The Vasa is one of the most famous ships in Swedish maritime history. Its tragic fate, marked by a shipwreck on its very first voyage, has made it an icon of naval archaeology. Its history, from its conception to its restoration, is a fascinating testimony to Sweden's naval past.

The Vasa (or Wasa), a ship that was to be emblematic

At the beginning of the 17th century, Sweden was a rising power in Northern Europe. Under the reign of King Gustav II Adolf, the Swedish navy played a key role in the country's expansionist policy. The Thirty Years' War was raging, and the sovereign wanted to strengthen his fleet with an exceptional warship. He therefore ordered the Vasa, intended to be the flagship of the Swedish navy.

The Vasa was intended to symbolise the power of the kingdom and assert Swedish supremacy in the Baltic Sea. Its construction was entrusted to the Dutch master carpenter Henrik Hybertsson and his team. The project was ambitious: a warship equipped with two battery decks, a rarity for the time, capable of accommodating 64 bronze cannons and nearly 450 men on board.

The Vasa, a warship that was to symbolise the power of Sweden

Construction of the Vasa began in 1626 at the Stockholm shipyards. The ship measured approximately 69 metres in length and 12 metres in width. It was decorated with richly ornamented sculptures, intended to glorify the Vasa dynasty and King Gustav II Adolf. However, there were major flaws in its design. Due to the late addition of a second battery deck, the ship's centre of gravity was too high, making the Vasa unstable.

Despite the concerns expressed by some builders and sailors, political pressure and the king's haste to see the ship sail led to its premature launch.

The sinking of the Vasa, a national disaster

On 10 August 1628, the Vasa finally set sail from the port of Stockholm, watched by a crowd gathered to witness this historic event. The ship set off with a small crew and made a short trip in Stockholm Bay. However, as soon as it left the port, a gust of wind tilted the Vasa dangerously. Water poured in through the open gun ports, and within minutes the ship sank to a depth of about 32 metres. She had only been sailing for 15 minutes!

This shipwreck, which occurred after only 1,300 metres of navigation, was a catastrophe for Sweden. An investigation was quickly launched, but no one was directly blamed, probably because of the status of the king, who had himself imposed certain modifications to the design of the ship.

The salvaging of the Vasa is entirely down to Anders Franzen

After it sank, several attempts were made to salvage it in the 17th century, but they failed due to the technical limitations of the time. However, in the mid-19th century, divers managed to recover several of the ship's cannons. It was not until 1956 that amateur archaeologist Anders Franzén, convinced that the Vasa was relatively well preserved underwater, located the wreck.

In 1961, a spectacular salvage operation was carried out. The ship was gradually raised to the surface, preserved by the cold, low-salinity waters of the Baltic Sea, which prevented marine organisms from damaging the wood. After its extraction, the Vasa was transported to a conservation site where a long preservation process began.

The Vasa today

The ship is now on display at the Vasa Museum in Stockholm, which opened in 1990. The museum houses not only the ship itself, but also an impressive collection of artefacts found on board, providing a better understanding of life on board a 17th-century warship.

The Vasa has become one of Sweden's most popular tourist attractions. Its history illustrates the technical challenges of shipbuilding in the modern era and the consequences of inadequate planning. Today, it remains a unique testament to Sweden's maritime ambition and the country's rich historical heritage.