Roskilde

• 1. Viking Origins And Royal Capital

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  Harald Bluetooth founded Roskilde in the 980s on high ground above the harbor. He built a wooden church consecrated to the Holy Trinity and a royal residence nearby. Archaeologists discovered remains of Viking ships in the Isefjord in 1997, with the oldest dated to 1030. King Canute elevated Roskilde to a bishopric in 1020, giving it high national status. Absalon, the Danish bishop, had a brick church built on the site of Harald's church in 1170. From the 11th century until 1443, Roskilde served as the capital of Denmark. Saxo Grammaticus and Adam of Bremen associate the name Roskilde with the legendary King Roar who possibly lived there in the 6th century. Coins were minted there from the 11th to the 14th century. In 1150, Sweyn Grathe built a moat around the city. The town was destroyed by the Pomeranian duke Ratibor I in 1135.

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• 2. Gothic Cathedral And UNESCO Heritage

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  Today's cathedral was completed in 1275 after five of Absalon's successors contributed to its construction. It is the first Gothic cathedral in Scandinavia to be built of brick. With its 39 royal tombs, the cathedral remains the burial site for Danish monarchs. Since 1995, it has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The cathedral houses a museum on its upper floor tracing the building's history. A working church, it also hosts concerts throughout the year. The cathedral stands on the site of a 10th-century wooden church. Romanesque style influenced by Gothic trends from northern France shaped its early design. Five monasteries existed in the city by the time of the Danish Reformation in 1536. Twelve churches stood within the city limits before the Reformation ended their dominance.

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• 3. Industrial Evolution And Modern Economy

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  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 rose to 57%. In 2002, services reached 62%, leaving industry at 15% and trade and transport at 22%. One of the largest employers 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 over 50 employees. The Risø research facility promotes sustainable energy as part of The Technical University of Denmark. The CAT research park works mainly in wind energy and biotechnology areas. Several food industries have production facilities including Chr. Hansen A/S producing cultures for dairy and DanÆg eggs. Stryhns produces cold cuts and meat paste with over 100 on payroll.

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• 4. Cultural Landmarks And Tourism

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  The cathedral and Viking Ship Museum attract more than 100,000 visitors annually. Provisional figures show an increase of 16.6% in overnight stays for 2014. Tourism accounts for DKK 1.2 billion (US$200 million) per annum. The city received Denmark's Best Shopping City Award in 2012. Algade and Skomagergade are two downtown pedestrian streets lined with shops and restaurants. RO's Torv shopping center houses 70 stores under one roof. The Raadhuskælderen restaurant is in a building dated to 1430, making it one of the oldest in Roskilde. Restaurant Toppen sits atop an water tower built in 1961 with fine views of the town. The 76-room Hotel Prindsen has foundations dating to 1695 and features the Hans Christian Andersen suite. The thatched-roof Svogerslev Kro is an 18-room inn dated to 1727 located about 2.5 miles west of the center.

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• 5. Educational Institutions And Research

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  Roskilde University was founded in 1972 on the eastern outskirts in the Trekroner district. In 2013, there were about 7,600 students, 630 teaching staff and 380 technical personnel. Designed by Preben Hansen, university buildings first came into use in 1972. Founded around 1020 to educate priests for the cathedral, Roskilde Cathedral School is possibly the oldest school in Denmark. It moved into larger premises in 1969 to accommodate over 1,300 pupils. The Danish Meat Trade College (Slagteriskolen) was founded in 1964 offering vocational training courses. Training is also offered to kitchen staff, waiters, cooks and bakers. The school employs about 150 teachers and supporting staff. A hostel provides accommodation for some 200 students. The Risø research facility extends interest in sustainable energy to the clean technology sphere liable to provide up to 4,000 more jobs.

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• 6. Notable Citizens And Global Figures

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  Absalon, the bishop who founded Copenhagen in the 12th century, lived in Roskilde from 1158 to 1192. L. A. Ring, the symbolist painter gained fame in the 1880s and lived at Sankt Jørgensbjerg from 1923. Writer Lise Nørgaard wrote the popular Danish TV series Matador in 1978. Thomas Ebert became an Olympic gold medallist in 2004 as a rower. Peter Heering founded Peter Heering, a liqueur flavored with cherries between 1792 and 1875. Arnold Busck operated as bookseller and publisher founding Arnold Busck A/S from 1871 to 1953. Winnie Liljeborg co-founded Pandora AS and lives on Strandvejen. Morten Lund is an entrepreneur born in 1972. Golla Hammerich was a pianist active from 1854 to 1903. Sofie Holten painted portraits and flower paintings during her lifetime from 1858 to 1930.

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