The Vasa and Stockholm

One and a half hours later than planned, we took the subway to Stockholm. We overslept despite the alarm. And yet we were very early in Stockholm. After initial disorientation at the central train station, we found the right bus and arrived at the Vasa Museum without any further incidents. And then we were amazed. As you enter the museum, this huge ship stands right in front of you. Grand, magnificent, awe-inspiring, and simply beautiful. We joined a German tour right away and learned numerous details about the history of the Vasa. The reason for its creation, the construction itself, and finally the drama of its sinking. Because this enormous warship sank only 15 minutes after its launch right in front of Stockholm and remained on the seafloor for 330 years until it was salvaged. Almost all parts have been found. It consists of 98% original parts, and the remaining small portion was restored later. And now it is a unique document of its time in the museum for visitors.

After almost 3 hours, you could have spent much more time there without getting bored, we decided against visiting the adjacent museums and instead went to Historisca, one kilometer away. This is actually free of charge because it is state-funded, and it contains a valuable collection of historical objects from Sweden. The museum is beautifully arranged with great attention to detail.

Afterwards, we went to the center of Stockholm, where we strolled through the streets and made a few stops here and there.

That was an exciting day.

If you want to see the Vasa, you should do so soon. It is very difficult to preserve it, and it is expected to slowly deteriorate in the next few years or decades.