Roskilde Cathedral
Encyclopedia
Roskilde Cathedral in the city of Roskilde
on the island of Zealand (Sjælland) in eastern Denmark
, is a cathedral
of the Lutheran
Church of Denmark
. The first Gothic
cathedral to be built of brick
, it encouraged the spread of the Brick Gothic
style throughout Northern Europe
. Constructed during the 12th and 13th centuries, the cathedral incorporates both Gothic and Romanesque
architectural features in its design. Until the 20th century, it was Zealand's only cathedral. Its twin spires dominate the skyline of the town.
The cathedral has been the main burial site for Danish monarchs since the 15th century. As such, it has been significantly extended and altered over the centuries to accommodate a considerable number of burial chapels. Following the Danish Reformation
in 1536, the bishop's residence was moved to Copenhagen
while the title was changed to Bishop of Zealand. Coronation
s normally took place in Copenhagen's Church of Our Lady
or in the chapel of Frederiksborg Palace
.
The cathedral is a major tourist attraction, bringing in over 125,000 visitors annually. Since 1995, it has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site
. A working church, it also hosts concerts throughout the year.
was named the new capital of Denmark by King Harald Bluetooth around the year 960. The king had previously resided in Jelling
, where he built a church and raised the Jelling stones
, but after uniting the Danes and Norwegians, a move was necessary to enable the monarch to stay close to the centre of power in the new kingdom. Moving to Roskilde, Bluetooth built a royal farm and next to it, a small stave church
, dedicated to the Holy Trinity. Little is known of the Trinity Church, let alone its architecture, but despite its brief history at least two events are known to have taken place. In Adam of Bremen
's Gesta Hammaburgensis ecclesiae pontificum
, there is an account of how the king's son, Sweyn Forkbeard, raised a rebellion against him, forcing him to flee to Jomsborg
. When Bluetooth died in 985/986, the army that had been raised against him brought his body to Roskilde and buried him in the church he had built. At Christmas in 1026, Ulf the Earl was murdered by one of Cnut the Great's housecarls
. Though the sources differ, this either happened either inside the church (Chronicon Roskildense
) or at the royal farm (Saxo Grammaticus
's Gesta Danorum
). Ulf had been married to Cnut the Great's sister Estrid, who was outraged by the murder and demanded a weregild
.
There is some doubt as to when Roskilde became the seat of the Bishop of Roskilde
. When Sweyn Forkbeard conquered England
in 1013, he began sending English bishops to Denmark, a process which was continued by his successor Cnut the Great. This caused some conflict with the Archbishop of Hamburg, who regarded Scandinavia as belonging to the Archdiocese of Bremen. The earliest known bishop of Roskilde was Gerbrand, who had been a cleric
with Cnut the Great, and who was intercepted by the Archbishop of Hamburg-Bremen's men when he sailed to Denmark in 1022. Only after swearing allegiance to the archbishop was he allowed to continue his journey. The archbishop may have had good reason to be suspicious, as documents of the time suggest that Cnut the Great may have planned to create an archdiocese in Roskilde, with Gerbrand as archbishop.
Funded by the weregild Estrid Svendsdatter had received, the old Trinity Church was torn down and construction of a simple stone cathedral began around 1026. This may have formed the base of the later travertine
cathedral, but it is difficult to tell, as two cathedrals have subsequently been built on the same site. However, an archaeological excavation in 1968 showed that the bases of both buildings were at the same height, which would not make sense if two separate buildings had been constructed in a 50 year span.
It is however certain that a travertine
cathedral was built at the location. Construction had been started by Bishop Wilhelm between 1060-1073 and was completed by his successor Svend Nordmand around 1080. The new cathedral was built using travertine, a stone found in abundance around Roskilde Fjord
. It was constructed as a basilica
in Romanesque style with half-rounded interior arches to support the flat interior ceiling, with two towers flanking the west front entrance. To the north, a three-sided stone monastery was constructed for monks and others associated with the cathedral. Svend Nordmand's successor, Arnold, added a wall around the building, which was to act as a guarantee of safety for anyone who sought sanctuary there. However, Arnold was also considered the bishop who lost the Archdiocese of Scandinavia to Lund Cathedral
, as a result of his lack of drive and motivation.
With the new cathedral completed, there was a desire to obtain a relic
for it. Two canons
were dispatched to Rome
to find a something suitable. Legend holds that while they were resting after their arrival, St Lucius
, who had been pope from 253-255, appeared before them and told them that he had been chosen to be the patron saint
of Roskilde until the end of time. The next day, the two canons were taken to Santa Cecilia in Trastevere
to choose amongst the many relics there. They saw a skull shining brightly, the skull of St Lucius. On their return, while the canons were sailing through the Great Belt
, their ship came under attack by a powerful demon which had long lured in Danish waters. The crew drew straws and the lot fell on the canon carrying the skull of St Lucius. He offered a prayer to the saint, washed the skull three times, threw the water in the ocean, and jumped overboard. To everyone's surprise, the canon was able to walk on the water. The demon disappeared screaming into the depths, never to be seen again.
It is not known for certain which year the relic arrived in Roskilde, only the date, August 25, as it was on that date that the relic's arrival was always celebrated. The first written mention of the relic dates to Ælnoth
, a monk in Odense
, who described it in a work on the life of Canute the Holy
in 1122. Another item of the period, a seal carved from a Walrus
tusk, depicting St Lucius between the twin towers of the cathedral, has been dated to the early 12th century. The relic may have been acquired to help win Roskilde the archdiocese, which was given to Lund in 1103/1104.
began to expand the travertine cathedral. In 1160, the art of firing bricks was brought to Denmark by monks from the south, and the new material was employed. It was decided to build a new, Romanesque cathedral around the existing one, allowing services to continue during construction. However, work was slow, and when Absalon was forced to surrender his position as Bishop of Roskilde in 1191, only the two floors of the apse
, the choir towers and part of the transept
had been completed. Absalon's successor, Peder Sunesen, embracing the new French Gothic
style, made significant changes to the plans, tearing down the choir towers and reducing the width of the transept. The choir was completed and inaugurated in 1225, allowing services to begin there, and the old travertine cathedral was torn down. Work on the nave continued for the next 55 years, limited by funds, lack of kilns to fire the bricks, and the winters. With the exception of the two towers on the west facade, the cathedral was completed by 1280, and work on the interior proceeded, slowed by a fire in 1282 which also destroyed several of the canons' houses in the area. Several chapels were also added to the cathedral, and in 1405, work on the towers was completed.
When Margrethe I
died in 1412, she was buried in her family's chapel at Sorø Klosterkirke
. But the following year Bishop Peder Jensen Lodehat, who had been the queen's chancellor and religious advisor, brought her body to Roskilde Cathedral. The monks in Sorø were outraged, above all because the loss of the queen's earthly remains would mean a significant loss in income from requiems, as well as a loss of prestige. Though often blamed on the bishop, it is quite possible that the move was orchestrated by the queen's adoptive son, Eric of Pomerania
. This is reinforced by the inscription on the sarcophagus, which describes how it was gifted by the new king, Eric VII, in 1423.
