Swedish Amphion
Encyclopedia
The Amphion was the personal pleasure craft
Pleasure craft
A pleasure craft is a boat used for personal, family, and sometimes sportsmanlike recreation. Typically such watercraft are motorized and are used for holidays, for example on a river, lake, canal or waterway. Pleasure craft are normally kept at a marina...
of king Gustav III of Sweden
Gustav III of Sweden
Gustav III was King of Sweden from 1771 until his death. He was the eldest son of King Adolph Frederick and Queen Louise Ulrica of Sweden, she a sister of Frederick the Great of Prussia....
. It was designed by Fredrik Henrik af Chapman
Fredrik Henrik af Chapman
Fredrik Henrik af Chapman was a Swedish shipbuilder, scientist and officer in the Swedish navy. He was also manager of the Karlskrona shipyard 1782-1793...
, a famous 18th century Swedish ship engineer, built at Djurgårdsvarvet in Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
in the summer of 1778, and launched the same year. Amphion, named after Zeus' son
Amphion
There are several characters named Amphion in Greek mythology:* Amphion, son of Zeus and Antiope, and twin brother of Zethus . Together they are famous for building Thebes. Amphion married Niobe, and killed himself after the loss of his wife and children at the hands of Apollo and Artemis...
and culture patron in Greek mythology, served as a royal yacht and headquarters ship. The ship was esentially a skärgårdsfregatt type naval vessel, that is it was equivalent to other short range frigates of the Swedish Navy, but at Gustav III's request, it was built without heavy cannons and therefore differed significantly from the other ships of the same type.
Amphion turned out to be one of Chapman's few failures as a ship designer. The ship suffered from poor seakeeping ability and was also too heavy to row. On its maiden voyage from Karlskrona
Karlskrona
Karlskrona is a locality and the seat of Karlskrona Municipality, Blekinge County, Sweden with 35,212 inhabitants in 2010. It is also the capital of Blekinge County. Karlskrona is known as Sweden's only baroque city and is host to Sweden's only remaining naval base and the headquarters of the...
to Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
, poor weather conditions left Amphion shipwrecked in the archipelago of Stockholm, and Gustav III was required to come ashore at Dalaro
Dalarö
Dalarö is a locality situated in Haninge Municipality, Stockholm County, Sweden with 1,190 inhabitants in 2005.It is situated south-east of Stockholm and is part of Metropolitan Stockholm and serves as a recreational summer spot for Stockholmers...
. Thereafter it was used mostly for trips out on Lake Mälaren
Mälaren
Lake Mälaren is the third-largest lake in Sweden, after Lakes Vänern and Vättern. Its area is 1,140 km² and its greatest depth is 64 m. Mälaren spans 120 kilometers from east to west...
, though also it was used as His Majesty's personal command ship during The Russo-Swedish war
Russo-Swedish War (1788-1790)
The Russo-Swedish War of 1788–90, known as Gustav III's Russian war in Sweden, Gustav III's War in Finland and Catherine II's Swedish War in Russia, was fought between Sweden and Russia from June 1788 to August 1790.-Background:...
of 1788 - 1790. She later served as a barracks ship in to the 19th Century.
In 1884 Amphion was cut up for firewood. Amphion's figurehead and stern castle with the royal command room were spared, and can be seen at the Maritime Museum
Maritime Museum (Stockholm)
The Maritime Museum is a museum in Stockholm, Sweden. Located in the Gärdet section of the inner-city district Östermalm, the museum offers a panoramic view of the bay Djurgårdsbrunnsviken...
in Stockholm. The preserved parts underwent preservation and restoration between 2003-2006, and was performed by conservation studio Ateljé Catellani.
The current stern castle was added in 1791 after the ship was damaged at the end of the Russian War. The former stern lacked the royal cypher, and its four windows gates were of a simpler design.
Images from the Maritime Museum
File:Sjöhistoriska museet 2008a.jpg|The stern.
File:Sjöhistoriska museet 2008m.jpg|Gustav III's cabin.
Sources
- Harris, Daniel GDaniel Gibson HarrisDaniel Gibson Harris was an accountant, a British agent during World War II and a writer on Swedish naval history.He was born in Great Missenden, Buckinghamshire, England and, after attending Sherborne School, trained as a chartered accountant...
, Fredrik Henrik af Chapman: den förste skeppsbyggnadsarkitekten och hans verk. (Translation by Roderick Klintebo), Literatim, Stockholm. 1998. ISBN 91-973075-0-5.
