Roskilde ( , ) is a city west of Copenhagen on the Danish island of Zealand. With a population of 51,916 (), the city is a business and educational centre for the region and the 10th largest city in Denmark. It is governed by the administrative council of Roskilde Municipality. Roskilde has a long history, dating from the pre-Christian Viking Age. Its UNESCO-listed

Gothic Gothic or Gothics may refer to: People and languages *Goths or Gothic people, the ethnonym of a group of East Germanic tribes **Gothic language, an extinct East Germanic language spoken by the Goths **Crimean Gothic, the Gothic language spoken b ...

cathedral, now housing 39 tombs of the Danish monarchs, was completed in 1275, becoming a focus of religious influence until the Reformation. With the development of the rail network in the 19th century, Roskilde became an important hub for traffic with Copenhagen, and by the end of the century, there were tobacco factories, iron foundries and machine shops. Among the largest private sector employers today are the IT firm BEC (Bankernes EDB Central) and seed company DLF. The Risø research facility is also becoming a major employer, extending interest in sustainable energy to the

clean technology Clean technology, in short cleantech, is any process, product, or service that reduces negative environmental impacts through significant energy efficiency improvements, the sustainable use of resources, or environmental protection activities. Cle ...

sphere. The local university, founded in 1972, the historic Cathedral School, and the Danish Meat Trade College, established in 1964, are educational institutions of note. Roskilde has a large local hospital which has been expanded and modernized since it was opened in 1855. It is now increasingly active in the research sphere. The Sankt Hans psychiatric hospital serves the Capital Region with specialized facilities for forensic psychiatry. The cathedral and the Viking Ship Museum, which contains the well-preserved remains of five 11th-century ships, attract more than 100,000 visitors annually. In addition to its internationally recognized tourist attractions and its annual rock festival, Roskilde is popular with shoppers thanks to its two centrally located pedestrian streets complete with restaurants, cafés, and a variety of shops. The city is home to the FC Roskilde football club which play in the

Danish 1st Division The 1st Division (''1. Division'') is the second-highest football league in Denmark, also known as NordicBet Liga for sponsorship reasons. From 1945 to 1991 the 1. Division was the name of the highest level of football in Denmark. With the forma ...

, the Roskilde Vikings RK rugby club, and the rowing club, Roskilde Roklub. In the 1970s, the city benefited from the opening of the university and from the completion of the Holbæk Motorway connecting it to Copenhagen. Roskilde has the oldest operational railway station in Denmark, with connections across Zealand as well as with

Falster Falster () is an island in south-eastern Denmark with an area of and 43,398 inhabitants as of 1 January 2010.

Lolland Lolland (; formerly spelled ''Laaland'', literally "low land") is the fourth largest island of Denmark, with an area of . Located in the Baltic Sea, it is part of Region Sjælland (Region Zealand). As of 1 January 2022, it has 57,618 inhabitant ...

, and Jutland. The local airport opened in 1973, mainly serving light aircraft for business use and flight instruction. Among the city's notable citizens are Absalon, the bishop who founded Copenhagen in the 12th century, L. A. Ring, the

symbolist Symbolism was a late 19th-century art movement of French and Belgian origin in poetry and other arts seeking to represent absolute truths symbolically through language and metaphorical images, mainly as a reaction against naturalism and realis ...

painter who gained fame in the 1880s, the writer Lise Nørgaard who wrote the popular Danish TV series '' Matador'' in 1978 and the rower

Thomas Ebert Thomas Ebert (born 23 July 1973 in Roskilde, Sjælland) is a Danish lightweight rower who won gold at the 2004 and 2008 Summer Olympics The 2008 Summer Olympics (), officially the Games of the XXIX Olympiad () and also known as B ...

who became an Olympic gold medallist in 2004.

History

Roskilde, which developed as the hub of the Viking land and sea trade routes over a thousand years ago, is one of Denmark's oldest cities. From the 11th century until 1443, it was the capital of Denmark. By the Middle Ages, with the support of kings and bishops, it had become one of the most important centres in Scandinavia. The '' Saxo Grammaticus'' and other early sources associate the name ''Roskilde'' (meaning 'Ro's spring') with the legendary King Roar who possibly lived there in the 6th century. Old mao of Roskilde

According to Adam of Bremen and the ''Saxo Grammaticus'', Roskilde was founded in the 980s by Harald Bluetooth. On high ground above the harbour, he built a wooden church consecrated to the Holy Trinity as well as a royal residence nearby. Although no traces of these buildings have been discovered, in 1997 archaeologists found the remains of Viking ships in the Isefjord, the oldest of which is dated to 1030. At the time, there were also two churches in the area: St Jørgensbjerg, an early stone church, and a wooden church discovered under today's

St Ib's Church St. Ib's Church (''Sankt Ibs Kirke'' or Ibsker), 3 km south-west of Svaneke on the Danish island of Bornholm, is a fine 12th century Romanesque building. The altarpiece was painted by Christoffer Wilhelm Eckersberg in 1846.King Canute elevated Roskilde to a bishopric, giving it high national status. Absalon, the Danish bishop, had a brick church built on the site of Harald's church in 1170. Today's cathedral was completed in 1275 after five of Absalon's successors had contributed to its construction. As a result of Absalon's influence, many other churches were built in the vicinity, making Roskilde the most important town in Zealand. Coins were minted there from the 11th to the 14th century. In 1150, Sweyn Grathe built a moat around the city. In 1151/2, a religious confraternity was founded for the defence of the town against Wendish pirates. Under the command of Wetheman, it also took part in the Wendish Crusade. The Roskilde bishops owned large areas of land in the region including, from 1186, Havn on the Øresund which later became Copenhagen. By the time of the Danish Reformation in 1536, there were 12 churches and five monasteries in the city. Roskilde ratusz mpazdziora

