It was moored in the south of France along with millionaires? vessels, and is currently expecting its new owner in Greece. The starting price for the floating palace is $20 million.
The floating palace, originally named Qadissiyat Saddam, after a famous Arab victory over the Persians in 637 AD, was made by Danish shipbuilders in 1981, telegraph.co.uk reports
The yacht, now renamed Ocean Breeze and moored off Nice, is an astonishing testament to the playboy lifestyle enjoyed by Saddam and his entourage.
It is decorated throughout with fine mahogany, gold, silver and marble, and was described by its builders as "lavish in every detail and very Arabic in style".
There are bathrooms with gold taps, Jacuzzis, steam rooms, hi-tech entertainment suites and games parlours, including table tennis and pool tables, and flat-screen TVs in almost every cabin.The yacht was built for Saddam Hussein by Danish engineers. The vessel was complete in 1981. Outwardly, it does not look so modern anymore, although the interior of the yacht was created to meet Hussein?s royal requirements. Gold, marble and other expensive materials along with mahogany furniture were used in the decoration of the luxury yacht. The Basra Breeze also has a secret passage, which allows the owner to access a motor boat and escape in case of emergency. The yacht is also outfitted with two surgery rooms and a special operation room. To crown it all, the yacht was equipped with a ground-to-air missile system, which is not going to be auctioned.
The yacht legally belongs to the incumbent government of Iraq. Organizers of the auction say that it would be na�ve for them to think that the auction market has not been affected with the global economic situation, although they hope for success.
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