Ever wonder what secrets lie within those aged brick walls? Roskilde Cathedral is more than just a beautiful building. It is a time capsule holding centuries of Danish history.
Welcome to Roskilde Cathedral. This is the final resting place of Danish kings and queens. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site too. The cathedral showcases 800 years of European architecture. It stands as one of Scandinavia’s earliest Gothic cathedrals built with brick. Roskilde Cathedral encouraged the spread of Brick Gothic style. This style influenced Northern Europe.
Let us step back to the 12th and 13th centuries. The cathedral blends Gothic and Romanesque styles. Absalon, a powerful bishop, initiated the expansion around 1157. Monks brought brick-making to Denmark from Italy around 1160. They constructed the new cathedral around the existing one. This allowed services to continue uninterrupted.
The choir was completed by 1225. Then the old travertine cathedral was torn down. Construction of the nave continued for 55 years. Funds were limited. There was a lack of kilns. The winters were harsh. The Roskilde Cathedral was completed by 1280. Except for the two towers on the west facade.
Roskilde became the main burial site for Danish monarchs in the 15th century. Queen Margrethe I was buried here in 1413. Bishop Peder Jensen Lodehat moved her body from Sorø Klosterkirke. Monks in Sorø were not happy. They would lose income from requiems.
A fire swept through Roskilde in 1443. It destroyed most of the city. The Roskilde Cathedral was badly damaged. Bishop Oluf Mortensen rededicated it in 1463. King Christian I helped with reconstruction. He built the Chapel of the Magi in the 1460s.
The Reformation in 1536 brought big changes. Bishop Joachim Rønnow was jailed. Roskilde became part of Copenhagen. Hans Tausen converted clergymen to the new ideas. The king took ownership of church property. The Roskilde Cathedral lost a wooden statue of St. Lucius. It was covered in gold and gems.
Christian IV enriched the Roskilde Cathedral. He added an altarpiece, a royal box, and a pulpit. His burial chapel was built in 1614. The iconic twin spires followed in 1633. The grand Renaissance portal was added in 1635.
The Treaty of Roskilde was signed here in 1658. The Swedes looted the cathedral. They took Margrethe I’s golden dress. It is now in Uppsala Cathedral.
The Roskilde Cathedral has many chapels. Each chapel tells its own story. The Chapel of the Magi was built by Christian I. It has two floors. The lower floor is a burial chapel. The upper floor was for the Fellowship of the Mother of God. The King’s Pillar marks the height of visiting kings. Peter the Great was the tallest. Chulalongkorn of Siam was the smallest. Christian I’s height is likely a mistake.
Christian IV’s Chapel was begun in 1613. It is built in Dutch Renaissance style. The exterior is red brick with sandstone figures. They represent Christian virtues.
Frederick V’s Chapel took 51 years to build. It was designed in neoclassical style. Christian IX’s Chapel was completed in 1924. It is built in Byzantine Revival style.
Do not miss St. Andrew’s Chapel and St. Bridget’s Chapel. These are remnants of medieval chapels. Queen Margrethe II has chosen St Birgitte’s Chapel as her future burial site.
Frederik IX’s burial site is outside the cathedral. It fulfills his wish to be buried in view of Roskilde Fjord.
Today the Roskilde Cathedral attracts over 165000 visitors each year. It is a working church and concert venue. The Roskilde Cathedral Boys’ Choir is one of Denmark’s best.
As you leave Roskilde Cathedral reflect on the echoes of royal footsteps and the silent stories within these walls. It is a place where history art and faith converge. It leaves an indelible mark on all who visit.