In his "Chronica novella", German chronicle :de:Hermann Korner describes the vast, three day long burial ceremony involving King Eric VII, several noblemen, the Achbishop of Lund, and all of the Danish bishops. There is an account of how the procession granted substantial gifts to each of the 50 altars in the cathedral. On the first day, the royal couple would give each altar a golden ornament
, a golden antependium and a silver chalice
; the noblemen would each bestow a florin on the altars; and the knights, squires, and anyone else who wished to bestow gifts, would provide each altar with silver coins from Lübeck. On the second and third days, the royal couple would bestow two nobles
on each altar, the noblemen would bestow a florin on them, and the rest of the procession would bestow silver coins as they wished. What was left of silver coins were then put in a bowl, to be cast amongst the poor in Roskilde.
On 14 May 1443, a fire swept through Roskilde, destroying most of the city and all but three of the clergy's houses. The fire was so intense that the glass windows cracked, and the lead roofing melted. The cathedral was badly damaged and it was not until 1463 that the bishop, Oluf Mortensen, could rededicate it. To help with its reconstruction, the bishops of Denmark each signed a letter granting 40 days of indulgence
to whomever would contribute to its cost. The reconstruction could also have been helped by the decision of Christian I
to build a chapel at the cathedral. The Chapel of the Magi was built during the 1460s, and together with the sarcophagus of Margrethe I and the remains from the previous churches, it marks the earliest royal burials.
The Reformation arrived in 1536, marking a sharp negative turn for Roskilde Cathedral. Not only was the Bishop of Roskilde, Joachim Rønnow, jailed in Copenhagen Castle
, the diocese was moved to Copenhagen and Peder Palladius, became the new Superintendent
of Zealand and later bishop. Hans Tausen, who had sought to encourage wide adoption of the Reformation, was sent to Roskilde in 1538 to help convert the clergymen who were opposed to the new ideas. At a Reformation meeting in 1540, it was decided that all of the bishop's property was now to belong to the king, both symbolically and in reality the head of the Church of Denmark
. The cathedral had already been forced to hand over some of its property during the Count's Feud
, but following the decision and with an impeding war against the Swedes, the confiscation of church property was stepped up. Amongst the cathedral's most prized possessions was a wooden statue of St Lucius, covered in gold and gems. The chapter
fought hard to try and retain its property, at one point asking for a receipt for some of the confiscated goods, to which the king's men replied that the king did not need to hand out a receipt for something that already belonged to him.
After the Reformation, the cathedral was opened up to the ordinary congregation, necessitating the purchase of new furniture, especially pews
. As in other former Catholic cathedrals, the choir, which had been separated from the nave by a large wall, was left intact with the altar placed against the wall.
While the cathedral suffered financial hardship, having been forced to give away all its property (which at the time included one in every four farms on Zealand and 30 large estates), it was endowed with a variety of gifts from Christian IV
: The altarpiece (between 1555 and 1623), a royal box ca 1600, the pulpit
in 1610, his own burial chapel in 1614, the construction of the iconic twin spires in 1633 and finally a grand Renaissance sandstone entrance portal in 1635.
On 26 February 1658, the Treaty of Roskilde
was signed in the cathedral. In the loot the Swedes took from the cathedral, was the golden dress of Margethe I, which had hung in a closet near her sarcophagus. The dress was taken by the Swedish queen consort Hedwig Eleonora
and is now located at Uppsala Cathedral
. In 1690, Christian V
ordered the old Catholic choir cleared, so he could create a crypt beneath it for the children he had had with his mistress Sophie Amalie
. This also allowed for the altar to be moved to its present position.
In 1774, work on the third royal burial chapel, Frederick V's chapel, began with the removal of the pre-existing Chapel of Our Lady. Money soon ran out, and it was not until 1825 that the work was completed. In the mean time, in 1806, the cathedral sold its inventory from its Catholic days at a notorious auction. Amongst the items sold was a grand crucifix which went to a local coppersmith. While he was sawing the crucifix into firewood, the head of Jesus
split open and a small, golden patriarchal cross
fell out. Upon closer inspection, it was revealed that the cross was hollow and that a splinter from Christ's cross was hidden inside. Rumour of the find quickly reached the Royal Art Collection, later the National Museum of Denmark
, who immediately purchased it.
In 1871, the entrance portal was replaced with one that matched the rest of the cathedral, while the old portal was donated to the Church of Holmen
. However, when the new portal arrived, the churchwarden
was horrified to see it was a poor copy of the old style. But he had no choice but to erect it.
Work on the fourth royal burial chapel began in 1915, and prior to its completion in 1924, Roskilde was once again made a diocese. On 27 August 1968, as restoration work on the Margrethe spire was nearing completion, the spire burned, threatening to collapse into the choir. During firefighting operations, members of the Civil defense
and church staff covered the canons' chairs, the altar, and the sarcophagi in the retrochoir with damp fire blankets, hoping to prevent damage to the invaluable items. The Defence Minister of Denmark
ordered a complete ban on jet operations in the area, pending investigations into whether the vaults were in danger of collapsing. It was later discovered, that despite a total ban on any heat sources in the area where the restoration was taking place, the craftsmen had been smoking and using blowtorches in the loft. The latest addition to the cathedral was in 1985, when the New Burial Ground, also known as Frederick IX's Burial Ground, was inaugurated.
died childless in 1448, his widow Dorothea of Brandenburg
remarried the newly chosen king, Christian I
. Within a few years, he became king of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden, and Dorothea had given birth to the future king John, thus establishing the House of Oldenburg
. Against this background of events, the Christian I decided to build a grand chapel at the cathedral. The instrument of foundation was signed on April 28, 1459, which not only ordered the construction of the chapel, but also granted large tracts of land to the church. In the spring of 1462, the king applied to Pope Pius II
for indulgence for having constructed the chapel, which was finally granted upon the his visit to Pope Sixtus IV
in Rome in 1474.
Built in Gothic style, in line with the rest of the cathedral, the chapel consists of two floors, the lower floor intended as a burial chapel for Christian I and the upper floor as Great Hall
for the members of the king's newly created Fellowship of the Mother of God, the precursor to the modern day Order of the Elephant
. The two floors rest on a central granite pillar, the so called King's Pillar, where numerous kings have had their height measured over the years. Amongst the kings measured, Peter the Great, measured in 1716, stands tallest, while Chulalongkorn of Siam
, measured in 1907, is the smallest. The height mark for Christian I is believed to be a technical error, as the king may have been tall, but not the giant the marker would suggest.
The burials of Christian I
and Queen Dorothea
are marked with a pair of simple stones, as the chapel itself was to be considered their sepulchral monument, while the sepulchral monuments of Christian III
and Frederick II
dominate the lower floor. Christian III's alabaster
, Rouge Belge
and Noir Belge
monument was created 1574-75 by Antwerpian sculptor Cornelis Floris
. When the sculptor died in October 1575, the monument was more or less complete, lacking only its weapons and inscriptions, which were to be added by the herald
Jan Baptist Guidetty. In fact, they were never added, and when the Spanish sacked Antwerp
in November 1576, the monumet was held until the widow of Cornelis Floris paid a ransom. The widow then sent word to the Danish court, requesting that the monument be retrieved and her contrubition covered, which was not done until 1578. When the monument arrived in Elsinore
, two local stonemasons
set to work completing the monument, and in the summer of 1580 it was finally placed in the chapel.
Frederick II's monument, crafted from the same materials, was built 1594-1598 by Geert van Egen from Elsinore. Both monuments are empty however, as the coffins have been buried below the floor of the chapel. King John was also supposed to have been buried in the chapel, but in his later years, he and his wife enjoyed living in Næsbyhoved Castle near Odense
so much, that he expressed a preferrence to be buried in the town's Franciscan cathedral. However, the bishop and canons in Roskilde claimed that the King had determined that he was to be buried in Roskilde. The king's widow, Christina of Saxony
, sent a letter to Pope Leo X
asking for assistance, and in his reply, the pope stated that a man's last wish must always be followed, and the king was therefore buried in Odense.