It is not clear when Roskilde became a market town but it was certainly enjoying trading privileges under King Eric II who reigned from 1134 to 1137. These privileges were firmly established when the Roskilde City Council granted market town status to other towns on Zealand on 15 June 1268. By that time, it was probably the largest and most important town in Denmark. In 1370, the city owned 2,600 farms throughout Zealand. The Reformation brought Roskilde's development to an abrupt stop. While the cathedral continued to be the preferred location for the entombment of the Danish monarchs, most of the other religious institutions disappeared. For the next three centuries, the city suffered a series of disasters including the effects of the Dano-Swedish War which terminated with the Treaty of Roskilde in 1658, the plague in 1710 and 1711, and a series of fires in 1730. Conditions improved in 1835 when the city became the Assembly of the Estates of the Realm () and in 1847 with the railway connecting Copenhagen and Roskilde. Maglekilde-Maskinfabrik

With the development of the rail network, Roskilde became an important hub for traffic with Copenhagen. In the 1870s and 1880s, the harbour was extended attracting industrial firms to the area. By the end of the century, there were tobacco factories, iron foundries and machine shops. At the beginning of the 20th century, Roskilde first prospered as a satellite community for Copenhagen but then, as ships increased in size, suffered from the fact that the harbour was too small and Roskilde Fjord too shallow for navigation. Industries began to move out of the harbour area but were still the largest source of employment, thanks in part to the spirits factory (''

De Danske Spritfabrikker Danish Distillers ( da, Det Danske Spiritus Kompagni known as ) is a company that was headquartered in Aalborg, Denmark. Isidor Henius, the father of Max Henius, was one of the founders of a company that was acquired by Danish Distillers, which en ...

'') and the slaughterhouse (). In the 1970s, the city benefited from the Holbæk Motorway which linked it to Copenhagen and the establishment of Roskilde University in 1972. Since the 1980s, the service sector has prospered, replacing manufacturing industry as the major employer (65% by 2002). With the increase in population, several new districts have grown up, including Himmelev and Kongebakken. Some of the surrounding villages such as

Svogerslev Svogerslev is a small satellite town located four kilometres west of Roskilde, Denmark. The original village features a village pond, a Romanesque church, one of the smallest in Denmark, and a number of old farm buildings. The historic centre is ...

, Vor Frue, Vindinge and Veddelev have developed as satellite communities.

Geography

Roskilde is located in north-central Zealand at the south end of Roskilde Fjord which is itself the south branch of the Isefjord. By road, it is west of downtown Copenhagen, northwest of Køge and northeast of Ringsted. The city centre around the cathedral, south of the fjord, is about above sea level. On the slope down to the harbour, there are a number of springs, the most powerful of which is Maglekilde. The historic centre of the town covers the area around the main streets Skomagergade and Algade including the squares of Stændertorvet and Hestetorvet. Two parks, Byparken and Folkeparken which run down towards the fjord, are immediately north of the old town. Neighbourhoods in the vicinity include Himmelev,

Hyrdehøj Hyrdehøj is a district in the southwest of Roskilde on the Danish island of Zealand. It was established in 2002 and has since been gradually expanded. The name comes from the nearby Hyrdehøj Forest, as well as the burial mound of Hyrdehøj. R ...

, Musicon,

Sankt Jørgensbjerg Sankt Jørgensbjerg is a district of Roskilde on the Danish island of Zealand. Initially a fishing village in its own right with a history dating back to the Viking era, it became part of Roskilde in 1938. Today it has become the most desirable dis ...

and Trekroner. Boserup Skov, a wood next to Roskidle Fjord northwest of the city centre, consists mainly of beech trees. In spring, its hilly slopes are covered with wild flowers, including white, blue and yellow anemones. Chaffinches, nightingales and other songbirds can be heard in the early summer. Also of note is the recently planted wooded area of Hyrdehøj Skov, to the south of the stadium and just north of Route 23 in the southern outskirts of Roskilde.

Demographics and administration

As early as 1070, Adam von Bremen referred to Roskilde as "Zealand's largest town". At the time of the Reformation in 1536, it had some 6,000 inhabitants but as a result of war, fire and disease, by 1753 its population had dropped to only 1,550. By the 1860s, it had grown to around 5,000 and by the 1900s to some 9,000. Thereafter it increased appreciably until 1970 when there were almost 45,000 inhabitants. The population dipped slightly to 40,000 in the 1980s, but thanks to improved connections with Copenhagen and the establishment of the university, it grew steadily to reach 47,117 by 2014 making Roskilde Denmark's tenth largest city. In Roskilde Municipality as of 1 October 2014, 76,545 residents had Danish background, 6,287 were immigrants and 2,006 were second or third generation descendants of immigrants. The most common countries of birth of foreign-born residents of Roskilde Municipality are Turkey, Iraq, Poland and Afghanistan. Roskilde is governed by the administrative council of Roskilde Municipality. Following the local elections of November 2013, Joy Mogensen (born 1980), a Social Democrat, was reappointed mayor (first elected mayor in 2011), gaining three additional seats on the council. The council now consists of 13 seats for the Social Democrats, one for the Social Liberal Party, one for the Conservative People's Party, one for the Socialist People's Party, three for the People's Party, nine for the Left Liberal Party and three for the Red–Green Alliance.

Economy

In the 1890s, 37% of Roskilde's economy was in crafts and manufacturing industry with only 15% in administration and services. By 1984, industry had dropped to 16% while services had risen to 57%. In 2002, services had reached 62%, leaving industry at 15% and trade and transport at 22%.

