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Vasa or Wasa (Swedish pronunciation: [²vɑːsa] ⓘ) is a Swedish warship built between 1626 and 1628. The ship sank after sailing roughly 1,300 m (1,400 yd) into her maiden voyage on 10 August 1628.
Joshua Hanlon explains how the pride of Sweden's 17th century fleet sank less than an hour after it set sail.Read a complete timeline of Vasa and her sinking...
Vasa was a spectacular warship that sank in 1628, killing 30 people and revealing its engineering flaws. Learn how Vasa became a treasure trove for archaeologists and a cautionary tale for technology design.
Vasa is a real treasure from the 17th century that offers us a rich history, from the work at the Ship Yard to life on board a warship.
The Excavation. Dressed in rain wear and newly vaccinated against whatever bugs might live in a sunken ship, a team of archaeologists descended into the black sludge that filled Vasa in April 1961.
What started with church services and a festive atmosphere ended in a watery grave. It was the 10th of August 1628, when Vasa, the most powerful warship in the Baltic, foundered in Stockholm harbour before the eyes of a large audience, scant minutes after setting sail for the first time.
Vasa was built to be Sweden's flagship for the reserve fleet. It was richly decorated with sculptures and new modern cannons, intended to impress the Swedish enemy: Poland. Vasa was war propaganda in the form of a ship and therefore an important symbol for Sweden, with the purpose to boast Sweden's power and wealth.
