Roskilde

Saturday we set out for Roskilde, a city about 30 minutes West of Copenhagen.  Roskilde was Denmark's leading city until the mid-15th Century, and in 1998 celebrated its 1000th anniversary!  I still have a hard time wrapping my head around the history of where we are living right now.  We walked the pedestrian street and did a little shopping, and then headed for Roskilde Domkirke (Roskilde Cathedral).

Roskilde Domkirke is to Denmark what Westminster Abbey is to England.  Since 1450 nearly all Danish kings and queen have been buried here.  Some tombs go back even further.  Harold Bluetooth, who is known for bringing Christianity to Denmark, was buried here around 980.  

After visiting the Cathedral we went to the Vikingeskibshallen (Viking Ship Museum).  On display here are 5 Viking ships (or at least parts of them) found in Roskilde Fjord that were presumably sunk in the fjord around 1070 to protect the early settlement from a sea attack.  There was also a lot of great information here about the Viking age and the history of Viking activity in Scandinavia.