For the sake of full disclosure, I cheated a little in the pictures for this post - Kristine returned to Stockholm the next weekend with one of her friends from Australia and they took lots more photos. This post is a mix of both of those visits.
The Vasa is a Swedish Warship that started construction in 1626 and was finished in 1628. It sailed its maiden voyage on 10 August 1628, sailed 1,300 meters and sunk. Its cannons were salvaged in the 17th century (they were valuable bronze) and the ship was mostly forgotten until it was found in 1950 in a shipping lane outside Stockholm.
It was salvaged mostly intact in 1961 and is now housed in the Vasa Museum. The museum has had over 29 million visitors since 1961.
When the ship sunk it sat on even keel in mud and clay. It weighted around 700 tons. In order to lift it, they dug six tunnels through the mud under the hull and passed two 6-inch thick steel cables through each. It was raised by attaching the cables to pontoons (Odin and Frigg) which were pumped full of water. The cables were tightened and then water was pumped out. This created a pressure that helped to break the Vasa free of the mud. When they finally broke it free, it was lifted and carried to shallow water and the process repeated. Divers searched the area for salvage that had fallen from the wreck.
Once the ship was shallow enough the mud and water was pumped out of the hull so it could be refloated and it was then moved to a pontoon where it could be excavated and preserved. She broke surface on the 24th of April 1961 at 9:03am after having been sunk for 333 years.
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History:
When the Vasa was built, Sweden was transitioning from being a poor country to being a major power, particularly in the Baltic. The King, Gustavus Adolphus (1594-1632) was very successful and was currently at war with Poland and Lithuania. In order to win the war, Gustavus decided he needed a strong naval force in the Baltic. Until then the Swedes mainly had small to medium sized ships with a single gun-deck as they were cheap and agile patrol ships. Gustavus wanted to use the ships as an artillery platform so he ordered a series of big ships, with the Vasa being the first. The others completed were Äpplet, Kronan, Scepter and Göta Ark - further ones were cancelled after the King's death.
The main shipwright, Master Henrik (Henrik Hybertsson) died before the ship was launched (put on water for upperdeck and mast work) in 1627. In 1628 the ship's stability was tested by having thirty men run from one side of the ship to the other - but this was cancelled after three laps due to fears the ship would capsize. This was reported to the King but he was away and keen for the ship to launch as soon as possible.
The Vasa's maiden voyage was on 10 August 1628 and was a calm day with a light breeze. The gun ports were opened to allow for the firing of a salute.
A gust of wind picked up and the ship heeled to port and righted herself. Another gust then pushed it again to port and the lower gunports went under water and water rushed into the lower decks, sinking the ship.
Most of the crew survived by clinging to masts but 30-50 people died in the sinking. An inquest was undertaken it was found that the centre of gravity was too high and the base of the ship was too narrow and didn't hold enough ballast for stability.
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| Cross section of the ship showing the small amount of ballast |
In the end the inquest found that the crew behaved appropriately and while suspicion fell on the shipmakers for building it too narrow, the measurements had been approved by the king, so ultimately Master Henrik (who was conveniently dead) took the blame.
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Enough text (congratulations Dad if you read this far...) on to the very impressive pictures:
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| First view of the Vasa as we walked in |
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| Posing at the Vasa |
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| Model of the Vasa sinking - Alana was more concerned with the missing boat in the lower right |
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| Traditional Paints used on the Vasa - Including those made from Malachite, Haematite, Ochre, Cinnabar and Madder Root |
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| Ornamentation from the Vasa |
And some shots from the front of the Vasa to the back (bow to stern):
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| The Bow |
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| Cannon Ports |
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| Ornamentation of cannon ports |
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| Ornamentation of Roman Emperors (see later for details of why) |
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| Stern |
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| View from the stern |
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| Port side |
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| Model of what the inside would have looked like |
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| Rigging |
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| Looking stern-wards from the starboard side |
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| The deck |
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| Looking forward from the port side |
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| Stern |
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| Ship's cannon |
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| Model made of the remains and clothing found inside the wreck |
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| Reconstruction of crew faces |
Gustav on the right was predicted to be 40-45 years old and 165cm tall. No items of clothing or belongings were found with him, but his skeleton was almost intact. He was short and his spine showed signs of hard work or illness.
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| Skeleton of Adam |
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| Johan |
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| Gustav |
The naming of the skeletons was done on letter designations based on when they were found, A first, then B etc. This was then expanded to the Swedish Phonetic radio code, with A becoming Adam, B becoming Beata etc.
