The warship "Vasa" (named after the then ruling Swedish dynasty) was launched in the summer of 1628 and should be the true flagship of the navy, because it was created as the largest (with a displacement of 1210 tons) and the most heavily armed ship in the waters of the Baltic countries . The length of the Vasa hull is 69 m, and its width is 11.7 m. On board this impressive ship, 64 cannons were provided, which required about three hundred soldiers to service.

Museum of Photography - Photos, Photos, Photos

You should definitely take the free audio guide. A visit to the photographic museum "Photography" is worth not only for all photographers. Depending on the exhibition, people, animals or places are depicted, as well as films about the artists. Various exhibitions change every few months and offer something for every taste. In the connected store of the store, you can purchase replicas and postcards, as well as photographic accessories.

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The initiator of the creation of "Vasa" was King Gustav Adolf, who was considered an incredibly ambitious person. His Highness wanted to demonstrate to all his neighbors that the Swedish Navy could have warships armed with heavy guns, which had no analogues at that time. And "Vasa" was to be the first such vessel in which all the ambitions of Gustav could be realized.

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Stockholm Museum: Butterflies to look for, not touching. When it is very cold outside - and this is often the case in winter, often in Stockholm - a visit to a butterfly and a tropical house is especially suitable. At 27 degrees you can warm up and take a break from the winter. However, more than one or two hours is not required. The tower with its 155 meters is the tallest tourist building in Stockholm. When the weather is fine, you can have a short hike through the large park of the Dzhurgarden region. Buses go straight to the TV tower.


Work on the creation of such an impressive ship of the Swedish navy began in the spring of 1626 in Stockholm. More than 400 people were involved in the work, including the most talented shipbuilders, carpenters, blacksmiths.

The construction of Vasa, which is impressive in its scale, took about 16 hectares of oak forest (that is, over a thousand trees). After the completion of all construction work, the ship was equipped with sails for a long time, which at that time were not sewn in Sweden, being content with canvas ordered from the best craftsmen and.

Special tip: if you are interested in photography, you can take the photo lab key observation deck in a cafe and take amazing photos from Stockholm. The Manege Museum is Sweden's national museum for the history of the Swedish Navy. The museum is located on the pier in the center of the historical island of Stumholmen in Karlskrona.

It contained a number of models that were created to test various ship designs and technical solutions at the time. Today, the models, together with the figureheads, form the backbone of the museum in the museum's unique gallery and the museum's most beautiful collections of ships. The museum also houses object collections, a drawing archive, an image archive and a library. In addition, the museum also conducts research.


No less impressive was the ship, whose hull was decorated with gilded carved sculptures. More than 700 sculptures adorned the stern alone, which also could not help but contribute to the sad fate that befell the Vasa when it was launched.


Every year the museum has about a thousand visitors, half of whom come from abroad. Opening hours of museum ships, sloops and barracks, sailing workshop and ship simulator. From the tourist information in Karlskrona on Stortorget, follow Kyrkogatan to the east, cross Drottninggatan and then reach the Stamholmsbron Bridge. The museum is about 20 minutes walk from the hotel. Stumholmen Island is autofrey, but there are handicapped car parks in front of the museum entrance.

The underwater tunnel has elevators at both ends. The restaurant has generous areas that help disabled people maneuver and have tables adapted for wheelchair users. The museum has a changing room and a toilet for the disabled. Disabled parking is located right in front of the entrance. Also available is half of the upper deck and a small part of the other half, but unfortunately not the engine room. In the ship simulator, several older children can test how a ship can be controlled.

Among the decorative decorations of this Swedish ship were sculptures of King Gustav himself with griffins holding his crown, Roman emperors, the image of the coat of arms of the Vasa dynasty and numerous mermaids and tritons. Surprisingly, biblical motifs and plots of ancient Greek myths intertwined in this decor.


On Sundays in autumn and spring, the "Sunday Pass" takes place with concerts, crafts, adventures and many other activities. Group visits with guided tours must be booked at least a week in advance. Booking a group visit. . Those who would like to deepen their knowledge of the maritime world should read maritime and military history literature in the bookstore.

The store has the same opening hours as the museum. You can also dine a la carte and order meals. Children can eat at reduced prices. In summer, you can enjoy a great location and good food at the popular Terrace Café. One of the largest tourist attractions and the most visited museum in Scandinavia is located in Sweden on the island of Djurgården. The Vasa Museum is a combat museum in Stockholm that is the only ship left in the world with about 95 percent of the original parts that can be viewed in the Vasa Museum.

The bow was decorated with a 4-hmet gilded knob in the shape of a lion, weighing about 450 kg. This sculpture was very symbolic, because Gustav himself was called the "Northern Lion".

