Vasa: The Ghost Ship

The Vasa, one of the most majestic galleons ever to put to sea, sank 18 minutes after leaving Stockholm harbour on her maiden voyage in 1628. The loss of the Vasa was a major setback for Sweden’s ambitions to become a power in the Baltic during a turbulent period of European history. Three centuries later, in 1961, the wreck of the Vasa was raised. Remarkably well preserved by the mud and water in the Baltic Sea, she is a 17th-century time machine. Following the work of archaeologists, divers and historians, this programme plunges into Stockholm harbour to make new discoveries and reveal more about the lives of those who built, sailed and died on one of the most powerfully armed warships of her time.