Most of the people on board were sailors or guests with a few officers. Only one was listed in official records - Hans Jonsson a retired captain. His remains may be among those discovered, and some believed he may have been "Johan". Its predicted that about 135-200 people were on board and 30-50 died in the sinking. 15 significant sets of remains were found - almost all trapped inside, mostly on the gun decks
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| Model showing the original colourings of the Vasa |
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| Painting of the Vasa |
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| Map showing fleets in the Baltic |
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| Long Boat |
I mentioned earlier, there are sculptures of twenty Roman Emperors around the Beakhead. Augustus, the first and best known, is not shown as King Gustavus Adolphus wanted to be seen as Augustus, Caeser of Peace. It could also be a challenge to the German Emperor who was heir to the Roman empire.
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| Roman Emperors on the Vasa |
The ornamentation of the Vasa is very ornate and symbolic:
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| Stern ornamentation |
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| Reprentation of what it would have looked like painted |
Some of the sculptures:
(info from signs)
The message of the sculptures:
The Vasa symbolised a ruler who wished to perform stylishly on the European scene. The sculptures were a tribute to the king, but at the same time admonished the Swedish people to live up to the virtues possessed by Gustavus Adolphus; courage, wisdom and piety. Inspiration came from the bible, ancient mythology and the world of sagas and fables.
1 - Nereid - Many of the ship's sculptures are sea creatures. The crew were to feel secure through the strong link with the lords. The mermaid is a Nereid, a daughter of the sea-god Nereus. the tail wreathes itself around a dolphin, the mariner's fortune bearer.
2 - Triton - As protector from the perils of the deep, the seafarer must remain on good terms with the marine deities. The Triton is a mythological sea creature, son of Poseidon, god of the sea. Sea creatures were one of the most popular motives in Renaissance art.
3 - Pillar with Male Torso - Astrology was of great significance in the 17th century. The theme is also present on the ship. Every mortal was under the influence of a heavenly body that was connected with a temperament. The herm pilaster with its serene expression symbolises the phlegmatic temperament.
4 - Shield with Three Crowns - The three crowns have been a part of the Swedish coat-of-arms since the 14th century, when King Albrekt was the first to use them. The original significance is however a matter of dispute. Together with the lions and the Vasa corn sheaf, they formed the Swedish coat-of-arms.
5 - Memento Mori - Remember you must die - The hero Hercules stands on a console head where snakes writhe in and out of the facial cavities. The head is a symbol for the final judgement where the condemned suffer the torments of hell. Since the hero is standing on the head we understand that he has overcome death.
6 - The Vasa Coat-Of-Arms - The coat-of-arms, with the Vasa family corn sheaf was to manifest the king's dominating position and to emphasize that he was designated by God. Small cherubs support the escutcheon and indicate that Sweden had the Vasa kings to thank for divine peace and freedom. Their hands grasp olive branches - the symbol of peace.
7a and 7b - Grotesque Console Heads - Along the sides of the Vasa's quarter galleries are rows of grotesquely distorted faces serving as console heads. These were frequent elements in Renaissance art. The examples were taken from Roman mural paintings and as well from the medieval Gothic form world.
8 - Titus - Roman Emperor - Nineteen Roman Emperors are aligned along the Vasa's beak-head, intended to point out Sweden's king as their equal. Augustus, considered the first and greatest Emperor is missing. Perhaps the reason is that Gustavus Adolphus identified himself with him.
9 - Roman Warriors (3) - Renaissance man harboured an affectionate admiration for the antique Greek and Roman cultures. By decorating the ship with Roman warriors, the Swedish king demonstrated that he was a man of culture and regarded himself as an equal of the Romans in courage and power.
10 - Roman Warrior with Dog - On the starboard bow stands a huge warrior looking out over the sea. At his feet a little dog plays on the head of a lion. With this allegory, the Swedish King wished to point out that he, like the noble lion is clement to those who beg his mercy and are prepared to subjugate themselves.
11 - Warriors in 17th Century Armour - the Renaissance princes loved to surround themselves with images of illustrious forebears. Being able to present ones own glorious history was essential. The warriors surrounding the Vasa coat-of-arms may perhaps be regarded as King Gustavus Adophus' Geatish forebears. According to the patriotic writing of the day, they had once suppressed the Romans.
12 - King David, The Harp Player - David, the wise king of the Israelites and writer of psalms stands on the lower stern galley, playing his harp. This is how Gustavus Adolphus wished to be regarded, not only as a courageous warrior, but also as a wise and pious leader of his people.
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We finished our trip on the Saturday, taking the fast train back to Malmo to prepare for Kristine's friend, Sarah, to arrive the next day.
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