A trip to the ancient capital of Denmark – Roskilde

Not many people know that Copenhagen was not always the capital of Denmark. Until the beginning of the 15th century, the Danish capital was located 30 km from Copenhagen - in the city of Roskilde. Despite the fact that Roskilde city is not big, there is something to see a curious tourist.

In Roskilde, everything breathes history and true Danish flavor, because this ancient capital of Denmark with more than a thousand years of history. One of the most striking and spectacular buildings in Roskilde is the Cathedral of Lucius - the tomb of all Danish kings. The cathedral, as we know it today, was rebuilt at the end of the 13th century and today is a beautiful example of brick Gothic, included in the 1995 UNESCO World Heritage List.

We will walk with you to the tombs of the Danish kings and hear the history of the construction of the cathedral, as well as its founder Harold Sinezub. Let us recall the revered Queen Margaret 1, who united all the Scandinavian states into a single Danish kingdom, about Frederick the second - the founder of Fredericksborg Castle, and about the king - the builder Christian 4, who built the Round Tower, the Exchange building, the Tower of Christ the Savior and other interesting architectural buildings of the past, which can be observed today in Copenhagen. Learn the history of Protestantism and King Christian 3, open the veil of one of the most notorious scandals in the history of Denmark, associated with the name of Christian 7th, as well as tell you who gave the green light to the Danish constitution and why one of the tombs depicted the devil. Finally, we find out why King Christian on the 9th is called “European father-in-law”, and Frederick 5 is called “the kindest monarch”, despite his promiscuous lifestyle.

A walk through the cathedral is a kind of trip through the history of Denmark, which will undoubtedly be interesting for both adults and children.

Many tourists associate Denmark with the Vikings. There is no better place to explore the Viking Age than the city of Roskilde, or rather the Viking Village and Museum, located within walking distance of the cathedral. In the Viking Museum we will introduce you to the really recreated Viking ships raised from the bottom of the Roskilde fjord, the restoration of which Danish archaeologists spent about 25 years, show a film about the life of the Vikings.

Here you can feel the atmosphere of that time, dressed in Viking clothes and, sitting in this form on one of the models of ships, make a couple of memorable pictures.

Note that the best time to visit a Viking village is in the summer months, as this is the time for all the entertainment associated with the Vikings. At other times, this place is nothing more than a Viking shipbuilding museum. In the summer, you can watch the villagers of the Vikings walking in old clothes, try your hand at weaving ropes, write your name in ancient runic letters, make your own coin for memory, try on a Viking sword or paint a wooden shield according to your own sketch.

A mandatory summer visit to the Viking village includes a trip on a Viking ship along the Roskilde fjord, restored in the local shipbuilding workshop, where all participants of the trip will be actively involved in the process of installing sails, rowing and possibly controlling the boat.

A visit to the ancient capital of Denmark will be interesting for fans of ancient architecture, Danish history, families and just curious tourists looking for new experiences. A trip to the ancient capital of Denmark will leave pleasant memories and give a lot of unusual and unforgettable minutes that will undoubtedly remain in the memory for a long time.