NORTHERN COUNTRY TOUR - VASA SHIP MUSEEUM STOCKHOLM

Before we left Stockholm for Helsinki, we visited the Vasa Museum. It contains the remains of the Vasa a Swedish warship built between 1626 and 1628. The ship sank after sailing about 1,300 m into its maiden voyage on 10 August 1628. The Vasa was a vast, beautifully decorated ship. It was covered in wooden carvings that told stories about the Swedish royal family, and most importantly the king, Gustav Adolf II.  It was the king who had ordered the ship, which carried an unprecedented 64 bronze cannons. The Vasa was recovered in 1961 and has been displayed in its own museum since 1990.

Honestly I didn't really know what to expect I had never heard about this ship and was so surprised to see this over 390 year old ship so amazingly intact, despite the fact that it had been so long in the water. 



The museum looked very modern ! When we entered the huge hall where the ship was standing, the light was dim to protect the old wood and carved sculptures. Therefore it was a bit difficult to get good pictures, especially with my little Canon camera.



It was just amazing ! When I think that this ship had laid in the water for such a long time, it was a miracle that it was so well preserved.



You could see the still beautiful carved sculptures and the window like holes for the canons. Of course it looked a bit rotten, but not that much with a bit of painting maybe it would be look like in his old glory.



and it had looked like this exact replica in a smaller size ! How colorful it was ! the sculptures in the front of the ship were all painted !



Even the lifeboat looked as if you could still use it.



A display showed how the ship's decoration had once been. It didn't look like a warship at all, compared to the dull grey warships we have today !

With 64 bronze canons and all these  decorations it was no wonder that the ship sank.



A little movie showed us how the ship was built.