A wind turbine is provided, the wind turbine comprising, a synchronous generator having a stator and a rotor, an AC-DC-AC link for coupling said synchronous generator to a grid, wherein the DC link is connected to the rotor of said synchronous generator for supplying an excitation voltage to a rotor winding of said rotor. Furthermore, a method of starting a wind turbine with an electrically excited synchronous generator is provided, the method comprising the steps of (a) opening a grid contactor; (b) closing a bypass contactor to bypass a grid-side DC-AC inverter of said wind turbine; (c) charging a DC link of said wind turbine; (d) supplying an excitation voltage to rotor windings of said synchronous generator, wherein said excitation voltage is supplied from the DC link; and (e) opening said bypass connector and closing said grid connector.