Companies

One of the largest employers in Roskilde is BEC (Bankernes EDB Central) who provide IT services to the financial sector. In July 2014, Novo A/S acquired Sonion, producing micro-acoustical components for hearing aids. Top-Toy A/S with up to 200 employees is a major Scandinavian toy importer and retailer based in Tune near Roskilde Airport. DLF-Trifolium A/S, a seed producer for the farming sector, has its headquarters in Roskilde with a workforce of over 50.

Rambøll Rambøll Group A/S (also known as just "Ramboll") is a Danish consulting engineering group. History Rambøll was founded in October 1945 as "Rambøll & Hannemann" in Copenhagen. In 1991 the company merged with "B. Højlund Rasmussen A/S" in ...

, the international Danish engineering consultancy, has recently concentrated its Zealand operations in Roskilde bringing 60 new jobs to the city. Among the city's smaller companies are GPI (Glim Plastic Industri) established in 1987 producing plastic piping, Roskilde Galvanisering A/S, one of Denmark's leading galvanization companies, and Mathiesen A/S, a wholesaler of office equipment. Vestergaard Company A/S, an American firm which produces de-icing equipment and washing products for the aviation industry, has offices in Roskilde. The new city district of Musicon has already attracted 29 businesses in the area of culture and the creative arts, providing over 1,000 jobs. Several food industries have their headquarters or production facilities in Roskilde, including: Chr. Hansen A/S, producing cultures for the dairy industry, DanÆg, eggs, the Scandinavian Pizza Company, and Stryhns, a cold cuts and meat paste producer with over 100 on the payroll.

Research parks

There are a number of research institutes in the city including Risø, promoting sustainable energy, which is now part of The Technical University of Denmark. The research facilities are being extended over an additional to cover the

area liable to provide up to 4,000 more jobs. The CAT (''Center for Avanceret Teknologi'') research park is also part of the university working mainly in the areas of wind energy and biotechnology. In the public sector, the

Accident Investigation Board Denmark Accident Investigation Board Denmark (AIB, da, Havarikommissionen for Civil Luftfart og Jernbane, HCLJ) is the aviation accidents and incidents and railway accident and incident investigation board of the Denmark government. The agency is headquart ...

has its headquarters in Roskilde.

Tourism

An important component of the city's economy is tourism which currently accounts for DKK 1.2 billion (US$200 million) per annum. Provisional figures show an increase of 16.6% in overnight stays for 2014. The cathedral and the Viking Ship Museum attract more than 100,000 visitors per year although 20 years ago there were some 200,000 visits to the cathedral. The city is also popular with shoppers, having received Denmark's Best Shopping City Award in 2012. In addition to a wide variety of shops and restaurants along its two downtown pedestrian streets, Algade and Skomagergade, Roskilde's shopping centre

RO's Torv Ro's Torv is a shopping centre in central Roskilde, Denmark ) , song = ( en, "King Christian stood by the lofty mast") , song_type = National and royal anthem , image_map = EU-Denmark.svg , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign ...

on Københavnsvej to the east of the city houses 70 stores under one roof. One of the oldest restaurants in Roskilde is the ''Raadhuskælderen'', in a building dated to 1430, noted for its salmon steak with tartar sauce and grilled chicken and cream sauce dishes. Also of note is ''La Brasserie'' on Algade, the ''Gimle Musikcafe'' on Ringstedgade, which is an English-style pub-restaurant with live music, and ''Restaurant Toppen'' at the top of an water tower, built in 1961, with fine views of the town. The 76-room Hotel Prindsen has foundations which date to 1695. It has been a hotel for over 100 years and is decorated in the Nordic style with wooden floors and contains the large luxury Hans Christian Andersen suite.

Scandic Hotel Roskilde Scandic Hotels is a hotel chain headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden, with its main operations in the Nordic countries. Alongside hotels in Sweden, Norway, Finland and Denmark, the company also has a presence in Germany and Poland. As of 31 Decem ...

is a 98-room chain-run hotel established in 1989, with a restaurant serving Danish and international cuisine. The thatched-roof Svogerslev Kro is an 18-room inn dated to 1727 in the

area, about 2.5 miles to the west of Roskilde's centre.

Cityscape

The old town of Roskilde is centred around the main square, Stændertorvet, just south of the cathedral. The original street plan is preserved in nearby Skomagergade, Algade and Hestetorvet although most of the buildings were rebuilt after serious fires in the 18th century. The area is flanked to the north by two large parks, Byparken and Folkeparken, which stretch down to Roskilde Fjord. The old town is bordered to the south by the railway and main station, beyond which there are commercial buildings and apartment blocks. The residential areas of Himmelev and Veddelev to the east and north of the city have grown up around former villages. More recently, with the establishment of Roskilde University even further to the east beyond the ring road, the district of Trekroner is in full development, expected to attain some 3,500 houses in the coming years. One of the most exclusive residential districts of the city,

, covers the hilly area to the northwest, bordered by the fjord. Initially a fishing village dating back to the Viking era, it became part of Roskilde in 1938. Finally, Roskilde Municipality is developing the innovative Musicon quarter to the south of the city in an area of where a cement factory once stood. Located in the same district as the fairgrounds used for the Roskilde Festival, there are medium-term plans for establishing creative companies and housing for young people in the area. A large rock museum named "Ragnarock" opened in April 2016.

Landmarks

Roskilde Cathedral

Located on the site of a 10th-century wooden church, the cathedral was built in the 12th and 13th centuries when the Romanesque style was influenced by

trends from northern France. It was the first

cathedral in Scandinavia to be built of brick, resulting in the spread of this style throughout northern Europe. With its 39 royal tombs, the cathedral is to this day the burial site for

Danish monarchs This is a list of Danish monarchs, that is, the kings and queens regnant of Denmark. This includes: * The Kingdom of Denmark (up to 1397) ** Personal union of Denmark and Norway (1380–1397) * The Kalmar Union (1397–1536) ** Union of Denmark ...

