Roskilde Cathedral: Denmark’s Royal Burial Site

There is something both calming and captivating when visiting European churches. They are more than places of worship but works of art and historical structures that transcend time. I find European churches fascinating, especially cathedrals, and make it a point to go inside when passing by them.  Denmark’s Roskilde Cathedral or Domkirke was unlike any church we’ve ever visited.

Our main purpose was for a day trip to Roskilde, Denmark’s former medieval capital, was to explore the Viking Ship Museum. We had a good dose of Vikings and ships. 

But, the town’s other main attraction was the cathedral which was a UNESCO World Heritage site.  We saw its tall spires from different parts of town. Other than being the town’s parish,  this was also the main burial place of the Danish royalty since the 15th century.

History of Roskilde Cathedral

They honored these monarchs in various chapels throughout the church. We’ve visited some mausoleums but this had to be the most lavish.

It felt like visiting a museum with its collection of frescoes, paintings and sculptures.  This was the first time I’d heard of funerary art and it was at its finest.

Many churches once stood at this location for more than 1,000 years. The Roskilde Cathedral was first built in 1170 and construction took more than 100 years using 3 million fired clay bricks.

The French-inspired Gothic red brick structure had many chapels added throughout the years. Each chapel was distinct based on the monarch’s wishes and personality. Each section shows off different architectural styles based on when they built it.

Roskilde Cathedral Chapels

The first chapel we saw was the Chapel of the Magic which Christian I built containing extravagant, canopied sepulchre or burial vaults for himself and his queen. They buried two of his children in small chambers under the floor.

The well-preserved frescoes were impressive here including ones on the ceiling.

Built in the Dutch Renaissance Style, the medieval decorations covered most of the walls, depicting a variety of saints and angels meant to show the “daily intercession” for the royal family’s souls.

Frederik V Chapel

Prominent architects designed these chapels. Down the walkway, we saw Frederik V’s chapel, built in a Neoclassical style and completed in 1789.

Considered as an absolute monarch, he wanted to be glorified and buried with the same honors as Roman emperors. The white monument had two female statues grieving for the king and symbolize Denmark and Norway.

There were twelve other royal tombs in this chapel including five sarcophagi and fabric-covered coffins. It was fascinating to see how they entombed the monarchs, each with its own unique style—some more grandiose and pretentious than others.

It was a shame some of them didn’t get to see it. Those who planned well in advance made sure their resting places would be admired by many.

We felt a sense of eeriness and morbidity as we walked around numerous tombs, floor plaques and knowing there were many more graves underneath the cathedral floor.  It felt really strange taking pictures of tombs and coffins but we couldn’t stop. 

Most of them were decorated so beautifully. It was as if each monarch was trying to outdo their predecessors in terms of tomb and chapel opulence. This was fairly evident with Christian IV’s chapel.

Built in 1620, two large paintings illustrated important scenes from Christian IV’s life – a sea battle and as a judge and his statue watching over the chapel. We also saw five ornately decorated coffins here, with his being the silver and black one.

This decorative ceiling and walls were not a surprise after visiting Christian IV’s royal residence, Frederiksborg Castle, a few days earlier.

This was one of the stunning iron work separating the chapel from the church.

Glucksburger Chapel

The Glucksburger Chapel, built in 1924 and inspired by Romanesque and Byzantine styles, provided a stark contrast in simplicity and more recent design. King Christian IX, who reigned for 43 years, and Queen Louise were entombed in a double sarcophagus topped with golden crowns.

The three female sculptures surrounding it were Remembrance, Love and Grief.

St. Birgitta Chapel

St. Birgitta’s Chapel will be the future “sepulchral monument” of the current royal couple, Queen Margrethe II and the Prince Consort. She’ll be buried in a glass sarcophagus as depicted in this small model. Definitely unique and modern for the 21st century queen.

St. Andrew’s Chapel

They used the smaller St. Andrew’s Chapel for some religious services. The highlight here was the altarpiece made of 56,000 small glass mosaic tiles representing Christ’s tears falling.

Various frescoes dating back to 1511 show some religious scenes including the apostle Andrew for which this chapel was named. Even the simple chapels manage to have some stunning relics in them.

It was hard to ignore the other features of the church beyond the tombs. The centerpiece was the gold three-piece altar which was made in Antwerp in the mid-1500s. 

It showed the various scenes from Christ’s life. The details were stunning and sparkled with the sun’s rays shining in through the windows. 

We walked behind the altar and saw more monarch and noblemen’s elaborate marble tombs with carved portraits on top. There were nearly 40 kings and queens buried in the cathedral but they were spread out so it never felt like a crypt obstacle course.

The most prominent sarcophagus behind the altar was of Queen Margrete I, Denmark’s first queen, whose remains have been in Roskilde since 1413. The sculpture of the queen lying in state with golden crowns was striking. Its sides decorated with intricate carvings of  small religious figures embellished with gold accents.

King Christian IV donated the impressive pulpit to the side in 1610. It was made of brick and sandstone with a wooden entrance. I loved the details in the side panels here.

The eye-catching private box hanging high above the cathedral walls were incredible. King Christian IV had this two-room box installed with two floors of ornate, multi-colored and gold decorations. I doubt they used this box much anymore during church services.

Final Thoughts on Roskilde Cathedral

It’s always a challenge bringing children to churches and this mausoleum had me a bit worried of creeping them out.  Surprisingly, my kids were fascinated with all the sculptures and frescoes. They asked amusing questions like “Are there really dead people in those?” and “Are there ghosts around here, then?” 

We gave them a camera and a smartphone and the worries went away. Tired, little feet found these wooden choir stalls dating back to 1420.

I never expected a day trip to see Vikings would also include this wonderfully unique Danish cultural heritage site. It was interesting to see the varying qualities on each monumental tomb – all masterfully crafted.

Roskilde Cathedral’s exterior may not be as impressive as other European churches but its interior deserves a leisurely stroll to fully appreciate its historic and religious art and architectural details.

Tips for Visiting Roskilde Cathedral Domkirke Denmark

• Visitors cannot enter the cathedral for touring during church services and ceremonies.
• There are no restrooms in the cathedral but public restrooms were at the nearby square.
• Free admission with the Copenhagen card. Admission is 70 DKK (about $10 US) for Adults; Kids under 18 are free.
• Guided tours are available for a fee.
• There is a Cathedral museum above Christian I’s chapel showing exhibits on the Cathedral’s history. Visitors can only go on specific times and accompanied by the staff.
• Roskilde was less than half an hour by train from central Copenhagen.
• Visit the cathedral website for more information.

*Have you visited other mausoleums or churches in your travels?  How do you feel about visiting mausoleums as tourist attractions?

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