The Amphion was the personal pleasure craft
Pleasure craft
A pleasure craft is a boat used for personal, family, and sometimes sportsmanlike recreation. Typically such watercraft are motorized and are used for holidays, for example on a river, lake, canal or waterway. Pleasure craft are normally kept at a marina...
of king Gustav III of Sweden
Gustav III of Sweden
Gustav III was King of Sweden from 1771 until his death. He was the eldest son of King Adolph Frederick and Queen Louise Ulrica of Sweden, she a sister of Frederick the Great of Prussia....
. It was designed by Fredrik Henrik af Chapman
Fredrik Henrik af Chapman
Fredrik Henrik af Chapman was a Swedish shipbuilder, scientist and officer in the Swedish navy. He was also manager of the Karlskrona shipyard 1782-1793...
, a famous 18th century Swedish ship engineer, built at Djurgårdsvarvet in Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
in the summer of 1778, and launched the same year. Amphion, named after Zeus' son
Amphion
There are several characters named Amphion in Greek mythology:* Amphion, son of Zeus and Antiope, and twin brother of Zethus . Together they are famous for building Thebes. Amphion married Niobe, and killed himself after the loss of his wife and children at the hands of Apollo and Artemis...
and culture patron in Greek mythology, served as a royal yacht and headquarters ship. The ship was esentially a skärgårdsfregatt type naval vessel, that is it was equivalent to other short range frigates of the Swedish Navy, but at Gustav III's request, it was built without heavy cannons and therefore differed significantly from the other ships of the same type.
Amphion turned out to be one of Chapman's few failures as a ship designer. The ship suffered from poor seakeeping ability and was also too heavy to row. On its maiden voyage from Karlskrona
Karlskrona
Karlskrona is a locality and the seat of Karlskrona Municipality, Blekinge County, Sweden with 35,212 inhabitants in 2010. It is also the capital of Blekinge County. Karlskrona is known as Sweden's only baroque city and is host to Sweden's only remaining naval base and the headquarters of the...
to Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
, poor weather conditions left Amphion shipwrecked in the archipelago of Stockholm, and Gustav III was required to come ashore at Dalaro
Dalarö
Dalarö is a locality situated in Haninge Municipality, Stockholm County, Sweden with 1,190 inhabitants in 2005.It is situated south-east of Stockholm and is part of Metropolitan Stockholm and serves as a recreational summer spot for Stockholmers...
. Thereafter it was used mostly for trips out on Lake Mälaren
Mälaren
Lake Mälaren is the third-largest lake in Sweden, after Lakes Vänern and Vättern. Its area is 1,140 km² and its greatest depth is 64 m. Mälaren spans 120 kilometers from east to west...
, though also it was used as His Majesty's personal command ship during The Russo-Swedish war
Russo-Swedish War (1788-1790)
The Russo-Swedish War of 1788–90, known as Gustav III's Russian war in Sweden, Gustav III's War in Finland and Catherine II's Swedish War in Russia, was fought between Sweden and Russia from June 1788 to August 1790.-Background:...
of 1788 - 1790. She later served as a barracks ship in to the 19th Century.
In 1884 Amphion was cut up for firewood. Amphion's figurehead and stern castle with the royal command room were spared, and can be seen at the Maritime Museum
Maritime Museum (Stockholm)
The Maritime Museum is a museum in Stockholm, Sweden. Located in the Gärdet section of the inner-city district Östermalm, the museum offers a panoramic view of the bay Djurgårdsbrunnsviken...
in Stockholm. The preserved parts underwent preservation and restoration between 2003-2006, and was performed by conservation studio Ateljé Catellani.
The current stern castle was added in 1791 after the ship was damaged at the end of the Russian War. The former stern lacked the royal cypher, and its four windows gates were of a simpler design.
Images from the Maritime Museum
File:Sjöhistoriska museet 2008a.jpg|The stern.
File:Sjöhistoriska museet 2008m.jpg|Gustav III's cabin.
Sources
- Harris, Daniel GDaniel Gibson HarrisDaniel Gibson Harris was an accountant, a British agent during World War II and a writer on Swedish naval history.He was born in Great Missenden, Buckinghamshire, England and, after attending Sherborne School, trained as a chartered accountant...
, Fredrik Henrik af Chapman: den förste skeppsbyggnadsarkitekten och hans verk. (Translation by Roderick Klintebo), Literatim, Stockholm. 1998. ISBN 91-973075-0-5.