. Since 1995, it has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, encouraging some 100,000 tourists to visit it each year. The cathedral houses a museum on its upper floor, tracing the building's history. A working church, it also hosts concerts throughout the year.

Roskilde Palace

Adjacent to the cathedral is Roskilde Palace, built from 1733 to 1736 on the site of the former residence of the bishops of Roskilde. It was used by members of the royal family when they were in the city or attended funerals. Today it houses the Museum of Contemporary Art. During the English siege of Copenhagen in 1807, the mansion served as headquarters of General Wellesley, the future Duke of Wellington. Built in the

Baroque The Baroque (, ; ) is a style of architecture, music, dance, painting, sculpture, poetry, and other arts that flourished in Europe from the early 17th century until the 1750s. In the territories of the Spanish and Portuguese empires including t ...

style with yellow-rendered masonry and red tile roofing, the four-winged complex consists of a two-storey main wing, two one-storey lateral wings and a curved gate wing opening onto the Stændertorvet. The four wings are connected by curving galleries. Facing the courtyard, the façade of the main wing has pilasters and a median risalit tipped by a triangular pediment decorated with the royal coat of arms.

Roskilde Convent

Roskilde Convent St. Catherine's Priory, Roskilde (''Roskilde Kloster'') was a Danish priory of Dominican friars located in Roskilde. It was established in 1231 and dissolved during the Reformation. In 1699, the private house which replaced the Priory, becam ...

is on the site of the former St Catherine's Priory from the mid-13th century which belonged to the Dominican friars until it was dissolved after the Danish Reformation. A private manor house (''Sortebrødregaard'' or Blackfriars Manor) was built on the site in 1565 which in 1699 became a convent for women of high rank, the first of its kind in Lutheran Denmark. The building now houses a collection of 150 paintings from the 16th to 18th centuries as well as period furniture. The convent chapel has a carved altarpiece and pulpit.

Roskilde Museum

Roskilde Museum is a local history museum, run by the municipalities of Roskilde, Frederikssund and Lejre. The main branch in Roskilde, on the corner of Sankt Olsgade and Sankt Olsstræde, is based in two listed buildings, ''Sukkerhuset'' (the Sugar House) and ''Liebes Gård'' (Liebe House), a former sugar refinery and merchant's house. The Sugar House was built by a consortium led by Johan Jørgen Holst as a facility for the processing of raw sugar from the Danish West Indies. Jacob Borch constructed Liebe House in 1804 on the site next to the sugar factory. It replaced a modest house with timber framing and a straw roof dating from the 17th century. The building takes its name from the Liebe family who owned the property for two generations later in the century. On the occasion of his death in 1900, Liebe left the entire building complex to Roskilde Municipality. In 1908, the Sugar House came into use as a fire station. Roskilde Local History Museum was founded on 12 November 1929 on the ground floor of the Liebe House. When the fire station moved to new premises in 1989, Roskilde Museum took over the Sugar House. The museum has exhibits from prehistory, through the Viking Era and the Middle Ages to modern times. The Museum of Tools, housed in separate premises, contains a collection of tools used by craftsmen such as wheelwrights, carpenters, shoemakers and wood carvers from around 1850 to 1950.

Viking Ship Museum

Skuldelev 3 in Vikingeskibsmuseet, Roskilde

A major attraction in the city is the Viking Ship Museum (''Vikingeskibsmuseet'') located alongside Roskilde Fjord. The centrepieces of its collection are the well-preserved remains of five 11th-century Viking ships, excavated from the fjord some north of the city in the late 1960s. The ships were scuttled there in the 11th century to block a navigation channel, protecting the city, then the Danish capital, from seaborne assault. The five Viking ships represent several distinct classes, such as the Longship and Warship, and smaller fishing and ferry boats. The ships on display range from 10 feet (3 m) to 50 feet (15 m) in length. The museum also undertakes research in experimental archaeology centred on Viking shipbuilding and seaworthiness. The boatyard, which also forms part of the museum, safeguards the Viking boat-building tradition by building and exhibiting full-scale ships on site.

Ragnarock Museum

On April 29, 2016, the Ragnarock museum for pop, rock and ungdomskultur (youth culture) in Roskilde was inaugurated by

Frederik, Crown Prince of Denmark Frederik, Crown Prince of Denmark, Count of Monpezat, (Frederik André Henrik Christian; born 26 May 1968) is the heir apparent to the Danish throne. He is the elder son of Queen Margrethe II and Prince Henrik. Early life Crown Prince Freder ...

. The 3,100 square-meter museum, designed by the Dutch architectural firm

MVRDV MVRDV is a Rotterdam, Netherlands-based architecture and urban design practice founded in 1993. The name is an acronym for the founding members: Winy Maas, Jacob van Rijs, and Nathalie de Vries. History Maas and Van Rijs worked at OMA, De Vr ...

and by the Danish architecture firm COBE Architects, presents and disseminates youth culture and rock music from the 1950s to the present, both as a means of communication and to enhance socialization between people from different cultures and social backgrounds.

Historic churches

The Old Church of Our Lady (''Gammel Vor Frue Kirke'') is an 11th-century stone church on the southern outskirts of the old town. It is the only surviving travertine basilica in Denmark with a high central nave opening onto two lower lateral aisles. Its carved altarpiece and pulpit from the 1620s are from

Brix Michgell Brix Michgell, also Brix Michael (born before 1612, died after 1627), was a carpenter and wood carver who was active in Roskilde on the Danish island of Zealand. He is remembered for his intricately carved pulpits and altarpieces in the area. Life ...

's Roskilde workshop. The church was attached to a convent for women of rank until the Reformation. It has been called the "Old" Church of Our Lady since 1907 when a new Church of Our Lady was built to the south of the city. There are two other historic churches in central Roskilde. St Ib's is located below the cathedral plateau near the harbour. Built in travertine around 1100, the Romanesque building was once richly decorated in frescos, remains of which can be seen on the rear wall. It is no longer a functioning church.

