Roskilde is the main city in the eponymous municipality. With a population of 51,262 is a business and educational centre for the region and the 10th largest city in Denmark. It is governed by the administrative council of Roskilde Municipality.
| Country | Denmark |
|---|---|
| Region | Zealand (Sjælland) |
| Municipality | Roskilde |
| Established | 980s |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Thomas Bredam (S) |
| Area | |
| • Urban | 21.2 km2 (8.2 sq mi) |
| Population (1st January 2020) | |
| • Urban | 51,262 |
| • Urban density | 2,400/km2 (6,300/sq mi) |
| Demonym(s) | Roskildenser |
| Time zone | UTC+1 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+2 (CEST) |
Roskilde has a long history, dating from the pre-Christian Viking Age. Its UNESCO-listed Gothic cathedral, now housing 39 tombs of the Danish monarchs, was completed in 1275, becoming a focus of religious influence until the Reformation. With the development of the rail network in the 19th century, Roskilde became an important hub for traffic with Copenhagen, and by the end of the century, there were tobacco factories, iron foundries and machine shops. Among the largest private sector employers today are the IT firm BEC (Bankernes EDB Central) and seed company DLF. The Risø research facility is also becoming a major employer, extending interest in sustainable energy to the clean technology sphere. The local university, founded in 1972, the historic Cathedral School, and the Danish Meat Trade College, established in 1964, are educational institutions of note. Roskilde has a large local hospital which has been expanded and modernized since it was opened in 1855. It is now increasingly active in the research sphere. The Sankt Hans psychiatric hospital serves the Capital Region with specialized facilities for forensic psychiatry.
The cathedral and the Viking Ship Museum, which contains the well-preserved remains of five 11th-century ships, attract more than 100,000 visitors annually. In addition to its internationally recognized tourist attractions and its annual rock festival, Roskilde is popular with shoppers thanks to its two centrally located pedestrian streets complete with restaurants, cafés, and a variety of shops. The city is home to the FC Roskilde football club which play in the Danish 1st Division, the Roskilde Vikings RK rugby club, and the rowing club, Roskilde Roklub. In the 1970s, the city benefited from the opening of the university and from the completion of the Holbæk Motorway connecting it to Copenhagen. Roskilde has the oldest operational railway station in Denmark, with connections across Zealand as well as with Falster, Lolland, and Jutland. The local airport opened in 1973, mainly serving light aircraft for business use and flight instruction.
Among the city’s notable citizens are Absalon, the bishop who founded Copenhagen in the 12th century, L. A. Ring, the symbolist painter who gained fame in the 1880s, the writer Lise Nørgaard who wrote the popular Danish TV series Matador in 1978 and the rower Thomas Ebert who became an Olympic gold medallist in 2004.
Geography
Roskilde is located in north-central Zealand at the south end of Roskilde Fjord which is itself the south branch of the Isefjord. On the slope down to the harbour, there are a number of springs, the most powerful of which is Maglekilde. The historic centre of the town covers the area around the main streets Skomagergade and Algade including the squares of Stændertorvet and Hestetorvet. Two parks, Byparken and Folkeparken which run down towards the fjord, are immediately north of the old town.
Economy
In the 1890s, 37% of Roskilde’s economy was in crafts and manufacturing industry with only 15% in administration and services. By 1984, industry had dropped to 16% while services had risen to 57%. In 2002, services had reached 62%, leaving industry at 15% and trade and transport at 22%.
One of the largest employers in Roskilde is BEC (Bankernes EDB Central) who provide IT services to the financial sector.
DLF-Trifolium A/S, a seed producer for the farming sector, has its headquarters in Roskilde with a workforce of over 50.
Rambøll, the international Danish engineering consultancy, has recently concentrated its Zealand operations in Roskilde bringing 60 new jobs to the city.
Several food industries have their headquarters or production facilities in Roskilde, including: Chr. Hansen A/S, producing cultures for the dairy industry, DanÆg, eggs, the Scandinavian Pizza Company, and Stryhns, a cold cuts and meat paste producer with over 100 on the payroll.