The upper floor is currently used as a cathedral museum, displaying various artifacts and giving a thorough walkthrough of the history of the cathedral.
himself in 1613, after the death of his Queen Anne Cathrine
the year before, and upon realising that space inside the cathedral was running out. Built in Dutch Renaissance
style, work on exterior of the chapel was begun in 1614 by Lorenz van Steenwinckel
and completed in 1641 by his brother, Hans van Steenwinckel the Younger
. The exterior was constructed in red brick with a corbie stepped gable
facing north. On each of the gable steps, a sandstone figure is placed, representing each of the Christian virtues
. Next to the gable's windows, four putti
are placed, each holding up one of the symbols of death
: a skull, a scythe, a torch pointing downwards, and an hourglass. Central At the centre of the gable, the king's escutcheon is found.
The wrought-iron lattice separating the chapel from the nave was forged by Caspar Fincke in 1619, and contains an amusing quip by its creator:
(Rough translation: Caspar Fincke I am named, for this work I am famed).
Upon the death of Christian IV in 1648 the interior had not been completed, and the king's coffin was placed in the crypt below instead. The king had commissioned his own monument, depicting him and his queen kneeling before a crucifix
, but since it had been completed before his death, the monument had been temporarily placed in storage in the king's arsenal
. When the arsenal burned in 1647, all that remained of the monument was the grand sandstone
crucifix and a head carved from alabaster. The crucifix was subsequently placed in the Church of Holmen
, while the head was given to the National Museum of Denmark
.
The king's succesors were each unable to provide a fitting resting place for the king, and it was not until 1840 and Christian VIII
that work was finally begun. He had hoped to see the project finished by 1848, the 200th anniversary of Christian IV's
death, but it was not until 1870 that the work was completed.
Work on the interior began in 1840, when Christian VIII ordered a statue of Christian IV from famed sculptor Bertel Thorvaldsen
. This was to be part of a planned monument for Christian IV, which was to be designed by architect G.F. Hetcsh, but it still had to be decided who was to was going to create the decorations. In 1845 a commission tasked Heinrich Eddelien
with the job, but work progressed slowly, perhaps due to Christian VIII's close concern with the matter and criticism of the proposed works. When Christian VIII died in 1848, the project lost its major motivational force, as the new king, Frederick VII, was not sufficiently interested in seeing project finished. When Eddelien died in 1852, only the work on the starry vaulted ceiling and the allegory
motives beneath it had been completed, and work ground to a complete halt.
In 1856, Georg Hilker
added a frieze
below the ceiling vault, which was to act as a separator between the ceiling and wall decorations. When Wilhelm Marstrand
and Heinrich Hansen
were finally appointed in 1860, it was the finance minister
, C.E. Fenger, who was responsible. The original commission was outraged that the minister had acted behind their backs, but times had changed since the commission had been formed, and with the National Liberal Party
in power, there was an increased focus on the national attitude. The National Liberal minister felt that seeing the completion of Christian IV's chapel, which he regarded as a national relic, would strengthen the national sentiment in the developing conflict with Prussia.
Marstrand and Hansen submitted their decoration proposals in 1861, having decided that Marstrand would paint the paintings while Hansen would paint the framings. That year the pair travelled to France to study oil painting on plaster. Marstrand then spent the summers of 1864-1866 in Roskilde, painting one wall per year. When Marstrand had finished his work, the five coffins in the chapel were placed in their current positions.
style, the construction spanned 51 years (1774-1825) and required the removal of a previous existing chapel, the Chapel of Our Lady.
Construction of the chapel was started by C.F. Harsdorff
in 1774, possibly using early sketches made during his travels to Rome 1762-1764, but due to a lack of funding the work was suspended in 1779. It was resumed by his apprentice C.F. Hansen
in 1820 and completed in 1825. The chapel consists of a vestibule
with two adjoining rooms on the north and south sides, usually referred to as Christian VI's chapel, and a domed cruciform-shaped hall, Frederick V's chapel. While the interior of the building had classical, whitewashed
walls, the exterior retained the red brick characteristic of the rest of the cathedral.
When the chapel was inagurated in September 1825, coffins that had been temporarily stored in Christian IV's chapel were moved to the new chapel, and as members of the royal family died, more were added. This led to the chapel, which had been designed for five marble sarcophagi, holding upwards of 17 coffins in 1912. However, the addition of Christian IX's chapel, the removal of some coffins to the crypts, and a rearrangement of the coffins, led to the present situation where only 12 coffins and sarcophagi are present. It has however led to confusion, as some of the coffins have not been arranged in the pairs which correspond to the relationships that existed during their lifetimes.
The chapel shows a gradual trend in moving from grand marble sarcophagi to more simple, velvet-covered coffins, and in the case of Frederick VII, a wooden coffin.
was revised in 1915, the Folketing
decided to honour the Royal Family
, granting King Christian X's
wish, by constructing a new chapel at the cathedral, dedicated to the House of Glücksburg which had been in power since Christian IX
became king in 1863. The chapel was designed by then cathedral architect, Andreas Clemmensen.
Construction of the chapel, overseen by a master builder Schledermann, began in 1919 and was completed in 1924, built in a Byzantine Revival style, with a Roman inspiration. Built as an extension of the northwestern weaponporch
, which then ceased to exist as an independent building, the chapel is cruciform
with grey walls and a domed roof. Upon its completion, there was a heavy debate in the Danish newspapers, with some believing that the chapel was completely removed from the prevailing style of the cathedral.
In the northern arm stands the double sarcophagus of Christian IX and his Queen Louise
. Designed by Hack Kampmann
, the sarcophagus was originally to have stood in the eastern arm of Frederick V's chapel. Surrounding the sarcophagus are three statues of female figures, designed by Edvard Eriksen
. The statues are named "Grief", "Memory", and "Love" and were cut from white marble
from Carrara
in Italy. The statue of "Grief" bears a notable resemblance to the statue of the Little Mermaid in Copenhagen
, which is not without reason. Edvard Eriksen had created the statue of the Little Mermaid in 1911, two years before he created the statues in the chapel, and his wife Eline Eriksen
was model for both. In the western arm stands the double sarcophagus of Frederick VIII
and his Queen Louise, designed by Utzon-Frank
. The eastern arm houses the simple marble coffins of Christian X and his Queen Alexandrine
. The coffins were designed by Kaare and Naur Klint, made from Norwegian marble, and have a stylized Dannebrog
covering the lid and sides.
Following the death of Maria Feodorovna in 1928, and following a short ceremony in the Alexander Nevsky Church
in Copenhagen and a Russian Orthodox
ceremony in Roskilde, the coffin of the dowager queen was placed in the chapel. In 1957, the coffin was placed in the crypt under the chapel, until September 2006, when it was returned to Russia. It had been the dowager queen's wish to be buried next to her husband Alexander III
in the Peter and Paul Cathedral
, once Russia was again free.
Following Frederick IX's death in 1972, his coffin was placed in the chapel, draped with his Royal Standard, guarded by three silver lions from the Danish Crown Regalia
, and flanked by a pair of candelabra
in the shape of anchors. After the king's coffin was buried in 1985, only the candelabra remain in the chapel.
