Pirates & Shipwrecks · Swedish warship, 1628
Vasa
Stockholm harbour, Sweden
What happened
Vasa was a huge new Swedish warship built on the orders of King Gustavus Adolphus. On its first voyage in 1628 it sank in Stockholm harbor, a short distance from where it set out.
Why it matters
The ship was not stable enough, and it was salvaged with a largely intact hull in 1961 after 333 years on the seabed. It is now in the Vasa Museum in Stockholm.
What came next
Vasa was housed in a temporary museum until 1988 and then moved permanently to the Vasa Museum.
Did you know?
Between 1961 and the start of 2025, Vasa was seen by over 45 million visitors.
Timeline
- 1628Vasa sinks on its first voyage.
- 1961Vasa is salvaged.
- 1988Vasa moves to the Vasa Museum.