King's fatal mistake

Such an impressive vessel was supposed to clearly demonstrate the power of the state. But is it any wonder that all this greatness turned out to have not the best seaworthy characteristics, and already on its first exit to the sea, having traveled only 1.5 km of the way, the Vasa ship sank.

It is considered a unique art treasure from that time in the shipping industry. Hundreds of carved sculptures are located on Vasya. Since then, it has attracted about 1.2 million visitors a year, and as such, the Vasa Museum is the most visited museum in Scandinavia. In addition to visiting the Vasa, the museum also has a film about a warship from the 16th century different languages. In addition, visitors can visit nine more exhibitions at the museum, all related to the ship. There is also a first class restaurant and a well stocked museum shop for all guests.

Construction of the warship Vasa

A large copper roof with stylized masts depicts the height of Vasa's ridge, and colored wood panels cover parts of the building. At one time, the Swedish galleon Vasa was one of the largest and most heavily armed warships in the world. The impetus for these plans was the fact that Sweden was pleased maritime power, and that a signal was to be set up during the Thirty Years' War against Catholic Poland. Lutheran Sweden had to take advantage of its interests. In addition, it was also about resources, because hemp was imported from the Baltic countries to produce rope for the new ships.

Strong gusts of wind filled the sails, and the Vasa listed heavily. After the wind weakened, the ship leveled off and safely left the bay. But subsequent gusts of wind again created a strong list, with huge masts, the ship lay on its left side and began to sink.


In addition to strategic and religious reasons, there were also personal reasons for this warlike conflict. Vasa from the throne of Sweden. Vasa, whose royal dynasty finally got its name, wanted to start this war in order to regain the throne. They wanted to build the most impressive warship in the world, with 64 guns 69 meters long and 12 meters wide and a large mast almost 52 meters high. The sail area extended over 300 square meters and lay at the stern just under 15 meters above the water level.

The fall of the Vase and the first attempts to save

The blockade at the mouth of the Vistula near Gdansk was supposed to be the first order of the Vasa, but the ship could no longer cope with this task. That is why the ship was towed from the shipyard to the shore. It should end right in front of the royal castle of Tre Kronor. Thus, the ship was installed, but a test was carried out before leaving the port. In such a test, the stability of the vessel must be tested, as it has never before been skimmed over the water for a long time. Among other things, the 30 crew members had to jerk from side to side on the ship.

More than a hundred people were on board at that moment - crew members and their families. But thanks to the fact that the shipwreck happened just 100 meters from the coast of Stockholm, most managed to escape. According to historical data, the death toll then ranged from 30 to 50 people, although if the ship had gone further from the coast, the number of victims could have been much higher.

Finally, the test was aborted early on as Waza hesitated too much. The order, however, was incomprehensibly given, so that Vasa, under Captain Söring Hansson Jute, was at sea. It was a traditional salute and four sails were set. Some sources have reports of eyewitnesses who have already seen the ship at their first meters at a menacing angle. After the first more strong storm, The vase tipped over in just 300 meters and a 20-minute drive. Vasa sank and 30 to 50 people died.

A few days later, a trial was opened to find the culprits. However, this was not possible as only the king himself could be held responsible. He left the basic dimensions of the ship unchanged, but at the same time ordered many more guns than planned for construction. In parallel with this process, the first rescue attempts began. Several salvage licenses had to be granted in the following decades, but no one was able to fully salvage Vase. Only individual parts of the cannon can be restored.


King Gustav was not present at the descent of Vasa, being at that time in Prussia, but subsequently ordered a thorough investigation to find out the reasons for what had happened. When it became clear from the information of the surviving crew that the cause of the crash had nothing to do with the management of the ship, it was decided that mistakes made by shipbuilders led to the shipwreck. To be more precise, it was the king who was guilty of the collapse of the Vasa, whose calculations were taken as the basis for the construction of the vessel.

Finally, Vasa's masts were closed to free the entrance to the port. The ship itself was deep enough underwater that it could not interfere with shipping. Vasa finally disappeared from the consciousness of the general public. Until the ship finally recovered almost three centuries later, and then the museum was erected.

Successful rescue and construction of the Vase Museum

The vase was amazing good condition, because he was under water for almost 343 years. The vase was so well preserved that the shipworm could not survive in the brackish waters of Stockholm harbor. In addition, the high sulfur content of the water preserved the wood. The subsequent architectural competition with 385 participants was won by Marianna Dalbek and Goran Monsson. About a year later, the Vase was taken to the flooded dry dock, and about 12 months later, the first visitors were allowed to enter the museum grounds.


The width of the ship turned out to be insufficient with such a large-scale armament, which caused the high instability of the ship on the water. Curiously, the analogues of the Vasa were subsequently created with a somewhat large width of the hull and regularly served until the middle of the 18th century. Well, the perpetrators of the collapse of "Vasa" have not been identified, because who dares to say that His Majesty is to blame.