St Andrew's Chapel was completely redecorated in 2010 by artist Peter Brandes, who provided a new altarpiece as well as a latticework separating the chapel from the nave. It is the intention of the parochial church council that in future the chapel will provide a more intimate setting for some of the church functions in the cathedral, such as weddings or baptisms. The chapel has its own small organ for these services.
Since the Reformation, St Bridget's Chapel has mainly been used to store various items of church inventory from Catholic times, no longer needed in the Lutheran era. These include the three-seated celebrant's
chair, the cantor's
chair, and the canons'
letter box
. The chapel also has the oldest gravestone in the cathedral, dating back to ca. 1250. Queen Margrethe II
has chosen St Birgitte's Chapel as the future burial site for herself and the Prince Consort
, with a double sarcophagus created by artist Bjørn Nørgaard
.
(the King was a keen sailor and closely connected to the navy), and in any case there was no space left in the Chapel of Christian IX. It was only on the king's passing in January 1972 that a debate was opened on how his wish could be granted. A meeting was held in May of the same year, involving the municipality, the parochial church council, the National Museum of Denmark, and a foundation for building and landscaping culture. In 1974 a discussion paper was presented, which spelled out how the area would be preserved and the new burial site established. There was some opposition from members of the parochial council, who insisted that the tradition of burying monarchs inside the cathedral be upheld. The zoning plan for the area was finished in 1982 and work on the burial site could begin.
The burial site was designed by architect Vilhelm Wohlert
in cooperation with Inger and Johannes Exner, and consists of a simple, uncovered brick octagon with a bronze gate designed by Sven Havsteen-Mikkelsen. The gravestone was cut from Greenlandic granite by sculptor Erik Heide, though the grave was not sealed permanently until the burial of Queen Ingrid
in 2000. At the wish of Queen Ingrid, the grounds of the burial site are covered in wild vines and plants from throughout the kingdom.
Estrid Svendsdatter (d. between 1057 & 1073) was widely believed to have been buried in the northeastern pier, but a DNA test in 2003 dispelled the myth as the remains belonged to a woman much too young to be Estrid Svendsdatter. The new theory is that the sign on the pier refers to Margareta Hasbjörnsdatter
, who was also known as Estrid and who married Harald III Hen
, the son of Sweyn Estridsen. In the southwestern pillar lie the remains of two bishops, Asser (d. 1074) and Wilhelm (d. ca. 1158).
Since 1987, the cathedral has been home to one of Denmark's leading boys' choirs, the Roskilde Cathedral Boys' Choir. The choir is a key resource in parish youth work. All choristers go to normal school but meet 2-3 times a week to rehearse. Every second year the choir travels abroad to windely different destinations including New Zealand, Scandinavia, England, Greenland, France and Canada.
Roskilde
Roskilde is the main city in Roskilde Municipality, Denmark on the island of Zealand. It is an ancient city, dating from the Viking Age and is a member of the Most Ancient European Towns Network....
on the island of Zealand (Sjælland) in eastern Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
, is a cathedral
Cathedral
A cathedral is a Christian church that contains the seat of a bishop...
of the Lutheran
Lutheranism
Lutheranism is a major branch of Western Christianity that identifies with the theology of Martin Luther, a German reformer. Luther's efforts to reform the theology and practice of the church launched the Protestant Reformation...
Church of Denmark
Church of Denmark
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Denmark, Church of Denmark or Danish National Church, is the state church and largest denomination in Denmark and Greenland...
. The first Gothic
Gothic architecture
Gothic architecture is a style of architecture that flourished during the high and late medieval period. It evolved from Romanesque architecture and was succeeded by Renaissance architecture....
cathedral to be built of brick
Brick
A brick is a block of ceramic material used in masonry construction, usually laid using various kinds of mortar. It has been regarded as one of the longest lasting and strongest building materials used throughout history.-History:...
, it encouraged the spread of the Brick Gothic
Brick Gothic
Brick Gothic is a specific style of Gothic architecture common in Northern Europe, especially in Northern Germany and the regions around the Baltic Sea that do not have natural rock resources. The buildings are essentially built from bricks...
style throughout Northern Europe
Northern Europe
Northern Europe is the northern part or region of Europe. Northern Europe typically refers to the seven countries in the northern part of the European subcontinent which includes Denmark, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Finland and Sweden...
. Constructed during the 12th and 13th centuries, the cathedral incorporates both Gothic and Romanesque
Romanesque architecture
Romanesque architecture is an architectural style of Medieval Europe characterised by semi-circular arches. There is no consensus for the beginning date of the Romanesque architecture, with proposals ranging from the 6th to the 10th century. It developed in the 12th century into the Gothic style,...
architectural features in its design. Until the 20th century, it was Zealand's only cathedral. Its twin spires dominate the skyline of the town.
The cathedral has been the main burial site for Danish monarchs since the 15th century. As such, it has been significantly extended and altered over the centuries to accommodate a considerable number of burial chapels. Following the Danish Reformation
Reformation in Denmark
The Reformation in Denmark–Norway and Holstein was the transition from Roman Catholicism to Lutheranism in the realms ruled by the Copenhagen-based House of Oldenburg in the first half of the sixteenth century...
in 1536, the bishop's residence was moved to Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
while the title was changed to Bishop of Zealand. Coronation
Coronation
A coronation is a ceremony marking the formal investiture of a monarch and/or their consort with regal power, usually involving the placement of a crown upon their head and the presentation of other items of regalia...
s normally took place in Copenhagen's Church of Our Lady
Church of Our Lady (Copenhagen)
The Church of Our Lady is the cathedral of Copenhagen and the National Cathedral of Denmark. It is situated on Vor Frue Plads and next to the main building of the University of Copenhagen....
or in the chapel of Frederiksborg Palace
Frederiksborg Palace
Frederiksborg castle is a castle in Hillerød, Denmark. It was built as a royal residence for King Christian IV, and is now known as The Museum of National History. The current building replaced a previous castle erected by Frederick II, and is the largest Renaissance palace in Scandinavia...
.
The cathedral is a major tourist attraction, bringing in over 125,000 visitors annually. Since 1995, it has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site
World Heritage Site
A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance...
. A working church, it also hosts concerts throughout the year.
Previous churches
RoskildeRoskilde
Roskilde is the main city in Roskilde Municipality, Denmark on the island of Zealand. It is an ancient city, dating from the Viking Age and is a member of the Most Ancient European Towns Network....
was named the new capital of Denmark by King Harald Bluetooth around the year 960. The king had previously resided in Jelling
Jelling
Jelling is a village in Denmark with a population of 3,248 , located in Jelling Parish approx. 10 km northwest of Vejle. The city lies 105 metres above sea level.-Location:...
, where he built a church and raised the Jelling stones
Jelling stones
The Jelling stones are massive carved runestones from the 10th century, found at the town of Jelling in Denmark. The older of the two Jelling stones was raised by King Gorm the Old in memory of his wife Thyra...
, but after uniting the Danes and Norwegians, a move was necessary to enable the monarch to stay close to the centre of power in the new kingdom. Moving to Roskilde, Bluetooth built a royal farm and next to it, a small stave church
Stave church
A stave church is a medieval wooden church with a post and beam construction related to timber framing. The wall frames are filled with vertical planks. The load-bearing posts have lent their name to the building technique...
