma re-elected every two years. The Duma (28   members) was elected in party lists. The 21   members of the House of Representatives were elected in single-seat districts in a first-past-the-post system. The Legislative Assembly was the first bicameral legislature outside an autonomous republic, and the first regional legislature in Russia to elect members based on both party lists and single-seat districts . As of 2021, the Legislative Assembly is a unicameral legislature with a total of 50 seats, with half of the members elected by single-mandate constituencies and the other half elected in party lists for five-year terms. [28] [29]

Compliance with the Charter is enforced by the Charter Court. The existence of such regional courts in Russia, formed and functioning outside the federal judiciary, although challenged, has been upheld and persisted successfully in most constituent members of the Federation where they were established.

Until President Putin 's reforms of 2004, the Governor was elected by direct vote for terms of four years. Eduard Rossel has been the only elected governor (first elected governor for an oblast in Russia) since 1995 (appointed in 1991 and dismissed in 1993 by President Yeltsin ), re-elected in 1999 and 2003.

Since 2012, the oblast's Governor is Yevgeny Kuyvashev .

In the 1990s, the Oblast's population was distinguished by relatively high support for parties and candidates of the right and democratic persuasion. In the 1996 presidential election, Boris Yeltsin , a native of the region who lived in Sverdlovsk until the 1980s, won over 70% of the vote. In the regional elections in 2010 in the Sverdlovsk Oblast, United Russia received minimal support relative to other regions - only 39.79% of votes. [30]

Even though it could do with modernizing, the region's industries are quite diverse. 12% of Russia's iron and steel industry is still concentrated in Sverdlovsk oblast. Iron and copper are mined and processed here, the logging industry and wood-processing are important, too.

The largest companies in the region include Ural Mining and Metallurgical Company , UralVagonZavod , Enel Russia , Nizhniy Tagil Iron and Steel Works , Federal Freight . [31]

Yekaterinburg is a prominent road, rail and air hub in the Ural region. As the economic slump subsided, several European airlines started or resumed flights to the city. These include Lufthansa , British Airways , CSA , Turkish Airlines , Austrian Airlines and Finnair . Malév Hungarian Airlines used to be among those carriers but they had to drop their flights to SVX ( IATA airport code for Sverdlovsk) after a few months.

The Alapaevsk narrow-gauge railway serves the communities around Alapayevsk .

• Bà Rịa–Vũng Tàu province , Vietnam
• Harbin , China
• Vladik Dzhabarov , Russian cyclist
• Andrey Fedyaev , Russian cosmonaut
• Yakov Sverdlov , a communist revolutionary after whom Sverdlovsk and subsequently Sverdlovsk Oblast were named.
• Church of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary , a building of regional historical significance in Staropyshminsk village.

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Chelyabinsk Oblast is a federal subject of Russia in the Ural Mountains region, on the border of Europe and Asia. Its administrative center is the city of Chelyabinsk.

Irbit is a town in Sverdlovsk Oblast, Russia, located 203 kilometers (126 mi) from Yekaterinburg by train or 250 kilometers (160 mi) by car, on the right bank of the Nitsa. Population: 37,009 (2021 Census) ; 38,357 (2010 Russian census) ; 43,318 (2002 Census) ; 51,708 (1989 Soviet census) .

Alapayevsk is a town in Sverdlovsk Oblast, Russia, located at the confluence of the Neyva and Alapaikha rivers. Population: 38,192 (2010 Russian census) ; 44,263 ; 50,060 ; 49,000 (1968).

Kushva is a town in Sverdlovsk Oblast, Russia, located in the Ural Mountains near Yekaterinburg. Population: 30,167 (2010 Russian census) ; 35,555 (2002 Census) ; 43,096 (1989 Soviet census) .

Nizhniye Sergi is a town and the administrative center of Nizhneserginsky District in Sverdlovsk Oblast, Russia, located on a rolling plain surrounded by the Ural Mountains, on the Serga River 120 kilometers (75 mi) from Yekaterinburg, the administrative center of the oblast. Population: 10,336 (2010 Russian census) ; 12,567 (2002 Census) ; 14,938 (1989 Soviet census) .

Verkhnyaya Pyshma is a town in Sverdlovsk Oblast, Russia, located 1 kilometer (0.62 mi) north of Yekaterinburg. Population: 59,749 (2010 Russian census) ; 58,016 (2002 Census) ; 53,102 (1989 Soviet census) .

