The Vasa, the majestic Swedish galleon, sank just after setting off on her maiden voyage. One of the most majestic galleons ever to put to sea, the Vasa 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 ater, 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.