10 August 1628: the Vasa, the pride and joy of Gustav II Adolf's navy, sinks just 20 minutes after leaving port for the first time. It remained buried in mud until 1956. It is this very mud and the salinity of the water which explains the ship's excellent condition today. Now immobilised in the protected half-light of the Vasa Museum, this monster of naval warfare, along with its sculptures and ornamentation, receives the deserved gasps of admiration from its visitors.