Novouralsk is a closed town in Sverdlovsk Oblast, Russia, located on the eastern side of the Ural Mountains, about 70 kilometers (43 mi) north of Yekaterinburg, the administrative center of the oblast. Population: 85,522 (2010 Russian census) ; 95,414 (2002 Census) .

Krasnoufimsk is a town in Sverdlovsk Oblast, Russia, located on the Ufa River, 224 kilometers (139 mi) from Yekaterinburg. Population: 39,765 (2010 Russian census) ; 43,595 (2002 Census) ; 45,618 (1989 Soviet census) .

Revda is a town in Sverdlovsk Oblast, Russia. Population: 61,875 (2010 Russian census) ; 62,667 (2002 Census) ; 65,757 (1989 Soviet census) .

Sredneuralsk is a town under the administrative jurisdiction of the Town of Verkhnyaya Pyshma in Sverdlovsk Oblast, Russia, located on the shore of Iset Lake, at the head of the Iset River, 25 kilometers (16 mi) north of Yekaterinburg. Population: 20,449 (2010 Russian census) ; 19,555 ; 18,786 (1989 Soviet census) .

Kachkanar is a town in Sverdlovsk Oblast, Russia, located between the Isa and Vyya Rivers in the Tura River's basin, 205 kilometers (127 mi) north of Yekaterinburg, the administrative center of the oblast. Population: 41,426 (2010 Russian census) ; 44,664 (2002 Census) ; 48,251 (1989 Soviet census) . The town of Kachkanar is located at the foot of mountain Kachkanar.

Ivdel is a town in Sverdlovsk Oblast, Russia, located on the Ivdel River near its confluence with the Lozva River, 535 kilometers (332 mi) north of Yekaterinburg, the administrative center of the oblast. Population: 17,775 (2010 Russian census) ; 19,324 (2002 Census) ; 19,014 (1989 Soviet census) .

Severouralsk is a town in Sverdlovsk Oblast, Russia, located on the Vagran River at its confluence with the Kolonga River, 512 kilometers (318 mi) north of Yekaterinburg, the administrative center of the oblast. As of the 2010 Census, its population was 29,263.

Pelym is an urban locality under the administrative jurisdiction of the Town of Ivdel in Sverdlovsk Oblast, Russia. Population: 3,376 (2010 Russian census) ; 3,708 (2002 Census) .

Sukhoy Log is a town and the administrative center of Sukholozhsky District in Sverdlovsk Oblast, Russia, located on the eastern slopes of the Ural Mountains on the Pyshma River, 114 kilometers (71 mi) east of Yekaterinburg, the administrative center of the oblast. As of the 2010 Census, its population was 34,554.

Gornozavodsky District is an administrative district (raion) of Perm Krai, Russia; one of the thirty-three in the krai. Municipally, it is incorporated as Gornozavodsky Municipal District . It is located on the western slopes of the Ural Mountains in the east of the krai. The area of the district is 7,057 square kilometers (2,725 sq mi). Its administrative center is the town of Gornozavodsk. Population: 26,044 (2010 Russian census) ; 30,172 (2002 Census) ; 38,004 (1989 Soviet census) . The population of Gornozavodsk accounts for 46.3% of the district's total population.

Garinsky District is an administrative district (raion), one of the thirty in Sverdlovsk Oblast, Russia. As a municipal division, it is incorporated as Garinsky Urban Okrug . The area of the district is 16,770 square kilometers (6,470 sq mi). Its administrative center is the urban locality of Gari. Population: 4,904 ; 7,832 (2002 Census) ; 9,381 (1989 Soviet census) . The population of Gari accounts for 50.4% of the district's total population. The main point of historical interest is the former town of Pelym, which was one of the first Russian settlements east of the Urals, marking the eastern terminus of the Cherdyn Road from Europe to Siberia.

Turinsky District is an administrative district (raion), one of the thirty in Sverdlovsk Oblast, Russia. As a municipal division, it is incorporated as Turinsky Urban Okrug . Its administrative center is the town of Turinsk. Population: 28,274 ; 32,540 (2002 Census) ; 40,749 (1989 Soviet census) . The population of Turinsk accounts for 63.4% of the district's total population.