The Vasa Museum was finally opened with 200 million crowns, but the Vasa Museum has long since resumed its spending. This makes the Vasa Museum the most popular museum in Scandinavia. When the vase was restored, the ship consisted only of a hull that was surprisingly well preserved. The powerful rigging with masts and swamps and high rear gates with galleries and mirrors, as well as the powerful Galion, were destroyed during the 333 years when the Vase was on the seabed, and many parts fell off. Therefore, to save the Vase, it was necessary to protect thousands of building parts, as well as several hundred sculptures and carvings.


The first attempts to raise the Vasa from the bottom were made in the year of its wreck. Of particular interest were the guns on board. But all attempts to raise the ship, using it to drag the ship to such a close coast, were unsuccessful.

Then it was decided to raise only guns from the bottom, but this task was not an easy one. Only in 1658 was it possible to raise 54 cannons, after which the sunken ship was simply forgotten, so much so that they even lost the exact coordinates of its wreck.

This became the basis for the reconstruction of the ship. This is the result of many years of work by the patient, which is complicated by the fact that neither the drawings, nor the illustrations, nor the details of the original appearance the ship has not been preserved. Built chiefly in the Dutch manner by a Dutch-born boatbuilder, with her tall and rather narrow hull and large, heavy, slightly sloping Halion, she recalls the type of vessel developed in Western and Northern Europe in the second half of the century. At 69 meters long, including the bowsprit, the Vasa was an excellent vehicle for Swedish conditions, perhaps the largest ever built in Sweden.


The revival of the ship "Vasa" from oblivion occurred only a few centuries later, when in the mid-50s of the 20th century archaeologist Anders Frantzen became interested in the history of the sunken ship. In August 1956, a lost ship with a perfectly preserved hull was discovered at the bottom of the sea near Stockholm.

The rear stern with the stern was almost 20 meters, a large mast about 50 meters high. The release amounted to 400 tons. Built with a double battery deck for 48 heavy guns, the ship had a total of 64 guns and was intended for a crew of about 450, including 300 soldiers, with her 10 sails.

In this way, a rich sculptural splendor was manifested, the development of which reached its zenith in the second half of the century. Decorations were an important task. They were characterized by the symbolic-allegorical art of the Renaissance and Baroque, whose roots go back to ancient mythology and biblical stories, philosophy and history, as well as to national historical romanticism. In this way, the sculptural decorations conveyed a message to the ships. In most cases, these messages were associated with the princes, the builders of the ship, and should show the world his strength, moral integrity and rulers, his political intentions, as well as his ambitions.

Rescue and revival of "Vasa"

April 1961 was remembered by many as the first manned flight into space, but for the inhabitants of Stockholm this spring month was also remembered by the rise from the bottom of the sunken Vasa, which happened on the 24th. The old ship raised from the bottom was completely restored, after which in August 1990 it officially became a museum and received the status of historical value.


Moreover, almost 95% of all elements remained well-preserved from the original design. The waters themselves contributed to such a unique preservation, in which the wood-boring shell, common in the expanses of the southern seas, is not found. Therefore, it can be argued that this is the only ancient ship built entirely of wood, which has been perfectly preserved to this day.

So that the wooden hull of the ship raised from the day did not crack, it was necessary to create a special covered dock, where the Vasa was towed, and to carry out a lot of work to finally solve the issue of timber conservation. No less difficult was the work on the restoration of the ship's sails.


A three-story building was erected around the ship located on the Stockholm island of Djurgården (the Vasa masts still tower over it), a tour of which allows you to admire the old ship from all angles. In addition to the restored ship, within the walls of this ship you can admire the wax figures of the crew members, ancient cannons and numerous reduced models of the Vasa, as well as learn the history of the ship's raising from the bottom.


And if in the 17th century this ship could not serve for the good of the country, now the Vasa, which has not sunk into oblivion, plays the role of one of the main attractions of Stockholm, which has been visited by about 30 million over the years since the opening of this museum ship. tourists.

Today I will talk about one Swedish museum, the Vasa Museum (Swedish: Vasa Museet). To be honest, when I arrived in Stockholm, I had no plans for this place. The name of the museum is generally heard by tourists. However, many dismiss the thought of visiting when they hear two keywords: “museum-ship”. “Shipbuilding is interesting only to men,” say many of the fair sex. “And really, what could be remarkable there for a person who is not at all versed in shipbuilding? Whether it's the classic art or natural science museums that are familiar to the eye, ”I thought. But what was my surprise when I heard the story of a woman who willingly shared her vivid impressions of a trip to the Vasa Museum with two other young ladies. Without thinking twice, I went there - I decided not to follow the prevailing stereotypes, which I advise you too.

"Vasa" made the most amazing impression on me. This is one of the most memorable museums I've been to! I bring to your attention short review and some important details.

