Lagerbielke - A worldly-wise vessel

Lagerbielke was launched at the naval shipyard in Karlskrona in 1848. The ship was about 35 metres long, equipped with 18 guns and had a crew of 139 men.

Its military career began in 1849–50 with a visit to the Mediterranean. In July 1851 it was time for a state visit to Norway with Prince Oscar, the future King Oscar II. In September of that year Lagerbielke again left Sweden, this time to escort the frigate Eugenie to South America.

After the ship called in at Buenos Aires, Lagerbielke returned to Karlskrona in 1852. The ship served as a training vessel and went on a total of seven training expeditions. During its final service in the navy, Lagerbielke was a barracks ship, in Värtan outside Stockholm and other locations.

In 1910, the vessel was sold  to private buyers who owned a gravel pit at Vinberga Näs. It was towed there and laid up at the shore to serve as a loading ramp for ships that came to the site to load gravel.

Today the once widely travelled ship lies just below the surface, north of the Enhöra shipyard. The ship, which travelled to many countries during its lifetime and could count royalty among its passengers, ended its useful life as a loading ramp in Lake Mälaren. Quite a class trip in reverse!