St Jørgensbjerg Church Saint Jørgensbjerg Church ( da, Sankt Jørgensbjerg Kirke) is a historic church in Roskilde on the Danish island of Zealand. With a nave and chancel in travertine, travertine limestone dating from c. 1080, it is Denmark's oldest preserved stone b ...

stands on a little hill to the northwest of the old town, overlooking the fjord. With a nave and chancel in travertine dating from c. 1080, it is Denmark's oldest preserved stone building. It features a carved pulpit from 1616. The Sankt Laurentii Church Tower is all that remains of the Romanesque Sankt Laurentii Church, built of travertine in the 13th century. It was torn down after the Reformation leaving only the tower which was built at the beginning of the 16th century and now forms part of the former town hall on Stændertorvet. It contains a museum where archaeological finds from 1998 can be seen.

Roskilde Jars

The three huge

Roskilde Jars The Roskilde Jars ( da, Roskildekrukkerne) stand on the square outside the railway station in Roskilde on the Danish island of Zealand. The three huge jars are in height and together weigh about 24 tons. The jars are the work of the Danish abst ...

(''Roskildekrukkerne'') stand in a shallow water basin on the square outside the main railway station. They are in height and together weigh about 24 tons. The jars are the work of the Danish abstract sculptor

Peter Brandes Peter Brandes (born 5 March 1944 in Assens, Denmark) is a Danish painter, sculptor, ceramic artist and photographer. Brandes' art is abstract and often in brown colours. He had his breakthrough as artist in the beginning of the 1980s. He ...

(born 1944). They were commissioned by Elsebeth Stryhn of Stryhns Leverpostej, a local meat paste company, and presented to the city in 1998 on the occasion of Roskilde's 1,000th anniversary.

Roskilde Festival

Since it was first held in 1971, the

Roskilde Festival The Roskilde Festival is a Danish music festival held annually south of Roskilde. It is one of the largest music festivals in Europe and the largest in the Nordic countries. It was created in 1971 by two high school students and a promoter. In 1 ...

, a rock music festival, has been held annually on the fairgrounds south of the city centre. It has grown to become one of the biggest music festivals in Scandinavia, with a turnout of around 80,000 every year. It features a diverse selection of music, including rock, metal, hip-hop, electronica, dance, and world music. All profits from the festival are donated to charities. The fairgrounds are also the site of regionally popular agricultural and animal exhibitions, and large flea markets.

Education and sport

Roskilde University (Danish: ''Roskilde Universitet, RUC'') was founded in 1972. The university is on the eastern outskirts of Roskilde, in the Trekroner district (named after a signalman's cabin on the Roskilde-Copenhagen line). RUC hosts students from around the world. Roskilde University has on-campus dormitory style housing and apartments but many students commute from Copenhagen. In 2013, there were about 7,600 students, 630 teaching staff and 380 technical and administrative personnel. Designed by Preben Hansen (1908–1989), the university buildings were first brought into use in 1972. Founded around 1020 to educate priests for the cathedral, Roskilde Cathedral School is possibly the oldest school in Denmark. Initially located close to the cathedral, it moved into larger premises in 1969 to accommodate an increasing number of pupils (currently over 1,300). The Danish Meat Trade College (''Slagteriskolen''), founded in 1964, is a non-profit institution offering vocational training courses in industrial slaughter, retail butchering, sausage making, nutrition and the meat service sector. Training is also offered to kitchen staff, waiters, cooks and bakers. The school employs about 150 teachers and supporting staff. Courses are also available for international students. There is a hostel with accommodation for some 200 students. Roskilde hala widsport mpazdziora

There are eleven public primary schools in the municipality split up between eleven school districts. Six

gymnasiums A gymnasium, also known as a gym, is an indoor location for athletics. The word is derived from the ancient Greek term " gymnasium". They are commonly found in athletic and fitness centres, and as activity and learning spaces in educational ins ...

(including Roskilde Cathedral School and

Roskilde Gymnasium Roskilde Gymnasium is a gymnasium (upper secondary school) in central Roskilde, Denmark. It is based in the historical premises of Roskilde Cathedral School, facing the square in front of Roskilde Cathedral. The school has 1030 students and 90 tea ...

) offer Upper Secondary School Exit Examinations, Higher Preparatory Examinations, Higher Commercial Examination Programme and Higher Technical Examination Programme. There are many adult education, technical and trade schools in addition to the gymnasiums. Roskilde University Library (RUB) is a research library serving the students and staff at the university. On the sports front, Roskilde is home to the FC Roskilde football club which play in the

, the country's second highest league. Their home stadium is Roskilde Idrætspark with a capacity of 6,000. The city's rugby club, Roskilde Vikings RK, forms part of the Vor Frue Idrætsforening which also has facilities for badminton, soccer and gymnastics. Members of the rowing club, Roskilde Roklub, have distinguished themselves at the Olympic Games and other recent championships. The

Roskilde Congress & Sports Centre Roskilde Congress & Sports Centre (Danish: Roskilde Kongres & Idrætscenter) is a multi-purpose venue in downtown Roskilde, Denmark. It is used for conferences, meetings, sport events Sport pertains to any form of competitive physical acti ...

provides facilities for sporting events accommodating up to 3,500 spectators. It is home to the Roskilde Handball Club. In 1955 a motor racing circuit called the Roskilde Ring was built in an abandoned gravel quarry. The circuit was just 670 metres in length, being extended to 1.38 km in 1957. The circuit had no straight and all of the corners were banked. The Danish Grand Prix for Formula Two cars was held at the circuit every year from 1960 to 1968. The last meeting was held on the 22nd of September 1968, and the site is now a park.

