Roskilde Cathedral
Roskilde Cathedral, on the island of Zealand in eastern Denmark, is a cathedral of the Lutheran Church of Denmark and one of the most important buildings in Scandinavian architectural history. Begun around 1170 and largely completed by about 1280, it was the first Gothic cathedral in northern Europe to be built of brick, a technique that spread from here across the Baltic region.
The cathedral is above all the burial church of the Danish royal family, the final resting place of some 40 kings and queens whose tombs and elaborate funerary chapels span centuries of Danish history. This continuous royal mausoleum offers a unique visual record of the evolution of European architecture and decorative art from the medieval period to the present.
Inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1995, Roskilde Cathedral remains a working church as well as a national monument. Its twin spires dominate the town, and its chapels, royal sarcophagi and historic fittings draw visitors interested in both faith and the long story of the Danish crown.
- Annual visitors
- ≈ 150,000
- Location
- 55.6428, 12.0800
- Local time
- 00:34 (Europe/Copenhagen)
🕘 Visiting hours
| Mon–Sat | 10:00–17:00 |
| Sun | 13:00–16:00 |
Summer (Jun-Aug) to 18:00, winter (Oct-Mar) to 16:00; Sunday limited
✨ Saints & blessed venerated here
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Lucius (Pope St Lucius I) Saint
Patron saint of the cathedral and of Roskilde
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Mary the Virgin Saint
Co-dedicatee of the medieval cathedral
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William of Roskilde Saint
11th-century Bishop of Roskilde venerated locally
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Margaret of Hojelse Blessed
Danish beata associated with Roskilde's medieval veneration
Care & donations
Roskilde Cathedral Parish (Folkekirken)
Admission charge for visitors; free entry for worship
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