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More than 300 years ago, the
Vasa was launched as
the pride of the growing Swedish Navy. Possibly the greatest warship
in size and firepower at the time, the ship experienced a tragic
accident and capsized not very long into its maiden voyage. Now
resurrected, the Vasa forms the primary exhibit of Stockholm’s most
popular museum.
The history of the Swedish Vasa
In 1628, Sweden was an emerging world power. Ruled by King Gustavus
Adolphus, the country waged successful wars against its neighbours,
while growing in prosperity through the exploitation of its mineral
resources and trade. The Vasa was built to serve as the flagship for
the navy of a proud and successful military power. The ship carried
64 guns and a total complement of 450 soldiers and sailors, which
was far more than warships in those days typically carried.
On its maiden voyage, the ship was to have sailed for the naval base
of Alvsnabben, but it capsized in calm weather in Stockholm harbour,
with a loss of 50 lives. Experts believe that the ship’s design had
rendered it too unstable to be seaworthy, and resulted in it
sinking. And so it came to pass that the ship remained under water,
until 1956, when a marine archeologist re-discovered the wreck of
the Vasa and an effort to recover and restore the wreck was
launched.
Anders Franzen searched for the remains of the Vasa for many years
in the middle of the 20th Century. Then, on 25 August 1956, he found
his treasure — indicated by a piece of blackened oak from the depths
of Stockholm harbour. The dredging began and it took several years
to lift the Vasa in stages to dry dock. This was finally completed
in 1961, but from then on, an even more time-consuming part of the
project began — the restoration.
As the waters of Stockholm are relatively low in salt, the ship had
not deteriorated as much as it would have in warmer waters. Even so,
elaborate wood carvings such as those on the stern were in very poor
shape and much meticulous work had to be carried out. The
conservators were hampered by the fact that no detailed drawings of
the ship’s original design existed. While the hull remained intact,
there were about 13,500 loose pieces which needed to be fitted into
the structure. Replacements had to be made where the original had
deteriorated too far to be saved.
Pride of the nation, projection of power in the seas
The ship served not only martial functions but
also to convey a message — the grandeur of a rising Empire
translated into carvings, much as Palaces and Cathedrals did in
those days. Many of the craftsmen were imported from Germany and
Holland, and they brought influences of late Renaissance and Baroque
style to their work. Among the themes displayed are those of Roman
Emperors, lion figurines, notably the figurehead above the bow,
characters from Greek mythology, Swedish Royals and biblical
figures. The main mast stood 52 m high. Most of the ship’s cannon
had already been recovered in the 17th Century itself, and weighed
11 kg.
Apart from the grand and heavy, the shipwreck also yielded more
intimate artifacts - the utensils, tools and toys of the crew. Even
food and drinks were recovered, though they had long since passed
their date for safe use. Medical instruments, spoons and plates, a
backgammon game, over 4,000 coins and a chest packed with clothing
and personal belongings withstood the long submergence and present a
glimpse of life at sea in the age of tall ships to a modern
audience. This life was often hard, with cramped living conditions
among the cannon and disease and malnutrition killing off more
people than battles actually did.
The Vasamuseet in the Djurgarden district of Stockholm is dedicated
to this colossal relic of the past. Located less than a nautical
mile from the site of the tragedy, the Vasamuseet sits close to the
shore with the very tops of the masts protruding its roof. In
addition to the ship and the artifacts recovered from its previous
resting place, the museum includes a full-size replica of the gun
deck of the ship. This allows visitors to get a good feel for the
living conditions of the sailors then, as visitors are not allowed
to board the actual ship. An auditorium screens films and multimedia
slideshows, with English subtitles, regularly.
While here, visitors may also visit the Museifartygen, located right
outside the Vasamuseet. This actually consists of two early
twentieth Century utility ships — the lightship Finngrundet and the
icebreaker Sankt Erik. Finngrundet was built in 1903 and served as a
mobile lighthouse anchored to the Finngrund Banks in the southern
part of the Gulf of Bothnia. She was replaced by automatic
lighthouses in the 1960s and was retired to serve as a museum. The
Sankt Erik was built in 1915 and was Sweden’s first seagoing ice
breaker. The ship has Sweden’s largest working marine steam engine.
The Vasamuseet is open daily throughout the year, generally between
10 am — 5 pm, and until 8 pm on Wednesdays, with different times in
June-August. It is closed for Christmas and the New Year. The
Museifartygen is open only from 10 June — 20 August, from 12 — 5 pm
daily.
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