, dedicated to the Holy Trinity. Little is known of the Trinity Church, let alone its architecture, but despite its brief history at least two events are known to have taken place. In Adam of Bremen
Adam of Bremen
Adam of Bremen was a German medieval chronicler. He lived and worked in the second half of the eleventh century. He is most famous for his chronicle Gesta Hammaburgensis Ecclesiae Pontificum .-Background:Little is known of his life other than hints from his own chronicles...
's Gesta Hammaburgensis ecclesiae pontificum
Gesta Hammaburgensis ecclesiae pontificum
Gesta Hammaburgensis ecclesiae pontificum is a historical treatise written between 1075 and 1080 by Adam of Bremen. It covers the period from 788 to the time it was written. The treatise consist of:*Liber I...
, there is an account of how the king's son, Sweyn Forkbeard, raised a rebellion against him, forcing him to flee to Jomsborg
Jomsborg
Jomsborg was a semi-legendary Viking stronghold at the southern coast of the Baltic Sea , that existed between the 960s and 1043. Its inhabitants are known as Jomsvikings. Jomsborg's exact location has not yet been established, though it is maintained that Jomsborg was somewhere on the islands of...
. When Bluetooth died in 985/986, the army that had been raised against him brought his body to Roskilde and buried him in the church he had built. At Christmas in 1026, Ulf the Earl was murdered by one of Cnut the Great's housecarls
Housecarl
In medieval Scandinavia, housecarls and sometimes spelled huscarle or houscarl) were either non-servile manservants, or household troops in personal service of someone, equivalent to a bodyguard to Scandinavian lords and kings. This institution also existed in Anglo-Saxon England after its...
. Though the sources differ, this either happened either inside the church (Chronicon Roskildense
Chronicon Roskildense
Chronicon Roskildense a small Danish historical work, which except for few yearbooks, is the oldest known attempt to write a coherent account of Danish history by a Danish author, from the time of the introduction of Christianity in Denmark to the author's own time...
) or at the royal farm (Saxo Grammaticus
Saxo Grammaticus
Saxo Grammaticus also known as Saxo cognomine Longus was a Danish historian, thought to have been a secular clerk or secretary to Absalon, Archbishop of Lund, foremost advisor to Valdemar I of Denmark. He is the author of the first full history of Denmark.- Life :The Jutland Chronicle gives...
's Gesta Danorum
Gesta Danorum
Gesta Danorum is a patriotic work of Danish history, by the 12th century author Saxo Grammaticus . It is the most ambitious literary undertaking of medieval Denmark and is an essential source for the nation's early history...
). Ulf had been married to Cnut the Great's sister Estrid, who was outraged by the murder and demanded a weregild
Weregild
Weregild was a value placed on every human being and every piece of property in the Salic Code...
.
There is some doubt as to when Roskilde became the seat of the Bishop of Roskilde
Diocese of Roskilde (Roman-Catholic)
The Roman-Catholic Diocese of Roskilde was a diocese within the Roman-Catholic Church which was established in Denmark some time before 1022....
. When Sweyn Forkbeard conquered England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
in 1013, he began sending English bishops to Denmark, a process which was continued by his successor Cnut the Great. This caused some conflict with the Archbishop of Hamburg, who regarded Scandinavia as belonging to the Archdiocese of Bremen. The earliest known bishop of Roskilde was Gerbrand, who had been a cleric
Clergy
Clergy is the generic term used to describe the formal religious leadership within a given religion. A clergyman, churchman or cleric is a member of the clergy, especially one who is a priest, preacher, pastor, or other religious professional....
with Cnut the Great, and who was intercepted by the Archbishop of Hamburg-Bremen's men when he sailed to Denmark in 1022. Only after swearing allegiance to the archbishop was he allowed to continue his journey. The archbishop may have had good reason to be suspicious, as documents of the time suggest that Cnut the Great may have planned to create an archdiocese in Roskilde, with Gerbrand as archbishop.
Funded by the weregild Estrid Svendsdatter had received, the old Trinity Church was torn down and construction of a simple stone cathedral began around 1026. This may have formed the base of the later travertine
Travertine
Travertine is a form of limestone deposited by mineral springs, especially hot springs. Travertine often has a fibrous or concentric appearance and exists in white, tan, and cream-colored varieties. It is formed by a process of rapid precipitation of calcium carbonate, often at the mouth of a hot...
cathedral, but it is difficult to tell, as two cathedrals have subsequently been built on the same site. However, an archaeological excavation in 1968 showed that the bases of both buildings were at the same height, which would not make sense if two separate buildings had been constructed in a 50 year span.
It is however certain that a travertine
Travertine
Travertine is a form of limestone deposited by mineral springs, especially hot springs. Travertine often has a fibrous or concentric appearance and exists in white, tan, and cream-colored varieties. It is formed by a process of rapid precipitation of calcium carbonate, often at the mouth of a hot...
cathedral was built at the location. Construction had been started by Bishop Wilhelm between 1060-1073 and was completed by his successor Svend Nordmand around 1080. The new cathedral was built using travertine, a stone found in abundance around Roskilde Fjord
Roskilde Fjord
Roskilde Fjord is the fjord north of Roskilde, Denmark, and is located at . It is a long branch of the Isefjord.-Cities:The cities Frederiksværk, Frederikssund, Jægerspris, Jyllinge and Roskilde, , all have coastline at Roskilde Fjord...
. It was constructed as a basilica
Basilica
The Latin word basilica , was originally used to describe a Roman public building, usually located in the forum of a Roman town. Public basilicas began to appear in Hellenistic cities in the 2nd century BC.The term was also applied to buildings used for religious purposes...
in Romanesque style with half-rounded interior arches to support the flat interior ceiling, with two towers flanking the west front entrance. To the north, a three-sided stone monastery was constructed for monks and others associated with the cathedral. Svend Nordmand's successor, Arnold, added a wall around the building, which was to act as a guarantee of safety for anyone who sought sanctuary there. However, Arnold was also considered the bishop who lost the Archdiocese of Scandinavia to Lund Cathedral
Lund Cathedral
The Lund Cathedral is the Lutheran cathedral in Lund, Scania, Sweden. It is the seat of the bishop of Lund of the Church of Sweden.- History :...
, as a result of his lack of drive and motivation.
With the new cathedral completed, there was a desire to obtain a relic
Relic
In religion, a relic is a part of the body of a saint or a venerated person, or else another type of ancient religious object, carefully preserved for purposes of veneration or as a tangible memorial...
for it. Two canons
Canon (priest)
A canon is a priest or minister who is a member of certain bodies of the Christian clergy subject to an ecclesiastical rule ....
were dispatched to Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
to find a something suitable. Legend holds that while they were resting after their arrival, St Lucius
Pope Lucius I
Pope Saint Lucius I was Pope from June 25, 253 to March 5, 254.St. Lucius was born in Rome at an unknown date; nothing is known about his family except his father's name, Porphyrianus. He was elected probably on June 25, 253, and died on March 5, 254...
