In 1625 king Gustav II of Sweden declared war on the Polish. The war was part of a campaign to conquer every country around the Baltic Sea. The sea would become the king's own Swedish pond and to travel its waves he needed a vessel worthy of a king.
In 1628 the Vasa was launched. It was a massive ship and entire forests had been chopped down to provide the wood for its hull and masts. Thousands of workers had laboured long and hard, but finally the royal flagship could make its maiden voyage.
 
People had gathered around the Riddarfjärden, waiting to see the magnificent ship as she travelled to harbour of Stockholm.
How great their horror must have been as the ship capsized. Many of the crewmen jumped into the cold water and managed to safe themselves, but some thirty sailors were trapped and went down with king Gustav's pride.

Now, 378 years later, the ship can be seen at the Vasa Museum on the island Djurgården. It is a huge building, where the atmosphere is carefully adjusted to slow down the decay of the ancient wood.

I remember the awe and amazement I sensed as I looked at her. Not only was she real, but she was also bigger than any replica of a similar ship I'd ever seen.
The paint had been soaked up by the water, but most of the carvings were still untouched. They depicted human figures and animals, and all of them were symbols and metaphors. I rember the kneeling figures at the bow, which -so it was said- represented Gustav's Polish enemies, crowling before the Swedes.
The whole ship was a display of Swedish power and a warning to the king's enemies.

This wasn't just an old ship, not just the wreck of some king's dream, this was as close as one could come to history...