Isetsky District is an administrative district (raion), one of the twenty-two in Tyumen Oblast, Russia. As a municipal division, it is incorporated as Isetsky Municipal District . It is located in the west of the oblast. The area of the district is 2,751 square kilometers (1,062 sq mi). Its administrative center is the rural locality of Isetskoye. Population: 26,061 ; 26,565 (2002 Census) ; 25,862 (1989 Soviet census) . The population of Isetskoye accounts for 28.7% of the district's total population.

Bisert is an urban locality in Nizhneserginsky District of Sverdlovsk Oblast, Russia. Population: 10,233 (2010 Russian census) ; 11,262 (2002 Census) ; 12,646 (1989 Soviet census) .

• ↑ Президент Российской Федерации.   Указ   №849   от   13 мая 2000 г. «О полномочном представителе Президента Российской Федерации в федеральном округе». Вступил в силу   13 мая 2000 г. Опубликован: "Собрание законодательства РФ", No.   20, ст. 2112, 15 мая 2000 г. (President of the Russian Federation.   Decree   # 849   of   May 13, 2000 On the Plenipotentiary Representative of the President of the Russian Federation in a Federal District . Effective as of   May 13, 2000.).
• ↑ Госстандарт Российской Федерации.   №ОК 024-95   27 декабря 1995 г. «Общероссийский классификатор экономических регионов. 2.   Экономические районы», в ред. Изменения №5/2001 ОКЭР. ( Gosstandart of the Russian Federation.   # OK 024-95   December 27, 1995 Russian Classification of Economic Regions. 2.   Economic Regions , as amended by the Amendment   # 5/2001 OKER. ).
• ↑ Official website of the Governor of Sverdlovsk Oblast. Alexander Sergeyevich Misharin (in Russian)
• 1 2 3 Russian Federal State Statistics Service. Всероссийская перепись населения 2020 года. Том 1 [ 2020 All-Russian Population Census, vol. 1 ] (XLS) (in Russian). Federal State Statistics Service .
• ↑ "26. Численность постоянного населения Российской Федерации по муниципальным образованиям на 1 января 2018 года" . Federal State Statistics Service . Retrieved 23 January 2019 .
• ↑ "Об исчислении времени" . Официальный интернет-портал правовой информации (in Russian). 3 June 2011 . Retrieved 19 January 2019 .
• ↑ Official throughout the Russian Federation according to Article   68.1 of the Constitution of Russia .
• ↑ "Russia: Impact of Climate Change to 2030" (PDF) . Retrieved 25 April 2023 .
• ↑ Сериков Ю. Б. Новые находки раннего палеолита в Среднем Зауралье // Ранний палеолит Евразии: новые открытия // Материалы Международной конференции, Краснодар – Темрюк, 1–6 сентября 2008 г.
• ↑ Сериков Ю. Б. Следы раннего палеолита на территории Среднего Зауралья // Вестник археологии, антропологии и этнографии, 2015 № 4 (31)
• 1 2 Объекты культурного наследия Свердловской области (список)
• ↑ Сальников К. В. Древнейшие памятники истории Урала , 1952.
• ↑ Khimiya i Zhizn , 9, 1974, p. 80
• ↑ Писаницы Урала (in Russian). Ural.ru . Retrieved 26 December 2010 .
• ↑ V.A. Kravchenko: I chose freedom (1946)
• 1 2 Russian Federal State Statistics Service (2011). Всероссийская перепись населения 2010 года. Том   1 [ 2010 All-Russian Population Census, vol.   1 ] . Всероссийская перепись населения 2010   года [2010 All-Russia Population Census] (in Russian). Federal State Statistics Service .
• ↑ Federal State Statistics Service (21 May 2004). Численность населения России, субъектов Российской Федерации в составе федеральных округов, районов, городских поселений, сельских населённых пунктов   – районных центров и сельских населённых пунктов с населением 3   тысячи и более человек [ Population of Russia, Its Federal Districts, Federal Subjects, Districts, Urban Localities, Rural Localities—Administrative Centers, and Rural Localities with Population of Over 3,000 ] (XLS) . Всероссийская перепись населения 2002   года [All-Russia Population Census of 2002] (in Russian).
• ↑ Всесоюзная перепись населения 1989   г. Численность наличного населения союзных и автономных республик, автономных областей и округов, краёв, областей, районов, городских поселений и сёл-райцентров [ All Union Population Census of 1989: Present Population of Union and Autonomous Republics, Autonomous Oblasts and Okrugs, Krais, Oblasts, Districts, Urban Settlements, and Villages Serving as District Administrative Centers ] . Всесоюзная перепись населения 1989   года [All-Union Population Census of 1989] (in Russian). Институт демографии Национального исследовательского университета: Высшая школа экономики [Institute of Demography at the National Research University: Higher School of Economics]. 1989 – via Demoscope Weekly .
• ↑ "Information on the number of registered births, deaths, marriages and divorces for January to December 2022" . ROSSTAT . Archived from the original on 2 March 2023 . Retrieved 21 February 2023 .
• ↑ "Birth rate, mortality rate, natural increase, marriage rate, divorce rate for January to December 2022" . ROSSTAT . Archived from the original on 2 March 2023 . Retrieved 21 February 2023 .
• ↑ Суммарный коэффициент рождаемости [ Total fertility rate ] . Russian Federal State Statistics Service (in Russian). Archived from the original (XLSX) on 10 August 2023 . Retrieved 10 August 2023 .
• ↑ "Демографический ежегодник России" [ The Demographic Yearbook of Russia ] (in Russian). Federal State Statistics Service of Russia (Rosstat) . Retrieved 1 June 2022 .
• ↑ "ВПН-2010" . www.perepis-2010.ru .
• 1 2 3 "Arena: Atlas of Religions and Nationalities in Russia" . Sreda, 2012.
• ↑ 2012 Arena Atlas Religion Maps . "Ogonek", № 34 (5243), 27/08/2012. Retrieved 21/04/2017. Archived .
• ↑ Formation of the legislative body of Sverdlovsk Oblast , old.zsso.ru
• ↑ General information , zsso.ru
• ↑ "Свердловская область" . council.gov.ru .
• ↑ "Результат единороссов по Свердловской области был самым худшим для партии власти" [ The result of United Russia in the Sverdlovsk region was the worst for the ruling party ] . Archived from the original on 10 June 2010 . Retrieved 2 January 2011 .
• ↑ "Sverdlovsk region Industries" . investinregions.ru . Retrieved 7 November 2018 .
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• Investment portal of Sverdlovsk Oblast
• (in Russian) Official website of the Government of Sverdlovsk Oblast