Transport

The principal road running through Roskilde is Danish national road 21, better known as Holbæk Motorway, which connects the city to the capital in the east. Roskilde has a four-platform railway station. Its seven tracks serve as a central hub connecting western and southern Zealand, the islands of Falster and Lolland, and Jutland to Copenhagen. Also within the municipality is the Trekroner station, serving Roskilde University and the developing residential areas to the east of Roskilde. Roskilde Station is the oldest railway station in Denmark still in operation and the first to be built of stone. The first train arrived from Copenhagen on 26 June 1847. The main airport for Roskilde is Copenhagen Airport which can be reached in about 40 minutes by train. Since April 1973, there has also been the small local Roskilde Airport, serving light aircraft for training, taxi, and flight instruction. There are plans to expand it for use by larger aircraft, possibly including discount international flights. The plans were approved, but lack of commitment from any carriers has postponed progress. The airport currently handles up to 100,000 operations (flights) per year, most of which are light aircraft operations associated with school flights. The airport is also home to a small Royal Danish Air Force detachment, maintaining a helicopter based search-and-rescue service covering Zealand and the Baltic Sea. Military passenger services have occasionally used the airport. However, there are now plans to close the military facilities in 2017 or 2018.

Healthcare

The principal hospital in Roskilde is Roskilde Sygehus, founded in 1855. It currently has 437 beds for in-patients and several specialist wards, having been continuously modernized and expanded over the years. Recently physics facilities have been established in medical and hematological outpatient units, while in 2010 the cardiology laboratory was expanded for CAG/

PCI PCI may refer to: Business and economics * Payment card industry, businesses associated with debit, credit, and other payment cards ** Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard, a set of security requirements for credit card processors * Pro ...

. In addition, in 2011 a haematological and a urological ward were modernized and re-equipped. The hospital works in conjunction with Roskilde University in biomedical research, health services research, research assignments, direct research and pharmaceutical biology. It is also involved in a scientific co-operation with the Risø Research Centre. Sankt Hans Hospital is a psychiatric hospital located in Roskilde but operated by the

Capital Region of Denmark The Capital Region of Denmark ( da, Region Hovedstaden, ) is the easternmost administrative region of Denmark. The Capital Region has 29 municipalities and a regional council consisting of 41 elected members. As of 1 August 2021 the chairperson ...

. With a history beginning in 1620, the hospital now has 180 beds and offers specialized treatment in the areas of forensic psychiatry and dual diagnosis.

Notable people

Business

Peter Heering Heering Cherry Liqueur is a Denmark, Danish liqueur flavored with cherry, cherries. It is often referred to simply as ''Peter Heering'' or ''Cherry Heering'' in cocktail recipes. Heering Cherry Liqueur has been produced since 1818, and the compa ...

(1792–1875), founder of

, a liqueur flavored with cherries * Arnold Busck (1871–1953), bookseller and publisher, founder of

Arnold Busck A/S Arnold Busck, named after founder Arnold Busck, is a family-owned Danish company with activities in book distribution and publishing. The Arnold Busck chain of bookstores is one of the largest Danish book retailers with 30 stores. It went bankrupt ...

Jørgen Kastholm Professor.Arkitekt. Jørgen Kastholm. IDD/BDA (1931–2007) Born in Roskilde, Kastholm first trained as a smith but soon turned to furniture design. He attended the School for Interior Design in Copenhagen where he studied under Finn Juhl. At the ...

(1931–2007) furniture designer and academic * Winnie Liljeborg, (born ca.1960) co-founder of Pandora AS, lives on Strandvejen * Morten Lund (born 1972) entrepreneur

Culture

Otto-bache-porträt-der-malerin-sofie-holten-(1858-1930)

* Peder Syv (1631–1702) philologist, folklorist and priest *

(17th century) carpenter and wood carver of pulpits and altarpieces *

Anders Nielsen Hatt Anders Nielsen Hatt (born before 1612, died after 1626) was a wood carver active in Roskilde on the Danish island of Zealand. He is remembered especially for his carved pulpits in the area. There is only one remaining work signed by Nielsen Hatt ...

(17th century), created carved pulpits and altarpieces *

Ejler Andreas Jorgensen Ejler Andreas Christoffer Jorgensen aka Eiler Jørgensen (July 16, 1838 – December 17, 1876) was a Danish-American landscape and portrait painter Biography Eiler Jørgensen was born in Sømme Herred in Roskilde, Denmark. He was the eldest son ...

(1838–1876), a Danish-American landscape and portrait painter *

Carl Rohl-Smith Carl Wilhelm Daniel Rohl-SmithCarr, p. 375. (April 3, 1848- August 20, 1900) was a Danish American sculptor who was active in Europe and the United States from 1870 to 1900. He sculpted a number of life-size and small bronzes based on Greco-Roma ...

(1848-1900) Danish-American sculptor of life-size and small bronzes *

Golla Hammerich Golla Andrea Hammerich née Bodenhoff Jensen (1854–1903) was a prominent Danish concert pianist who had studied under leading Danish musicians. It was not, however, until she was 35 that she first appeared in public. In 1895, she played a leadin ...

(1854–1903), pianist * L. A. Ring (1854–1933), painter, lived at Sankt Jørgensbjerg from 1923 * Clara Schønfeld (1856–1938), a Danish stage and film actress * Sophie Holten (1858-1930) a Danish painter of portraits, flower paintings and genre works *

Pauline Thomsen Pauline Marthea Georgine Bergstrøm Thomsen (17 July 1858 – 16 April 1931) was a Danish painter and art teacher. Biography Born on 17 July 1858 in Roskilde, Pauline Thomsen was the daughter of the lecturer Christen Thomsen (1822–1874) and Pa ...

