Stage town for the 1st time Municipality in the Sjaelland island region
Population: 88,000 (Roskildians)
Specialities: stegt flaesh (roast pork in parsley sauce with potatoes), smorrebrod (slice of rye bread with cold meats, fish, cheese and condiments), wienerbrod (pastry)
Personalities: Absalon (founding bishop of the city of Copenhagen), Laurits Andersen Ring (painter), Lise Norgaard (journalist, writer, TV series creator), Thomas Zerbert (rower, 2004 Olympic champion), Kevin Magnussen (F1 driver).
Sport: FC Roskilde (football, 2nd division), Roskilde Handbold (women's handball, 2nd division), Roskilde Vikings RK (rugby), Roskilde Rokclub (rowing), Team NPV Carl Ras Roskilde (cycling team with junior and espoir riders)
Festivals: Roskilde Festival (Bob Marley, U2, Prince, Iggy Pop, The Cure, INXS, Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Rolling Stones, Eminem, etc).
Economy: digital, finance, industry (plastics), renewable energy research institute, tourism, etc.
Labels: 10th century UNESCO World Heritage Cathedral
Websites: alletiderstour.roskilde.dk/da-dk/forside/ / rosklide.dk / visitfjordlandet.dk
ROSKILDE AND CYCLING
Roskilde has frequently been on the programme of the Tour of Denmark, either as a finishing or starting town. Last time, in 2019, the city was the start of a stage won in Frederiksberg by Belgian Tim Merlier, stage winner in the 2021 Tour de France. Several riders born in Roskilde have participated in the Tour de France. This is the case of Per Bausager (1979), Bekim Christensen (2003), or the double Danish champion Nikolaj Bo Larsen (2000, 2001).
SIGHTS
Roskilde Cathedral
Foundation: 12th and 13th centuries
Style: Brick Gothic
Classification: Unesco World Heritage Site
Characteristics and history: built entirely of red brick, the cathedral is characteristic of the early brick Gothic style and was partly responsible for the spread of this style in northern Europe. In the following centuries, several chapels were built inside and outside the church. Initially dedicated to various saints, they later served as mausoleums for Danish kings and queens. This makes the cathedral a timeline of the development of Christian building architecture in Northern Europe.
Special features: twenty-one kings and nineteen queens of Denmark are buried in the cathedral and its chapels. Their tombs, art and frescoes tell a thousand years of the history of the kings, the cathedral and Denmark. 175,000 visitors per year.
Roskilde Railway Station
Founded: 1847
Style: neo-classical
Awards: listed in 1964. The adjacent sheds were listed in 1991.
Characteristics: Roskilde station is located on the main Danish railway line, which connects Copenhagen with Jutland.
History: the first Danish train line between Copenhagen and Roskilde, it was built by British company William Redford for the Zeeland Railway. It was designed by Danish architect J.F. Meyer and is said to have been inspired by the Villa Borghese in Rome. It underwent a major restoration between 1998 and 2002.
Special features: inaugurated on 26 June 1847, it is the oldest station in Denmark preserved in its current state, as Copenhagen Central Station was moved twice and the current building dates from 1911.
Roskilde Festival
The Roskilde Festival is one of Europe's largest rock and pop festivals. Established in 1971, it has featured many top artists from a wide range of styles and now attracts audiences from all over Europe. The Rolling Stones, Bob Marley, Bob Dylan, Paul McCartney, Leonard Cohen, David Bowie, Bruce Springsteen, U2, Nirvana, Lou Reed, Eric Clapton, The Clash, The Cure, The Who, Oasis, The Sex Pistols and Eminem are just a few of the many stars who have performed there. As a side note, every year a mixed race takes place where the competitors are naked. The festival could not take place in 2020 and 2021. The 2022 edition is planned to take place on the usual dates (last week of June or first week of July).
Viking Ship Museum
The museum has a permanent exhibition of five Viking ships that were deliberately sunk around 1070 in the Roskilde Fjord and found in 1962. They are different types of ships, from freighters to warships called Skuldelev 1, Skuldelev 2, Skuldelev 3, Skuldelev 5 and Skuldelev 6. The museum was built in 1969 and is specially designed to present these discoveries. It also conducts scientific research in the field of maritime archaeology for this so-called Viking Age period.
TO EAT
The Roskilde Festival, considered the most important festival in Northern Europe, is primarily devoted to music. But food has become an increasingly important part of the festival. Tens of thousands of festival-goers have to be fed every year, and the organisers take great care in choosing the food. Since 2019, the focus has been on organic cuisine and sustainability, both on the plate and in the cutlery, which is all made from recyclable materials. The carbon footprint of each dish offered in the stands is indicated to make an eco-responsible choice. And protein intake is also monitored, with dishes made from insects or predatory fish that proliferate in Danish rivers and harm the ecosystem. The festival also organises food tours, the most popular of which is the vegan food tour and the hangover tour.