Research parks
There are a number of research institutes in the city including Risø, promoting sustainable energy, which is now part of The Technical University of Denmark. The CAT (Center for Avanceret Teknologi) research park is also part of the university working mainly in the areas of wind energy and biotechnology. In the public sector, the Accident Investigation Board Denmark has its headquarters in Roskilde.
Tourism
The city is also popular with shoppers, having received Denmark’s Best Shopping City Award in 2012. In addition to a wide variety of shops and restaurants along its two downtown pedestrian streets, Algade and Skomagergade, Roskilde’s shopping centre RO’s Torv on Københavnsvej to the east of the city houses 70 stores under one roof.
One of the oldest restaurants in Roskilde is the Raadhuskælderen, in a building dated to 1430, noted for its salmon steak with tartar sauce and grilled chicken and cream sauce dishes. Also of note is La Brasserie on Algade, the Gimle Musikcafe on Ringstedgade, which is an English-style pub-restaurant with live music, and Restaurant Toppen at the top of an 84 metres (276 ft) water tower, built in 1961, with fine views of the town.
The 76-room Hotel Prindsen has foundations which date to 1695. It has been a hotel for over 100 years and is decorated in the Nordic style with wooden floors and contains the large luxury Hans Christian Andersen suite. Scandic Hotel Roskilde is a 98-room chain-run hotel established in 1989, with a restaurant serving Danish and international cuisine. The thatched-roof Svogerslev Kro is an 18-room inn dated to 1727 in the Svogerslev area, about 2.5 miles to the west of Roskilde’s centre.
The old town of Roskilde is centred around the main square, Stændertorvet, just south of the cathedral. The area is flanked to the north by two large parks, Byparken and Folkeparken, which stretch down to Roskilde Fjord.
One of the most exclusive residential districts of the city, Sankt Jørgensbjerg, covers the hilly area to the northwest, bordered by the fjord. Initially a fishing village dating back to the Viking era, it became part of Roskilde in 1938.
Located in the same district as the fairgrounds used for the Roskilde Festival, there are medium-term plans for establishing creative companies and housing for young people in the area. A large rock museum named “Ragnarock” opened in April 2016.
Located on the site of a 10th-century wooden church, the cathedral was built in the 12th and 13th centuries when the Romanesque style was influenced by Gothic trends from northern France. It was the first Gothic cathedral in Scandinavia to be built of brick, resulting in the spread of this style throughout northern Europe. With its 39 royal tombs, the cathedral is to this day the burial site for Danish monarchs. Since 1995, it has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, encouraging some 100,000 tourists to visit it each year. The cathedral houses a museum on its upper floor, tracing the building’s history.
Adjacent to the cathedral is Roskilde Palace, built from 1733 to 1736 on the site of the former residence of the bishops of Roskilde. It was used by members of the royal family when they were in the city or attended funerals. Today it houses the Museum of Contemporary Art.
Roskilde Museum
Roskilde Museum is a local history museum, run by the municipalities of Roskilde, Frederikssund and Lejre.
A major attraction in the city is the Viking Ship Museum (Vikingeskibsmuseet) located alongside Roskilde Fjord. The five Viking ships represent several distinct classes, such as the Longship and Warship, and smaller fishing and ferry boats. The ships on display range from 10 feet (3 m) to 50 feet (15 m) in length.
Ragnarock Museum
On April 29, 2016, the Ragnarock museet for pop, rock & ungdomskultur in Roskilde has been inaugurated by Frederik, Crown Prince of Denmark.
Healthcare
The principal hospital in Roskilde is Roskilde Sygehus, founded in 1855. Recently physics facilities have been established in medical and hematological outpatient units, while in 2010 the cardiology laboratory was expanded for CAG/PCI. In addition, in 2011 a haematological and a urological ward were modernized and re-equipped.[96] The hospital works in conjunction with Roskilde University in biomedical research, health services research, research assignments, direct research and pharmaceutical biology. It is also involved in a scientific co-operation with the Risø Research Centre.
Sankt Hans Hospital is a psychiatric hospital located in Roskilde but operated by the Capital Region of Denmark. With a history beginning in 1620, the hospital now has 180 beds and offers specialized treatment in the areas of forensic psychiatry and dual diagnosis