, who had been pope from 253-255, appeared before them and told them that he had been chosen to be the patron saint
Patron saint
A patron saint is a saint who is regarded as the intercessor and advocate in heaven of a nation, place, craft, activity, class, clan, family, or person...
of Roskilde until the end of time. The next day, the two canons were taken to Santa Cecilia in Trastevere
Santa Cecilia in Trastevere
Santa Cecilia in Trastevere is a 5th century church in Rome, Italy, devoted to Saint Cecilia, in the Trastevere rione.-History:The first church on this site was founded probably in the 3rd century, by Pope Urban I; it was devoted to the Roman martyr Cecilia, martyred it is said under Marcus...
to choose amongst the many relics there. They saw a skull shining brightly, the skull of St Lucius. On their return, while the canons were sailing through the Great Belt
Great Belt
The Great Belt is a strait between the main Danish islands of Zealand and Funen . Effectively dividing Denmark in two, the Belt was served by the Great Belt ferries from the late 19th century until the islands were connected by the Great Belt Fixed Link in 1997–98.-Geography:The Great Belt is the...
, their ship came under attack by a powerful demon which had long lured in Danish waters. The crew drew straws and the lot fell on the canon carrying the skull of St Lucius. He offered a prayer to the saint, washed the skull three times, threw the water in the ocean, and jumped overboard. To everyone's surprise, the canon was able to walk on the water. The demon disappeared screaming into the depths, never to be seen again.
It is not known for certain which year the relic arrived in Roskilde, only the date, August 25, as it was on that date that the relic's arrival was always celebrated. The first written mention of the relic dates to Ælnoth
Ælnoth of Canterbury
Ælnoth or Ailnoth was an Anglo-Saxon Benedictine monk from Canterbury who settled in Denmark, and is known as author of a legend of the Danish king Saint Canute , who had been killed in Odense in 1086 and was canonized by the Pope 1100 or 1101....
, a monk in Odense
Odense
The city of Odense is the third largest city in Denmark.Odense City has a population of 167,615 and is the main city of the island of Funen...
, who described it in a work on the life of Canute the Holy
Canute IV of Denmark
Canute IV, later known as Canute the Holy or Canute the Saint , was King of Denmark from 1080 until 1086. Canute was an ambitious king who sought to strengthen the Danish monarchy, devotedly supported the Roman Catholic Church, and had designs on the English throne. Slain by rebels in 1086, he was...
in 1122. Another item of the period, a seal carved from a Walrus
Walrus
The walrus is a large flippered marine mammal with a discontinuous circumpolar distribution in the Arctic Ocean and sub-Arctic seas of the Northern Hemisphere. The walrus is the only living species in the Odobenidae family and Odobenus genus. It is subdivided into three subspecies: the Atlantic...
tusk, depicting St Lucius between the twin towers of the cathedral, has been dated to the early 12th century. The relic may have been acquired to help win Roskilde the archdiocese, which was given to Lund in 1103/1104.
The current cathedral
Soon after he became Bishop of Roskilde in 1157, AbsalonAbsalon
Absalon was a Danish archbishop and statesman, who was the Bishop of Roskilde from 1158 to 1192 and Archbishop of Lund from 1178 until his death. He was the foremost politician and churchfather of Denmark in the second half of the 12th century, and was the closest advisor of King Valdemar I of...
began to expand the travertine cathedral. In 1160, the art of firing bricks was brought to Denmark by monks from the south, and the new material was employed. It was decided to build a new, Romanesque cathedral around the existing one, allowing services to continue during construction. However, work was slow, and when Absalon was forced to surrender his position as Bishop of Roskilde in 1191, only the two floors of the apse
Apse
In architecture, the apse is a semicircular recess covered with a hemispherical vault or semi-dome...
, the choir towers and part of the transept
Transept
For the periodical go to The Transept.A transept is a transverse section, of any building, which lies across the main body of the building. In Christian churches, a transept is an area set crosswise to the nave in a cruciform building in Romanesque and Gothic Christian church architecture...
had been completed. Absalon's successor, Peder Sunesen, embracing the new French Gothic
French Gothic architecture
French Gothic architecture is a style of architecture prevalent in France from 1140 until about 1500.-Sequence of Gothic styles: France:The designations of styles in French Gothic architecture are as follows:* Early Gothic* High Gothic...
style, made significant changes to the plans, tearing down the choir towers and reducing the width of the transept. The choir was completed and inaugurated in 1225, allowing services to begin there, and the old travertine cathedral was torn down. Work on the nave continued for the next 55 years, limited by funds, lack of kilns to fire the bricks, and the winters. With the exception of the two towers on the west facade, the cathedral was completed by 1280, and work on the interior proceeded, slowed by a fire in 1282 which also destroyed several of the canons' houses in the area. Several chapels were also added to the cathedral, and in 1405, work on the towers was completed.
When Margrethe I
Margaret I of Denmark
Margaret I was Queen of Denmark, Norway and Sweden and founder of the Kalmar Union, which united the Scandinavian countries for over a century. Although she acted as queen regnant, the laws of contemporary Danish succession denied her formal queenship. Her title in Denmark was derived from her...
died in 1412, she was buried in her family's chapel at Sorø Klosterkirke
Sorø Klosterkirke
Sorø Klosterkirke is located in the Danish town of Sorø. It was founded by Danish archbishop Absalon and built by Cistercians in the period from 1161-1201. It is made of red brick, which was a new material for the time. It is built similar style to the Abbey of Fontenay. The church contains royal...
. But the following year Bishop Peder Jensen Lodehat, who had been the queen's chancellor and religious advisor, brought her body to Roskilde Cathedral. The monks in Sorø were outraged, above all because the loss of the queen's earthly remains would mean a significant loss in income from requiems, as well as a loss of prestige. Though often blamed on the bishop, it is quite possible that the move was orchestrated by the queen's adoptive son, Eric of Pomerania
Eric of Pomerania
Eric of Pomerania KG was King Eric III of Norway Norwegian Eirik, King Eric VII of Denmark , and as Eric King of Sweden...
. This is reinforced by the inscription on the sarcophagus, which describes how it was gifted by the new king, Eric VII, in 1423.
In his "Chronica novella", German chronicle :de:Hermann Korner describes the vast, three day long burial ceremony involving King Eric VII, several noblemen, the Achbishop of Lund, and all of the Danish bishops. There is an account of how the procession granted substantial gifts to each of the 50 altars in the cathedral. On the first day, the royal couple would give each altar a golden ornament
Ornament
An ornament is something used for decoration.Ornament may also refer to:*Christmas ornaments, an ornament hung from a Christmas tree*Ornament , purely decorative elements in architecture and the decorative arts*Ornament *Ornamental plant...
, a golden antependium and a silver chalice
Chalice
A chalice is a goblet or footed cup intended to hold a drink. This can also refer to;* Holy Chalice, the vessel which Jesus used at the Last Supper to serve the wine* Chalice , a type of smoking pipe...
; the noblemen would each bestow a florin on the altars; and the knights, squires, and anyone else who wished to bestow gifts, would provide each altar with silver coins from Lübeck. On the second and third days, the royal couple would bestow two nobles
Noble (English coin)
The Noble was the first English gold coin produced in quantity, having been preceded by the Gold penny and the Florin earlier in the reigns of King Henry III and King Edward III, which saw little circulation....
on each altar, the noblemen would bestow a florin on them, and the rest of the procession would bestow silver coins as they wished. What was left of silver coins were then put in a bowl, to be cast amongst the poor in Roskilde.
