The UNESCO World Heritage-Listed Roskilde Cathedral
The little town of Roskilde, located approximately 30km from Copenhagen, is one of the most popular day-trips from the capital for visitors. And understandably so: Roskilde is the old capital of Denmark and is known for its Viking past. The town is also known for Roskilde Cathedral, one of the most important cathedrals in Europe.
But what makes this cathedral so important? After all, it can’t really compete with large cathedrals in France, Italy and other major European countries. What makes Roskilde Cathedral important is two things: it has been the royal burial church of Denmark since the 15th century, and it is a mix of 850 years of European architecture. For those two reasons, it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The architectural styles stretch from Scandinavian Gothic right through to Romanesque, Renaissance, and Baroque. The cathedral was also one of the first buildings in Denmark to be built of brick, and it encouraged the spread of brick Gothic style throughout Northern Europe.
If you are visiting Roskilde for the day, it’s impossible to miss Roskilde Cathedral. The cathedral itself is massive and visible from almost anywhere in town. It is also centrally located and on the path down to the Viking Ship Museum (another popular attraction).
Is it worth visiting? Of course. I think you need to be into royal or architectural history to fully appreciate the cathedral, though. Otherwise it may feel like “just another European cathedral”.
Here’s an overview of what makes Roskilde Cathedral so special as well as what to expect when you visit.
In this article...
Historical Overview of Roskilde Cathedral
The first church in Roskilde
The town of Roskilde, located at the end of the Roskilde Fjord, was founded by King Harald Bluetooth (yes, that bluetooth) around the year 960. To celebrate the founding of the town, King Harald built a wooden stave church on a hill overlooking the fjord. This would become the site of Roskilde Cathedral. Nothing remains of the wooden church today.
Roskilde eventually became the seat of the Bishop of Roskilde, though it is not known exactly when. It was likely around the time Christianity came to Denmark; the conversion started around the time the Danish Sweyn Forkbeard conquered England in 1013 as he started sending bishops to Denmark.
Conversion to a Stone Church
After Roskilde became the seat of the Bishop, the town began to grow in importance for the new Catholic religion spreading across the country.
The stone church was eventually rebuilt under the orders of Estrid Svendsdatter, the daughter of Sweyn Forkbeard. The stone church was built of travertine, which is commonly found in the Roskilde Fjord, and the style was in the Romanesque, though construction did stop halfway under Bishop Absalon of Roskilde.
Bishop Absalon is well-known in Danish history as he is the bishop who founded Copenhagen (known as ‘Havn’ or ‘The Harbour’) as a market town. Absalon started work on the cathedral in 1157, tearing down the travertine cathedral in favour of brick. The cathedral lost many of its Romanesque details in favour of the new incoming Gothic style from France. The cathedral became the first brick Gothic cathedral to be built in Europe and inspired the construction of many others like it.
With the completion of Roskilde Cathedral around 1280, the town became the religious centre of Denmark. At least 12 churches stood in the town during the Catholic period.
Becoming a Monarchs Church
When Queen Margrethe I died in 1414, she was originally buried in her family’s chapel at Sorø Klosterkirke. However, the following year bishop Peder Jensen Lodehat, who had been the queens chandellor and religious advisor, brought her to Roskilde Cathedral. This is considered to be the beginning of the use of the cathedral as a mausoleum.
It’s worth noting that Margrethe I is one of the most important people in Scandinavian history as she united the three countries into one kingdom called the Kalmar Union, which lasted from 1397 until 1523, when Sweden broke away from the union.
In 1443, the capital moved to Copenhagen in an attempt to compete with the Hanseatic League for trade on the Baltic Sea. Around the same time, Roskilde was hit by a bad fire. The cathedral was damaged and reconstruction took decades due to funding.
King Christian I, in an attempt to breathe new life into the cathedral, decided to build a chapel attached to the cathedral to be buried in.
The Reformation
The Reformation marked a negative turn for Roskilde Cathedral. When Denmark went from being Catholic to Protestant, all church possessions were put under the ownership of the King. Roskilde Cathedral had to give up all the land it owned, all its possessions, and many of the old chapels attached to the cathedral were torn down. The cathedral was opened up to the ordinary congregation and pews were put in.
King Christian IV saw potential of the cathedral and put money into restoring it, including adding the altarpiece, a royal box, a pulpit, twin spires, a grand Renaissance entrance portal, and his own burial chapel.
The Royal Mausoleum
Having the old chapels be torn down during the Reformation proved to be good for the cathedral as it made space for the royals to start constructing their own chapels. With only one exception since the Reformation, all the Danish Kings and Queens have been buried at the cathedral. The cathedral clearly remained important to the monarch, even though Roskilde’s importance declined.
Even though the cathedral underwent changes, the monarchs were still buried there.
Highlights of the Cathedral
If the history of the cathedral didn’t convince you that you need to visit, let me try with some of the highlights! I will admit that I am interested in both Danish monarch history and European architecture, so I spent a lot of time in the cathedral. I may be a little biased here. But I do think it is a fascinating place to walk around.
