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River Danube : Kozloduy, Bulgaria
PS Radetzky (ex tug Plovdiv)

Built in Obuda, Budapest in 1954
54.4 metres long 
Series 732 tug, a standard design at the time for vessels built in the USSR and Hungary


Originally called "Plovdiv", this Bulgarian-owned example of a series 732 tug was rebuilt in 1964-66 to resemble an old DDSG passenger steamer named Radetzky built in 1852 in Obuda and which served until 1913 and was scrapped in 1924 despite attempts by the Bulgarian state with public subscriptions to buy the by-now derelict ship from the Austrian owners. The original Radetzky had an important place in Bulgarian history, having been boarded by Bulgarian independence fighters at the beginning of a revolt against Turkish rule in 1876.

The idea to build a "new" Radetzky was prompted by the up-coming 90th anniverary of the death of the revolutionaty Hristo Botev who died in combat a few days after using the ship to penetrate into "occupied" territory and remains one of Bulgaria's most celebrated heroes. A campaign was started by Mrs Lilyana Lozanova, a newspaper editor and the funds were primarily obtained from schoolchildren. The ship was recreated using old builders' plans, drawings and photos of the earlier ship although new passenger saloons were added.  Other information was found which allowed internal fittings and items such as kitchen utensils to be recreated as authentically as possible. Some artefacts had been saved from the old Radetzky and a museum with artefacts relating to Botev's life was created in the first class saloon. She arrived at Kozloduy on May 30th 1966 to great celebration. In her new guise she was used for cruises for the Bulgarian Young Pioneers' Movement. She sailed to Budapest and Vienna in 1966 for official celebrations of the Botev annivesary, the journey being made with 124 schoolchildren aboard.
In 1982 she was designated a "national" museum and has support of the Bulgarian Ministry of Culture as well as the local authorities in Kozloduy
The ship got a major refurbishment in between 1988 and 1993 and her steam engines were replaced by twin diesel engines


Official website : http://www.slovo.bg/radetzky/en/index.html


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