On 14 May 1443, a fire swept through Roskilde, destroying most of the city and all but three of the clergy's houses. The fire was so intense that the glass windows cracked, and the lead roofing melted. The cathedral was badly damaged and it was not until 1463 that the bishop, Oluf Mortensen, could rededicate it. To help with its reconstruction, the bishops of Denmark each signed a letter granting 40 days of indulgence
Indulgence
In Catholic theology, an indulgence is the full or partial remission of temporal punishment due for sins which have already been forgiven. The indulgence is granted by the Catholic Church after the sinner has confessed and received absolution...
to whomever would contribute to its cost. The reconstruction could also have been helped by the decision of Christian I
Christian I of Denmark
Christian I was a Danish monarch, king of Denmark , Norway and Sweden , under the Kalmar Union. In Sweden his short tenure as monarch was preceded by regents, Jöns Bengtsson Oxenstierna and Erik Axelsson Tott and succeeded by regent Kettil Karlsson Vasa...
to build a chapel at the cathedral. The Chapel of the Magi was built during the 1460s, and together with the sarcophagus of Margrethe I and the remains from the previous churches, it marks the earliest royal burials.
The Reformation arrived in 1536, marking a sharp negative turn for Roskilde Cathedral. Not only was the Bishop of Roskilde, Joachim Rønnow, jailed in Copenhagen Castle
Copenhagen Castle
Copenhagen Castle was a castle on Slotsholmen in Copenhagen, Denmark, built in the late 14th century at the site of the current Christiansborg Palace....
, the diocese was moved to Copenhagen and Peder Palladius, became the new Superintendent
Superintendent (ecclesiastical)
Superintendent is the head of an administrative division of a Protestant church, largely historical but still in use in Germany.- Superintendents in Sweden :...
of Zealand and later bishop. Hans Tausen, who had sought to encourage wide adoption of the Reformation, was sent to Roskilde in 1538 to help convert the clergymen who were opposed to the new ideas. At a Reformation meeting in 1540, it was decided that all of the bishop's property was now to belong to the king, both symbolically and in reality the head of the Church of Denmark
Church of Denmark
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Denmark, Church of Denmark or Danish National Church, is the state church and largest denomination in Denmark and Greenland...
. The cathedral had already been forced to hand over some of its property during the Count's Feud
Count's Feud
The Count's Feud , also called the Count's War, was a civil war that raged in Denmark in 1534–36 and brought about the Reformation in Denmark...
, but following the decision and with an impeding war against the Swedes, the confiscation of church property was stepped up. Amongst the cathedral's most prized possessions was a wooden statue of St Lucius, covered in gold and gems. The chapter
Chapter (religion)
Chapter designates certain corporate ecclesiastical bodies in the Roman Catholic, Anglican and Nordic Lutheran churches....
fought hard to try and retain its property, at one point asking for a receipt for some of the confiscated goods, to which the king's men replied that the king did not need to hand out a receipt for something that already belonged to him.
After the Reformation, the cathedral was opened up to the ordinary congregation, necessitating the purchase of new furniture, especially pews
Pew
A pew is a long bench seat or enclosed box used for seating members of a congregation or choir in a church, or sometimes in a courtroom.-Overview:Churches were not commonly furnished with permanent pews before the Protestant Reformation...
. As in other former Catholic cathedrals, the choir, which had been separated from the nave by a large wall, was left intact with the altar placed against the wall.
While the cathedral suffered financial hardship, having been forced to give away all its property (which at the time included one in every four farms on Zealand and 30 large estates), it was endowed with a variety of gifts from Christian IV
Christian IV of Denmark
Christian IV was the king of Denmark-Norway from 1588 until his death. With a reign of more than 59 years, he is the longest-reigning monarch of Denmark, and he is frequently remembered as one of the most popular, ambitious and proactive Danish kings, having initiated many reforms and projects...
: The altarpiece (between 1555 and 1623), a royal box ca 1600, the pulpit
Pulpit
Pulpit is a speakers' stand in a church. In many Christian churches, there are two speakers' stands at the front of the church. Typically, the one on the left is called the pulpit...
in 1610, his own burial chapel in 1614, the construction of the iconic twin spires in 1633 and finally a grand Renaissance sandstone entrance portal in 1635.
On 26 February 1658, the Treaty of Roskilde
Treaty of Roskilde
The Treaty of Roskilde was concluded on 26 February or 8 March 1658 during the Second Northern War between Frederick III of Denmark–Norway and Charles X Gustav of Sweden in the Danish city of Roskilde...
was signed in the cathedral. In the loot the Swedes took from the cathedral, was the golden dress of Margethe I, which had hung in a closet near her sarcophagus. The dress was taken by the Swedish queen consort Hedwig Eleonora
Hedwig Eleonora of Holstein-Gottorp
Hedwig Eleonora of Holstein-Gottorp was the queen consort of King Charles X of Sweden and queen mother of King Charles XI...
and is now located at Uppsala Cathedral
Uppsala Cathedral
Uppsala Cathedral is a cathedral located centrally in the city of Uppsala, Sweden. It dates back to the late 13th century and at a height of 118.7 m is the tallest church building in Scandinavia. Originally built under Roman Catholicism and used for coronations of the Swedish monarch, since the...
. In 1690, Christian V
Christian V of Denmark
Christian V , was king of Denmark and Norway from 1670 to 1699, the son of Frederick III of Denmark and Sophie Amalie of Brunswick-Lüneburg...
ordered the old Catholic choir cleared, so he could create a crypt beneath it for the children he had had with his mistress Sophie Amalie
Sophie Amalie Moth
Sophie Amalie Moth, Countess of Samsø was Christian V of Denmark’s acknowledged official lover. She was the first officially acknowledged royal mistress in Denmark.-Biography:...
. This also allowed for the altar to be moved to its present position.
In 1774, work on the third royal burial chapel, Frederick V's chapel, began with the removal of the pre-existing Chapel of Our Lady. Money soon ran out, and it was not until 1825 that the work was completed. In the mean time, in 1806, the cathedral sold its inventory from its Catholic days at a notorious auction. Amongst the items sold was a grand crucifix which went to a local coppersmith. While he was sawing the crucifix into firewood, the head of Jesus
Jesus
Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
split open and a small, golden patriarchal cross
Patriarchal cross
The Patriarchal cross is a variant of the Christian cross, the religious symbol of Christianity. Similar to the familiar Latin cross, the Patriarchal cross possesses a smaller crossbar placed above the main one, so that both crossbars are near the top. Sometimes the patriarchal cross has a short,...
fell out. Upon closer inspection, it was revealed that the cross was hollow and that a splinter from Christ's cross was hidden inside. Rumour of the find quickly reached the Royal Art Collection, later the National Museum of Denmark
National Museum of Denmark
The National Museum of Denmark in Copenhagen is Denmark’s largest museum of cultural history, comprising the histories of Danish and foreign cultures, alike. The museum's main domicile is located a short distance from Strøget at the center of Copenhagen. It contains exhibits from around the world,...
, who immediately purchased it.
In 1871, the entrance portal was replaced with one that matched the rest of the cathedral, while the old portal was donated to the Church of Holmen
Church of Holmen
The Church of Holmen is a church in central Copenhagen in Denmark, on the street called Holmens Kanal. First built as an anchor forge in 1563, it was converted into a naval church by Christian IV. It is famous for having hosted the wedding between Margrethe II of Denmark, current queen of Denmark,...
. However, when the new portal arrived, the churchwarden
Churchwarden
A churchwarden is a lay official in a parish church or congregation of the Anglican Communion, usually working as a part-time volunteer. Holders of these positions are ex officio members of the parish board, usually called a vestry, parish council, parochial church council, or in the case of a...
was horrified to see it was a poor copy of the old style. But he had no choice but to erect it.
