Sightseeing in Roskilde - what to see. Complete travel guide

According to historic documents, many of which are very old, the first mentions of Roskilde date back to 980. The Danish settlement got its name after the legendary King Roar who supposedly lived here at the beginning of the 6th century. The king did much for the development of the town, and so it was decided to immortalize the Danish ruler and call the city after him. Roskilde was the capital of Denmark until 1443. Besides that, it was the main religious and trading center of the country. However, the importance of Roskilde started decreasing drastically soon.
There are several interesting museums in Roskilde, and the national museum dedicated to Viking ships is definitely one of the most interesting to visit. The Viking Ship Museum is the right place to find out more about the history of Viking boats and shipbuilding in general. The exhibition covers a big period of shipbuilding starting from prehistoric times and until the Middle Ages. The museum’s collection provides insight into the look and construction of different boat types. In the 70s of the 11th century, five Viking ships were scuttled deliberately near Roskilde to block the navigation canal and protect the city from the sea attacks. When the ships were excavated in 1962, it turned out that there were several ships of different classes, both warships and cargo ships.

Would you like to visit the main religious attraction in Roskilde? In this case, don’t forget to explore the city’s cathedral that gave rise to the Gothic architecture across Europe. The building of the eye-catching cathedral started in the 12th century and lasted two hundred years. Its design features and interesting combination of the Gothic and Romanesque architectural styles. Until the 20th century, the Roskilde Cathedral was the only cathedral in Zealand. Many Dutch monarchs were buried in this cathedral in the 15th century. As many as 38 royals found their last resort in this famous church. The chapels that the shrine consists of are named after the deceased rulers.

As a rule, tourists travel to Roskilde from Copenhagen. It takes only twenty-five minutes by train to reach the former capital of Denmark from the current one. Besides this route, there are daily trains from Koge to the ancient Danish city. The journey time is also no more than twenty-five minutes in this case. If you travel from Naestved, the journey will be significantly longer – almost one hour. Travelers, who enjoy exploring new places in a car, should choose route Pte21 that leads to Roskilde from the capital of Denmark.
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City tours, excursions and tickets in Roskilde and surroundings
Reference information
Survived castles around Roskilde
♥ Castle 'Roskilde Palace' , 0.4 km from the center. On the map
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♥ Castle 'Ledreborg Palace' , 9.5 km from the center. On the map
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♥ Castle 'Selsø Castle' , 12 km from the center. On the map
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♥ Castle 'Holbæk Castle' , 19 km from the center. On the map
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♥ Castle 'Jægerspris Castle' , 24.9 km from the center. On the map
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♥ Castle 'Roskilde Palace' , 0.4 km from the center. On the map


♥ Castle 'Ledreborg Palace' , 9.5 km from the center. On the map


♥ Castle 'Selsø Castle' , 12 km from the center. On the map


♥ Castle 'Holbæk Castle' , 19 km from the center. On the map


♥ Castle 'Jægerspris Castle' , 24.9 km from the center. On the map


National and city parks around Roskilde
♥ National Park 'Dalby Söderskog' , 78 km from the center. On the map
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♥ National Park 'Söderåsen' , 85.1 km from the center. On the map
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♥ National Park 'Dalby Söderskog' , 78 km from the center. On the map


♥ National Park 'Söderåsen' , 85.1 km from the center. On the map


Sights around Roskilde from our guide 'Extreme places on Earth'
Turning Torso
From the series “Twisted Spiral Buildings and Towers That Are Real”
Check on the map:
Distance from Roskilde center - 55.9 km.
The place of construction of the skyscraper has also been chosen by chance. A few years ago on the site of the building one could see a unique Kockumskranen crane. It was indispensable in the construction of ships and became a real symbol of the city. When in 2002 the construction company Burmeister & Wain went bankrupt, the crane was sold to Korea for a symbolic price - 1 dollar. The Turning Torso skyscraper that appeared in its place became a new symbol of the city and entered the number of the most incredible architectural constructions of our time. …
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Amalienborg Palace
From the series “Rococo Architecture – Famous Monuments”
Check on the map:
Distance from Roskilde center - 31.9 km.
The beautiful palace is accessible to tourists all year round. Interesting excursions are conducted through old mansions. You can admire their luxurious design during these excursions. A rich collection of old works of art, antique furniture, sculptures, and valuable interior decorations is kept in the Royal residence. The best masters of Europe worked on their creation. …
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Search touristic sites on the map of Roskilde

