The Vasa is the world’s only preserved 17th-century warship, raised after 333 years on the seafloor. Built to be the pride of Sweden’s navy, it sank on its maiden voyage in 1628 and now stands in Stockholm’s Vasa Museum, 98% original and frozen in time. | Museum of Artifacts

The Vasa, a heavily armed Swedish warship, met an unfortunate end when it sank during its inaugural voyage in 1628, just a short distance from the shoreline. The tragedy was largely due to structural defects that rendered the ship perilously top-heavy. Armed with 64 bronze cannons and lacking adequate ballast for stability, the Vasa quickly capsized. After lying on the seabed for 333 years, the vessel was recovered in 1961, remarkably well-preserved. It is now housed in the Vasa Museum in Stockh