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This New 328-Foot Gigayacht Concept Has an Interior Straight Out of a Sci-Fi Flick

Floating glass floors, sweeping nautilus windows, and aquarium corridors are just the start of the futuristic design behind the thor explore., martin lerma, martin lerma's most recent stories.

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Gresham wants you to boldly go where no man has gone before—inside its bonkers new explorer yacht. That’s because the shipyard’s latest futuristic concept looks like something straight out of a science fiction movie.

Designed from the inside out––unlike most gigayachts––the 328-foot Thor Explore has a sweeping interior inspired by round, organic shapes that create airy rooms and expansive views of the ocean beyond, thanks to the double-height nautilus windows. To make the main deck appear even larger, it is uniquely constructed with a floating glass floor (supported by exposed structural beams) so passengers can imbibe at the bar as they take in the scenery.

This setting is also home to a sunken seating area––retro in concept but with a contemporary minimalist spin––that appears to float between decks, thanks to that glass floor. It and nearly every other architectural feature inside Thor have curvilinear lines, which are enhanced by the intricate lighting that closely follows nearly every rounded edge. While it illuminates the space, the lighting also adds some much-needed warmth to prevent the decor from being too impersonal.

The futuristic interior of the Gresham Thor Explore yacht offers stunning views of the ocean through giant aquarium windows.  Courtesy of Gresham Yacht Design

But what if you need a little privacy—or want to keep the two levels of the main deck separate? Simply flip a switch and the clear glass floor immediately turns opaque, forming an immediate dividing line.

To access the impressive beach club, you must navigate a circular corridor that has a floor-to-ceiling cylindrical aquarium on either side. This allows you to get up close to whatever aquatic life is housed within. Once you arrive at the beach club itself, you’ll be positioned high above the waterline but can enjoy the use of fold-down balconies to have an oceanside view. The club also has a one-of-a-kind tender garage that can be accessed via a large bi-folding glass door.

The garage has enough space for all your toys, including a 41-foot custom tender, hydrofoil speedboat, a two-person submarine, not to mention kite and windsurfing equipment, diving gear, surfboards and jet skis. Even more impressive is the helideck, with its own hangar. For those taking the ice-class-hulled yacht into extreme environments, being able to protect the chopper is critical for safety missions, not to mention activities like heli-skiing.

See more photos of the superyacht below:

Courtesy of Gresham Yacht Design

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