Vasa Museum
Vasa Museum by Shadowgate/Flickr
Found sunken in the waters just outside of the Stockholm harbor after 300 years of being forgotten, the Vasa Ship looks exactly how one would picture a pirate ship. Had her maiden voyage been a success, Vasa might have seen many a man walk the plank for being a scallywag, sent to Davy Jones’ Locker. Gents might have scrubbed the deck to a loud chorus of “Yo Ho.” Her stout frame and domineering bulk might have rivaled the Jolly Roger, giving Captain Hook a frightful fret.
As it was, Vasa never had the chance to stake her claim in the high seas. She filled with water on her maiden voyage in 1628 and sank just outside the harbor. Her bronze cannons were salvaged and the rest of her left neglected under water. It wasn’t until the 1950’s that the magnificent ship was rediscovered, almost fully intact despite 300 years of warping. She was resurrected and is currently the only 17-century ship almost fully intact on display in the whole world.
Vasa was a warship commission by royalty. The king of Sweden, Gustavus Adolphus, was at war with Poland-Lithuania, and had Vasa built as an imposing vessel. And that she was: the ship was one of the most heavily armed boats in the world when completed. Perhaps too heavily armed, for she was top heavy, and despite the knowledge of this problem, was ordered to set sail. She barely made it past the docking area when a slight wind barely stronger than a breeze bright an end to one of the world’s mightiest ships.
As it was, Vasa never had the chance to stake her claim in the high seas. She filled with water on her maiden voyage in 1628 and sank just outside the harbor. Her bronze cannons were salvaged and the rest of her left neglected under water. It wasn’t until the 1950’s that the magnificent ship was rediscovered, almost fully intact despite 300 years of warping. She was resurrected and is currently the only 17-century ship almost fully intact on display in the whole world.
Vasa was a warship commission by royalty. The king of Sweden, Gustavus Adolphus, was at war with Poland-Lithuania, and had Vasa built as an imposing vessel. And that she was: the ship was one of the most heavily armed boats in the world when completed. Perhaps too heavily armed, for she was top heavy, and despite the knowledge of this problem, was ordered to set sail. She barely made it past the docking area when a slight wind barely stronger than a breeze bright an end to one of the world’s mightiest ships.