The Amphion was the personal pleasure craft
Pleasure craft
A pleasure craft is a boat used for personal, family, and sometimes sportsmanlike recreation. Typically such watercraft are motorized and are used for holidays, for example on a river, lake, canal or waterway. Pleasure craft are normally kept at a marina...
of king Gustav III of Sweden
Gustav III of Sweden
Gustav III was King of Sweden from 1771 until his death. He was the eldest son of King Adolph Frederick and Queen Louise Ulrica of Sweden, she a sister of Frederick the Great of Prussia....
. It was designed by Fredrik Henrik af Chapman
Fredrik Henrik af Chapman
Fredrik Henrik af Chapman was a Swedish shipbuilder, scientist and officer in the Swedish navy. He was also manager of the Karlskrona shipyard 1782-1793...
, a famous 18th century Swedish ship engineer, built at Djurgårdsvarvet in Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
in the summer of 1778, and launched the same year. Amphion, named after Zeus' son
Amphion
There are several characters named Amphion in Greek mythology:* Amphion, son of Zeus and Antiope, and twin brother of Zethus . Together they are famous for building Thebes. Amphion married Niobe, and killed himself after the loss of his wife and children at the hands of Apollo and Artemis...
and culture patron in Greek mythology, served as a royal yacht and headquarters ship. The ship was esentially a skärgårdsfregatt type naval vessel, that is it was equivalent to other short range frigates of the Swedish Navy, but at Gustav III's request, it was built without heavy cannons and therefore differed significantly from the other ships of the same type.
Amphion turned out to be one of Chapman's few failures as a ship designer. The ship suffered from poor seakeeping ability and was also too heavy to row. On its maiden voyage from Karlskrona
Karlskrona
Karlskrona is a locality and the seat of Karlskrona Municipality, Blekinge County, Sweden with 35,212 inhabitants in 2010. It is also the capital of Blekinge County. Karlskrona is known as Sweden's only baroque city and is host to Sweden's only remaining naval base and the headquarters of the...
to Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
, poor weather conditions left Amphion shipwrecked in the archipelago of Stockholm, and Gustav III was required to come ashore at Dalaro
Dalarö
Dalarö is a locality situated in Haninge Municipality, Stockholm County, Sweden with 1,190 inhabitants in 2005.It is situated south-east of Stockholm and is part of Metropolitan Stockholm and serves as a recreational summer spot for Stockholmers...
. Thereafter it was used mostly for trips out on Lake Mälaren
Mälaren
Lake Mälaren is the third-largest lake in Sweden, after Lakes Vänern and Vättern. Its area is 1,140 km² and its greatest depth is 64 m. Mälaren spans 120 kilometers from east to west...
, though also it was used as His Majesty's personal command ship during The Russo-Swedish war
Russo-Swedish War (1788-1790)
The Russo-Swedish War of 1788–90, known as Gustav III's Russian war in Sweden, Gustav III's War in Finland and Catherine II's Swedish War in Russia, was fought between Sweden and Russia from June 1788 to August 1790.-Background:...
of 1788 - 1790. She later served as a barracks ship in to the 19th Century.
In 1884 Amphion was cut up for firewood. Amphion's figurehead and stern castle with the royal command room were spared, and can be seen at the Maritime Museum
Maritime Museum (Stockholm)
The Maritime Museum is a museum in Stockholm, Sweden. Located in the Gärdet section of the inner-city district Östermalm, the museum offers a panoramic view of the bay Djurgårdsbrunnsviken...
in Stockholm. The preserved parts underwent preservation and restoration between 2003-2006, and was performed by conservation studio Ateljé Catellani.
The current stern castle was added in 1791 after the ship was damaged at the end of the Russian War. The former stern lacked the royal cypher, and its four windows gates were of a simpler design.
Images from the Maritime Museum
File:Sjöhistoriska museet 2008a.jpg|The stern.
File:Sjöhistoriska museet 2008m.jpg|Gustav III's cabin.
Sources
- Harris, Daniel GDaniel Gibson HarrisDaniel Gibson Harris was an accountant, a British agent during World War II and a writer on Swedish naval history.He was born in Great Missenden, Buckinghamshire, England and, after attending Sherborne School, trained as a chartered accountant...
, Fredrik Henrik af Chapman: den förste skeppsbyggnadsarkitekten och hans verk. (Translation by Roderick Klintebo), Literatim, Stockholm. 1998. ISBN 91-973075-0-5.
