The Vasa set sail and fired a salute. But only after a few minutes of sailing the ship began to heel over. She righted herself slightly - and heeled over again. Water started to gush in through the open gunports. And the glorious and mighty warship suddenly sank!

In the 17th century there were no scientific methods of calculating a ship's stability. It was not uncommon that warships heeled over and sank.

On April 24 1961, the warship Vasa broke the surface of Stockholm´s harbour after 333 years on the sea bottom.

When the Vasa set sail in 1628 she was one of the mightiest warship in the world. With 64 guns and 300 soldiers she was to put fear in the hearts of the enemy.

When the Vasa set sail on her maiden voyage in the summer of 1628 there were approximately 150 people on board. Most of them were seamen.

The Vasa is not merely a ship - she is also an art treasure. Around 700 sculptures and ornaments decorate the warship.

Strong, clear colours, in some places supplemented with gilding, were characteristic of the Vasa’s colouring.

With her masts, shrouds and stays, the Vasa of today is almost as handsome as when she set sail in 1628.