I won’t write about every little detail as that gets boring in a blog article, but here are some highlights.
Cathedral Guidebook
When you enter the cathedral and pay the admission fee, the staff will give you a free book full of details about the cathedral. The book has way more details than I can provide here, so, rather than explain everything inside the cathedral, I’ll mention some of the places not to miss.
I will say that the books order of information goes chronologically and doesn’t necessarily fit the layout of the cathedral. It can be a little confusing to get between points, which is why a guided tour may be better. Still, you can figure it out and get a lot of information.
I do wish the books had more information on how each monarch was important to Denmark, but maybe that’s something I can write later! They do have signs in front of the coffins, though.
The Nave
You will first step into the nave, of course. There is so much to see just in here alone. A highlight is Christian IV’s private box as well as the 17th century pulpit made of marble, alabaster, and stone.
You will likely head to the choir first (it is one of the first markers in the guidebook) to see Margrethe I.
The Choir
In the choir is Margrethe I’s sarcophagus. Don’t miss the graphic 15th century choir stall carvings. Legend says that buried in a nearby brick pilaster are the supposed remains of King Harald Bluetooth.
I loved seeing all the artwork that has been uncovered on the walls.
Christian I's Chapel
The chapel was the first add-on built specifically for a monarch. This chapel holds the magnificent Renaissance tombs of Christian III (died in 1559) and Frederik II (died in 1588). The chapels founder, Christian I, is credited with helping reconstruction of the cathedral after the fire in 1443. He died in 1481 and is buried in a small chamber under the floor alongside queen Dorothea. The chapels vaults are richly decorated with frescos dating from the 1460s when the chapel was created by Christian I and his wife. They were whitewashed over but rediscovered in 1826.
The chapel also features the Royal Column, which shows the height of princes who visited the cathedral, including Peter the Great and Prince Charles. I had no clue what I was looking at when I took the picture!
Christian IV's Chapel
This was the chapel I was most excited to see, but I’ve always been a fan of Christian IV.
Christian IV’s chapel is one of the most spectacular rooms in the cathedral and is a classic example of Christian IV. He is one of Denmark’s most notorious kings, taking the country through a Golden Age and constructing many of the prominent buildings in Copenhagen. He also moved the city of Oslo west and renamed it after himself. His chapel is a true testament to how highly he was thought of (and how highly he thought of himself!).
The chapel dates from approximately 1620, although the interior work was not completed until as late as 1866. Christian IV died in 1648 after being on the throne for almost 60 years, the longest reign of ay Danish monarch. His chapel has his coffin as well as those of his first wife, Anne Catherine of Brandenburg, his second son, who became King Frederik III, and Frederik’s consort, Sophie Amalie of Brunswick-Luneberg.
The chapel is designed in his favourite architectural style, Dutch Renaissance (be sure to look at it from the outside too and you’ll see it looks like Børsen in Copenhagen). Much of the work on the chapel has been done in the 19th century, though, when Christian VIII wanted to honour Christian IV a little better.
The setting includes overly dramatic paintings of Christian’s life. The one of Christian IV wearing an eye patch is made as a 3D painting. The statue of the king is made by Bertel Thorvaldsen, the famous Danish sculptor.
Frederik V'S Chapel
This chapel is designed in the neoclassical style. Construction began in 1774, taking inspiration from Rome, and it was inaugurated in 1825. The white maidens represent Denmark and Norway and are dressed in Greek gowns.
Christian IX's Chapel
This chapel was constructed in 1919 and completed in 1924. It was built in the Byzantine Revival style with a Roman inspiration. In the northern arm is the sarcophagus of Christian IX and Queen Louise. Surrounding the sarcophagus are three statues of female figures named “grief”, “memory” and “love”. They are Carrara marble from Italy. The sculptor was Edvard Eriksen, who also did “The Little Mermaid” in Copenhagen (Grief looks just like the famous mermaid statue).
Saint Andrews & Saint Brigittas Chapels
These two chapels are the only remnants of the many medieval chapels that would’ve been attached to the original cathedral. St. Andrews Chapel dates to 1396, while St. Brigitta’s is from 1485. St. Andrews Chapel has pre-Reformation frescoes from 1511 inside.
St. Brigitta’s has been restored to house the tomb of the current queen, Margrethe II. It was intended to hold both Margrethe and her late husband, Henrik, but he chose instead to have his remains at Fredensborg Castle – in protest for never been given the title of King). The queen teamed up with an artist to design her own tomb (there’s a model on display). Her body will reside in the stepped area at the bottom, which stand three columns: one made of basalt from the Faroe Islands, another made of marble from Greenland, and the third of stone from Denmark.
Visiting Roskilde Cathedral
The Cathedral is about a 15 minute walk from Roskilde station and is clearly marked with signs (though you will see the towers very well).
Roskilde Cathedral is free with the Copenhagen card.
The Cathedral is open throughout the year, but keep in mind that it will close for weddings and special events. You can view their current opening houses on the website by clicking here.
Have you visited Roskilde Cathedral? Let me know in the comments!