How to get there

This amazing museum is located on one of the islands in the center of Stockholm Djurgården ( Djurgarden). To get to it, in my opinion, the best way is from the Old City (Gamla-Stan). Why? Old city- this is the place where most of the travelers come in the very first place. It's like Palace Square in St. Petersburg or Red Square in Moscow.

Personally, I went to the Vasa Museum from the Royal Palace. In order not to get lost in Stockholm, you can choose it as a guide and a strong point: it is visible from afar. I walked for about 30 minutes, as it is written on the map below. Of course, you can go faster. However, the incredible beauty of Art Nouveau architectural buildings, embankments, harbors, and simply magnificent views that open up to the eye will not leave you indifferent ... so it’s unlikely that you will be able to stop or not slow down :).


However, for those who prefer to use public transport, there is an alternative - the bus. To get to the Vasa Museum, you need to cross the bridge and go to the Stockholm Karl XII:s torg stop. Bus number 76 departs from there every 15–17 minutes (depending on the time of day). Read about how to purchase tickets and passes for public transport. You will need to drive four stops and get off at Stockholm Djurgårdsbron. Then, keeping to the right side, go straight (3-4 minutes). Oops, and you are there.

If you decide to get to the Vasa Museum from other parts of the city, then nearby museums can serve as landmarks: the Museum of the Northern Peoples (Nordiska museet), located in a beautiful neo-Renaissance building, as well as the famous Skansen open-air museum ( Skansen). You can see them in the photo below.





In general, the island of Djurgården, on which the museums listed above are located, can rightly be considered a museum island. There is also a museum dedicated to the ABBA group and the Aquaria Vattenmuseum.

So. If you are not coming from the Old Town, the nearest metro station to the museum is Karlaplan (Karl's Square). But "next" is putting it mildly. From the metro you will need to take bus number 67, drive 3 stops and get off at Stockholm Nordiska museet/Vasa. And then walk for 5 minutes.

Well, now let's talk directly about our museum.


The exterior of the building is vaguely reminiscent of a ship. Going inside, the first thing, of course, you will need to buy an entrance ticket.

Entry fee

adults

13 EUR (130 SEK, SEK)

students

10 EUR (100 SEK)*

Children (under 18)

is free

* student discount is available only upon presentation of a student card; by the way, it is not necessary to take ISEC with you (but it will not be superfluous), our Russian one is also accepted (at least that was the case during my stay in the spring of 2016).

Working hours

  • from January 2 to May 31 and from September 1 to December 30 - 10:00-17:00, on Wednesdays - 10:00-20:00 (Vasa restaurant 10:00-16:00);
  • from June 1 to August 31 - 8:30-18:00 (Vasa restaurant - 9:30-17:30);
  • December 31 - 10:00-15:00 (Vasa Restaurant - 11:30-14:00).
  • January 1, from December 23 to 25 - closed!!!

Museum exposition

The museum occupies a space of six floors, each of which tells about the history of the creation and construction of Vasa, the life of sailors. The exposition presents individual preserved elements of decor, models, models of the ship and its cabins, personal belongings of sailors. Look for the most extraordinary exhibits on the second floor - these are the faces of sailors restored from the remains of the bones.


Of course, in the very center of the museum there is OH - the ship "Vasa", which can be approached from different sides, look at it from different points. The size of the ship is quite impressive.






By the way, why is it called that?

Story

The ship was named after the Vasa dynasty that ruled at the time of its construction. Then, back in 1628, great hopes were placed on this ship. Vasa was to be the largest ship in the history of the Swedish Navy. Surely you paid attention to the phrase "should have". This is no coincidence.

In the same year, at the first exit to the harbor, the ship, which had departed literally a few meters, went under water. The tragedy was unheard of. On board, along with the sailors, were their wives, and the ship itself was escorted by the townspeople. The reason for the crash was the wrong, even, to be more precise, erroneous design of the ship. A national tragedy was inevitable.



And what, in fact, was then? Attempts to rise to the surface - a repeated number of times. But it turned out to be done, imagine, only in the 20th century, in 1961. From that moment, serious restoration work began: the best restorers worked for many years. The mothballed and restored ship was placed in a building specially designated for the museum, and in 1990 the Vasa Museum was opened.

By the way, remember the interesting architecture of the museum building? Now I'll tell you. After the ship was pulled ashore, it was brought into a 19th-century ship dock filled with water. Then the water was pumped out of the dock, and work began on the construction of the museum pavilion. The building is made of concrete and has three stylized masts on the roof.

This is where I stop my story. I will not reveal all the cards, because otherwise the incentive to get to "Vas" will disappear :). Don't worry, you'll find out everything on the spot. In the museum you can take an audio guide, a tour, or independently study the history of the ship with the help of explications and brochures (available in Russian).