Titanic facts are some of the most fascinating of all shipwrecks in maritime history. Perhaps it is because of the number of lives that were lost, or the fact that the entire tragedy could have been avoided, but there is no denying the mysterious allure this ill fated ocean liner still holds, even today.
Related articles: The Titanic Manifest, Titanic Questions & Answers
As the years have passed a number of legends have grown up around the sinking of the legendary Titanic. Some of these legends contain authentic Titanic facts and others are merely myth. The 'unsinkable Molly Brown' is an example of one of the Titanic ship facts. The wealthy socialite is said to have personally rowed one of the lifeboats to safety for a period of time well over 7 hours; the only woman among the passengers to have done so. Some historians have scoffed at the legend and concluded that this tale was made up by Molly years later to impress her socialite friends. Regardless of whether this is a myth or actually one of many interesting Titanic facts; the legend continues to circulate almost one hundred years later.
Some Interesting Facts on the Titanic
While the tragic sinking of the Titanic is still shocking and a bit unnerving, many of the Titanic facts are quite interesting.
The ship was loaded with only enough lifeboats to hold half of the Titanic passengers. There were 20 of them with a total capacity of 1178 people.
Some of the limited lifeboats were lowered to the waters only half-full.
Further facts on the Titanic indicate that the ship received information earlier regarding the presence of ice floes in the vicinity, yet continued to speed full throttle ahead towards tragedy.
Among the property reported as lost on the Titanic were over 3000 bags of mail and an automobile.
Each first class passenger paid a whopping $4,350 for a parlor suite ticket and $150 for a berth ticket.
The ship contained a heated swimming pool, a first for any sailing vessel.
The ship was still so brand new when passengers boarded it on April 10, 1912 that the paint was still wet in some spots.
Every stateroom contained electric lighting and heat.
Of the 1517 people of perished in the sinking of the Titanic, only 306 bodies were recovered.
The largest percentage of survivors came from first class passengers.
Even though directions have been given for women and children to board the lifeboats first, a number of men were reported as survivors while a surprisingly large number of women and children perished in the disaster. Most of the women and children lost in the sinking came from second and third class.
Sadly, Captain Smith had made plans to retire after seeing the Titanic safely across the Atlantic on her maiden voyage.
It cost $7,500,000 to build the Titanic.
It took three years to fully construct the ship.
Among the provisions when the Titanic set sail in Southampton, England were 40,000 eggs, 75,000 pounds of fresh meat and 1,000 bottles of wine.
The Titanic's total capacity was 3547 passengers + crew.
The Titanic's weight fully loaded was 46,328 tons.
The Titanic was 882 feet/268 meters long.
There were 29 boilers on board of the ship.
The ship consumed 825 tons of coal in one day.
The top speed of the Titanic was 23 knots.
The world's interest in the fascinating history of Titanic has endured for almost 100 years. April 15, 2005 will mark the 93rd anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic ship and although it has been nearly a century since the infamous luxury liner sank in the Atlantic Ocean, there continues to be a thirst for information regarding Titanic facts, myths and legends.
No other ship in the history of ocean travel has demanded as much interest as the Titanic. Volumes of books and reels of film have been produced regarding the most infamous shipwreck in history. We have attempted to provide here a brief introduction to some of the more fascinating facts, legends and myths regarding the sinking of the ship that was labeled 'unsinkable' before her disastrous maiden voyage in April of 1912.
History of the Titanic
History of the Titanic - The history of Titanic has endured for nearly a century. Find out more about the most fascinating ship and shipwreck in the world and how the tragedy of the ship continues to affect us today.
1912, the sinking of the Titanic.
April 15, 1912, The Sinking of the Titanic - When the Titanic embarked on her maiden voyage the world was filled with hope and awe. In just a few short days those emotions turned to horror and grief. Find out what really happened that day in 1912: the sinking of the Titanic.
Passengers on the Titanic
Passengers on the Titanic- One of the most fascinating aspects about the tragic history of the Titanic, is the eclectic mix of passengers onboard the ill fated luxury liner. When the ship sank, the lives of both the famous and the unknown were lost as well. Spend a few moments learning about the famous and not so famous passengers on the Titanic. Look here for a Titanic passenger list with the names of first, second and third
class passengers and survivors.
The Titanic Ship
Titanic Ship - While the Titanic ship initially earned fame as the largest luxury liner on the open seas, she would obtain enduring distinction for the tragedy that took the ship to her watery grave. Return to the Titanic and discover the surprising facts that led to the ship's destruction from the moment she set sail.
Titanic Facts
Titanic Facts - It has been almost 100 years since the Titanic sank. During that time a number of myths and legends have grown up around the sinking of the now infamous ship. Take a few moments to read about some of the more interesting and true Titanic facts.
Titanic Movie
Titanic Movie -The 1997 release of 'Titanic' renewed the world's interest in a bygone era and the fate of the Titanic's maiden voyage. Find out more about the Titanic movie that captured the world's interest and won a ton of Academy Awards.
Titanic Pictures
Titanic Pictures - For years the world pondered what the 'ship of dreams' might have really looked like and wondered if any part of the ship still remained to be seen somewhere below the icy depths of the Atlantic Ocean. In 1985 the first pictures of the wreck were taken. Immerse yourself in pictures of the Titanic's grave and find out what role those pictures have made in discovering the truth about the ship's tragic end.
Titanic Construction
Titanic Construction - The White Star Line billed the Titanic as 'unsinkable' months before the ship ever embarked on her maiden voyage. Her construction was reputed to have been the best of the best. So, why did she sink and did the ship's construction have anything to do with the tragedy?
Titanic Manifest
Titanic Manifest - The manifest of the maiden, and only, voyage of the Titanic provides a fascinating look into life aboard the famous luxury liner during her brief few days at sea. Find out why the Titanic was called 'the ship of dreams'.
Titanic Wreck
Titanic Wreck - Following the sinking of the Titanic in 1912, various groups and individuals searched for the Titanic wreck for decades. Many had started to believe the ship's grave would never be found. Become immersed in the search for the Titanic wreck.
Titanic Artifacts
Titanic Artifacts - The artifacts recovered from the Titanic wreck are a sad reminder of what happened that April morning of 1912.
Menus, clothes, jewelry, bottles of wine, letters from passengers on the Titanic, etc. were salvaged from the depths of the ocean and put on display in museums and exhibits or auctioned.
