The Vasa was a "royal ship", the 17th century designation for the largest type of naval vessel.
The Vasa was designed to be the foremost of Sweden's war ships with a hull constructed from 1000 oaks, 64 large guns, m
asts more than 50 metres high and several hundred gilded and painted sculptures.
Originally, the sculptures were brightly painted and gilded.

This image shows a long view of the Vasa taken from the stern,
and showing some of the very elaboeate carving on the stern.
Details can be seen in the next images.

(Note people in the lower left of the image, giving scale to the size of the ship)