(1858–1931), painter and art teacher *

Gustav Wied Gustav Johannes Wied (6 March 1858 – 24 October 1914) was a Danish writer. He was generally known as a satirical critic of society in his time and he deliberately used his writing talents to expose the establishment, bourgeoisie and ruling ...

(1858–1914 in Roskilde), writer and satirical critic of society *

Hans Knudsen Hans Knudsen may refer to: * Hans Knudsen (canoeist) *Hans Knudsen (painter) * Hans Christian Knudsen (missionary) *Hans Christian Knudsen Hans Christian Knudsen (March 4, 1763 – March 4, 1816) was a Danish stage actor and opera singer. He was ...

(1865–1947) artist, landscape paintings * Aksel Schiøtz (1906–1975), a Danish tenor and later baritone; lieder singer * Jørgen Beck (1914–1991) a Danish film actor * Lise Nørgaard (born 1917), a writer of humorous portrayals of Danish cultural life *

Willy Rathnov Willy Rathnov (13 May 1937 – 29 August 1999) was a Danish film actor. He appeared in 32 films between 1960 and 1988. He was born in Roskilde, Denmark and died in Denmark. Selected filmography * ''Onkel Joakims hemmelighed'' (1967) * '' S ...

(1937–1999) a Danish film actor * John Olsen, (born 1938) sculptor, illustrator and painter * Jørgen Boberg (1940–2009), a self-taught Surrealist Danish painter and illustrator * Ib Michael (born 1945), a Danish novelist and poet of magic realism style *

Else Torp Else Torp is a Danish soprano born 1968 in Roskilde. Career She is a member of Paul Hillier's Theatre of Voices, with whom she sings ancient and baroque works of composers such as Peter Abelard, Roland de Lassus, Thomas Tallis, and Heinrich Sc ...

(born 1950) a Danish soprano *

Thomas Boberg Thomas Boberg (born 5 May 1960 in Roskilde) is a Danish poet and travel writing, travel writer. Since his debut in 1984 he has received extensive recognition for his contribution to Danish literature. Since 2018 member of The Danish Academy (Det ...

(born 1960) a Danish poet and travel writer * Ole Christian Madsen (born 1966), film-maker, director *

Thure Lindhardt Thure Frank Lindhardt (; born 24 December 1974) is a Danish actor, educated at the drama school at Odense Theatre in 1998. Life and career Lindhardt was born in Copenhagen, and grew up in Roskilde. At the age of 12, he got a part in Bille Augus ...

(born 1974), actor, grew up in Roskilde * Clemens Legolas Telling (born 1979) rapper, singer, music writer, actor * Gitte Hanspal (born 1982) Danish-Indian model, Miss Scandinavia 2005 * Simon Sears (born 1984), actor, raised in Solrød Strand *

Natasha Thomas Natasha Thomas (born 27 September 1986) is a Danish singer and songwriter. Career In 2003, at the age of 16, Thomas released her debut single "Why (Does Your Love Hurt So Much)", which reached number 40 on the German chart. "Save Your Kisses F ...

(born 1986) a Danish pop singer-songwriter *

Freja Beha Freja Beha Erichsen (born 18 October 1987), also known as Freja Beha, is a Denmark, Danish Model (person), model. Dubbed as the "Queen of Cool", she is known for her Androgyny, androgynous look and for being one of the muses of the late Karl Lag ...

Erichsen (born 1987) a Danish model, ''"Queen of Cool"'' with an

androgynous Androgyny is the possession of both masculine and feminine characteristics. Androgyny may be expressed with regard to biological sex, gender identity, or gender expression. When ''androgyny'' refers to mixed biological sex characteristics i ...

look

Politics

* Canute Lavard (1096–1131) Prince and first Duke of Schleswig * Absalon (1128–1291), Bishop of Roskilde from 1158 to 1192 *

Carl Christian Vilhelm Liebe Carl Christian Vilhelm Liebe (30 November 1820 – 24 August 1900) was a Danish politician representing first the National Liberal Party and later the conservative Højre, lawyer and speaker of the Landsting, a chamber of the parliament. He ...

(1820–1900) politician, speaker of Landstinget * Louis Pio (1841–1894), a co-founder of the organized worker's movement in Denmark * Carl Theodor Zahle (1866–1946), 5th Danish Prime Minister and co-founder of the Danish Social Liberal Party * Slimane Hadj Abderrahmane (1973–2013)a Danish citizen, held in Guantanamo Bay *

Michael Aastrup Jensen Michael Aastrup Jensen (born 16 March 1976 in Roskilde) is a Danish politician, who is a member of the Folketing for the Venstre (Denmark), Venstre political party. He was elected into parliament at the 2005 Danish general election. Political car ...

(born 1976) politician *

Zenia Stampe Zenia Stampe Lyngbo (born 30 March 1979 in Roskilde) is a Danish politician, who is a member of the Folketing for the Social Liberal Party. She was elected into parliament at the 2011 Danish general election. Background Stampe graduated from ...

(born 1979) politician, elected to the ''Folketinget'' in 2011 *

Joy Mogensen Joy Mogensen (born 11 August 1980) is a Danish social democratic Social democracy is a political, social, and economic philosophy within socialism that supports political and economic democracy. As a policy regime, it is described by acade ...

(born 1980) a Danish politician, Mayor of Roskilde Municipality 2011 to 2019, Minister of Culture and Church since 2019

Sport

2019 Formula One tests Barcelona, Magnussen (32309895977)

Oskar Nørland Niels Christian Oskar Nørland (4 October 1882 in Roskilde – 18 May 1941 in Frederiksberg, Copenhagen) was a Denmark, Danish amateur football (soccer) player, who played 14 games as a Striker (association football), forward for the Denmark nati ...

(1882–1941) a Danish amateur footballer, played 14 games for Denmark and won two team silver medals at the

1908 Events January * January 1 – The British ''Nimrod'' Expedition led by Ernest Shackleton sets sail from New Zealand on the ''Nimrod'' for Antarctica. * January 3 – A total solar eclipse is visible in the Pacific Ocean, and is the 46 ...

and

1912 Summer Olympics The 1912 Summer Olympics ( sv, Olympiska sommarspelen 1912), officially known as the Games of the V Olympiad ( sv, Den V olympiadens spel) and commonly known as Stockholm 1912, were an international multi-sport event held in Stockholm, Sweden, be ...

Tage Henriksen Tage Henriksen (8 April 1925 – 13 May 2016) was a Danish rower who competed in the 1948 Summer Olympics. He was born in Roskilde Roskilde ( , ) is a city west of Copenhagen on the Danish island of Zealand. With a population of 51,916 (), ...

(1925–2016) rower, team gold medallist at the

1948 Summer Olympics The 1948 Summer Olympics (officially the Games of the XIV Olympiad and also known as London 1948) were an international multi-sport event held from 29 July to 14 August 1948 in London, England, United Kingdom. Following a twelve-year hiatus ca ...

* Finn Pedersen (1925–2012) rower, team gold medallist at the

1948 Events January * January 1 ** The General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) is inaugurated. ** The Constitution of New Jersey (later subject to amendment) goes into effect. ** The railways of Britain are nationalized, to form British ...

also competed at the

1956 Summer Olympics The 1956 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XVI Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, from 22 November to 8 December 1956, with the exception of the equestrian events, whi ...

Carl-Ebbe Andersen Carl-Ebbe Andersen (19 January 1929 – 14 June 2009) was a Danish rower who competed in the 1948 Summer Olympics. He was born in Roskilde. In 1948 he was the coxswain The coxswain ( , or ) is the person in charge of a boat, particularly its ...

(1929–2009), rower, team gold medallist at the

* Reno Olsen (born 1947), racing cyclist, team gold medallist at the

1968 Summer Olympics The 1968 Summer Olympics ( es, Juegos Olímpicos de Verano de 1968), officially known as the Games of the XIX Olympiad ( es, Juegos de la XIX Olimpiada) and commonly known as Mexico 1968 ( es, México 1968), were an international multi-sport eve ...

(born 1973), rower, team gold medallist at

2004 2004 was designated as an International Year of Rice by the United Nations, and the International Year to Commemorate the Struggle Against Slavery and its Abolition (by UNESCO). Events January * January 3 – Flash Airlines Flight 6 ...

and

2008 Summer Olympics The 2008 Summer Olympics (), officially the Games of the XXIX Olympiad () and also known as Beijing 2008 (), were an international multisport event held from 8 to 24 August 2008, in Beijing, China. A total of 10,942 athletes from 204 Na ...

* Jan Magnussen (born 1973), racing driver *

Rikke Olsen Rikke Olsen Siegemund (born 19 April 1975) is a retired badminton player from Denmark. She won the mixed doubles title at the World Junior Championships in 1992 and the girls' doubles title at the European Junior Championships in 1993. Born in ...

(born 1975) a retired badminton player, three time contender for Olympic bronze * Peter Madsen (born 1978) a retired footballer with 275 club caps and 13 for Denmark * Jesper Christiansen (born 1978) retired football goalkeeper with 348 club caps and a coach *

Carsten Mogensen Carsten Mogensen (born 24 July 1983) is a former badminton player from Denmark. He was the gold medalist at the 2015 European Games, two time European champions winning in 2012 and 2017, and the silver medalist at the 2012 Summer Olympics. Moge ...

(born 1983) badminton player, team silver medallist at the

2012 Summer Olympics The 2012 Summer Olympics (officially the Games of the XXX Olympiad and also known as London 2012) was an international multi-sport event held from 27 July to 12 August 2012 in London, England, United Kingdom. The first event, the ...

David Ousted David Ousted Hansen (born 1 February 1985) is a retired Danish footballer who played as a goalkeeper. He played with SønderjyskE and Randers in the Danish Superliga, before moving to the Major League Soccer in 2013 where he went on to repre ...

(born 1985) a Danish football goalkeeper with over 350 club caps * Lasse Lindbjerg (born 1992) footballer and physiotherapist * Kevin Magnussen (born 1992), racing driver * Dennis Lind (born 1993), racing driver

Science

* Rasmus Bartholin (1625–1698), scientist, physician, grammarian and astronomer * Hans Egede Saabye (1746–1817) priest, missionary to Greenland and botanist * Jacob Kornerup (1825–1913), archeologist and painter *

Ernst Østrup Ernst Vilhelm Østrup (21 September 1845, in Roskilde – 16 April 1917, in Frederiksberg) was a Denmark, Danish botanist and phycology, phycologist, mainly working on diatoms. In 1873 he received his ''cand. polyt.'' degree, and later worked as a ...

(1845–1917)

botanist Botany, also called , plant biology or phytology, is the science of plant life and a branch of biology. A botanist, plant scientist or phytologist is a scientist who specialises in this field. The term "botany" comes from the Ancient Greek wo ...

, phycologist, mainly working on diatoms * Ejnar Hertzsprung (1873–1967 in Roskilde), chemist and astronomer * Hans Helbæk (1907–1981) a Danish archaeologist and palaeobotanist * Ada Bruhn Hoffmeyer (1910–1991) a Danish museum curator, writer and medieval weapons expert

Crime

* Peter Lundin (born 1972), convicted murderer

References

;Bibliography * * *

External links

*
Wineroads.dk
græsk rødvine og hvidvine i Roskilde * {{Authority control Municipal seats of Region Zealand Municipal seats of Denmark Cities and towns in Region Zealand Viking Age populated places Former national capitals Roskilde Municipality Populated places established in the 10th century