Work on the fourth royal burial chapel began in 1915, and prior to its completion in 1924, Roskilde was once again made a diocese. On 27 August 1968, as restoration work on the Margrethe spire was nearing completion, the spire burned, threatening to collapse into the choir. During firefighting operations, members of the Civil defense
Civil defense
Civil defense, civil defence or civil protection is an effort to protect the citizens of a state from military attack. It uses the principles of emergency operations: prevention, mitigation, preparation, response, or emergency evacuation, and recovery...
and church staff covered the canons' chairs, the altar, and the sarcophagi in the retrochoir with damp fire blankets, hoping to prevent damage to the invaluable items. The Defence Minister of Denmark
Defence Minister of Denmark
The Defence Minister of Denmark is the Danish political minister as the head of the Danish Ministry of Defence, and is responsible for the Danish military, keeping Denmark defended against external threats, waging war on behalf of Denmark , and the surveillance of the Danish sea and airspace.The...
ordered a complete ban on jet operations in the area, pending investigations into whether the vaults were in danger of collapsing. It was later discovered, that despite a total ban on any heat sources in the area where the restoration was taking place, the craftsmen had been smoking and using blowtorches in the loft. The latest addition to the cathedral was in 1985, when the New Burial Ground, also known as Frederick IX's Burial Ground, was inaugurated.
Description
Chapel of the Magi (Christian I's Chapel)
When Christopher of BavariaChristopher of Bavaria
Christopher of Bavaria or Christopher the Bavarian; as king named Christopher ; Danish and Norwegian: Christoffer af/av Bayern; Swedish Kristofer av Bayern was union king of Denmark , Sweden and Norway .-Biography:He was probably born at Neumarkt in...
died childless in 1448, his widow Dorothea of Brandenburg
Dorothea of Brandenburg
Dorothea of Brandenburg was the consort of Christopher of Bavaria and Christian I of Denmark. She was queen of Denmark , Norway and Sweden two times each...
remarried the newly chosen king, Christian I
Christian I of Denmark
Christian I was a Danish monarch, king of Denmark , Norway and Sweden , under the Kalmar Union. In Sweden his short tenure as monarch was preceded by regents, Jöns Bengtsson Oxenstierna and Erik Axelsson Tott and succeeded by regent Kettil Karlsson Vasa...
. Within a few years, he became king of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden, and Dorothea had given birth to the future king John, thus establishing the House of Oldenburg
House of Oldenburg
The House of Oldenburg is a North German dynasty and one of Europe's most influential Royal Houses with branches that rule or have ruled in Denmark, Russia, Greece, Norway, Schleswig, Holstein, Oldenburg and Sweden...
. Against this background of events, the Christian I decided to build a grand chapel at the cathedral. The instrument of foundation was signed on April 28, 1459, which not only ordered the construction of the chapel, but also granted large tracts of land to the church. In the spring of 1462, the king applied to Pope Pius II
Pope Pius II
Pope Pius II, born Enea Silvio Piccolomini was Pope from August 19, 1458 until his death in 1464. Pius II was born at Corsignano in the Sienese territory of a noble but decayed family...
for indulgence for having constructed the chapel, which was finally granted upon the his visit to Pope Sixtus IV
Pope Sixtus IV
Pope Sixtus IV , born Francesco della Rovere, was Pope from 1471 to 1484. His accomplishments as Pope included the establishment of the Sistine Chapel; the group of artists that he brought together introduced the Early Renaissance into Rome with the first masterpiece of the city's new artistic age,...
in Rome in 1474.
Built in Gothic style, in line with the rest of the cathedral, the chapel consists of two floors, the lower floor intended as a burial chapel for Christian I and the upper floor as Great Hall
Great Hall
Great Hall may refer to* Great hall, the main room of a royal palace, nobleman's castle or large manor house* Great Hall of the People, Tiananmen Square, Beijing* Great Hall of the University of Sydney, Australia* Cooper_Union#The_Great_Hall, New York...
for the members of the king's newly created Fellowship of the Mother of God, the precursor to the modern day Order of the Elephant
Order of the Elephant
The Order of the Elephant is the highest order of Denmark. It has origins in the 15th century, but has officially existed since 1693, and since the establishment of constitutional monarchy in 1849, is now almost exclusively bestowed on royalty and heads of state.- History :A Danish religious...
. The two floors rest on a central granite pillar, the so called King's Pillar, where numerous kings have had their height measured over the years. Amongst the kings measured, Peter the Great, measured in 1716, stands tallest, while Chulalongkorn of Siam
Chulalongkorn
Phra Bat Somdet Phra Poramintharamaha Chulalongkorn Phra Chunla Chom Klao Chao Yu Hua , or Rama V was the fifth monarch of Siam under the House of Chakri. He was known to the Siamese of his time as Phra Phuttha Chao Luang . He is considered one of the greatest kings of Siam...
, measured in 1907, is the smallest. The height mark for Christian I is believed to be a technical error, as the king may have been tall, but not the giant the marker would suggest.
The burials of Christian I
Christian I of Denmark
Christian I was a Danish monarch, king of Denmark , Norway and Sweden , under the Kalmar Union. In Sweden his short tenure as monarch was preceded by regents, Jöns Bengtsson Oxenstierna and Erik Axelsson Tott and succeeded by regent Kettil Karlsson Vasa...
and Queen Dorothea
Dorothea of Brandenburg
Dorothea of Brandenburg was the consort of Christopher of Bavaria and Christian I of Denmark. She was queen of Denmark , Norway and Sweden two times each...
are marked with a pair of simple stones, as the chapel itself was to be considered their sepulchral monument, while the sepulchral monuments of Christian III
Christian III of Denmark
Christian III reigned as king of Denmark and Norway. He was the eldest son of King Frederick I and Anna of Brandenburg.-Childhood:...
and Frederick II
Frederick II of Denmark
Frederick II was King of Denmark and Norway and duke of Schleswig from 1559 until his death.-King of Denmark:Frederick II was the son of King Christian III of Denmark and Norway and Dorothea of Saxe-Lauenburg. Frederick II stands as the typical renaissance ruler of Denmark. Unlike his father, he...
dominate the lower floor. Christian III's alabaster
Alabaster
Alabaster is a name applied to varieties of two distinct minerals, when used as a material: gypsum and calcite . The former is the alabaster of the present day; generally, the latter is the alabaster of the ancients...
, Rouge Belge
Rouge Belge
"Rouge Belge" is a collective noun designating diverse Devonian red limestone varieties found in Wallonia .Some names refer more specifically to the quarry were the material was found like the renowned "Rouge de Rance". Also Rouge Royal is a Belgian red limestone with a specific pattern of white...
and Noir Belge
Noir Belge
Noir Belge is collective noun referring to black limestone found on several sites in Belgium. Some trade names refer more specifically to the quarry were the material was found, for example "Noir de Mazy" or "Noir de Golzinne"...
monument was created 1574-75 by Antwerpian sculptor Cornelis Floris
Cornelis Floris de Vriendt
Cornelis Floris de Vriendt was a Flemish Renaissance architect and sculptor. He played an important role in the building of the Antwerp City Hall. His brother was Frans Floris, for whom he designed a house in Antwerp.-External links:...
. When the sculptor died in October 1575, the monument was more or less complete, lacking only its weapons and inscriptions, which were to be added by the herald
Herald
A herald, or, more correctly, a herald of arms, is an officer of arms, ranking between pursuivant and king of arms. The title is often applied erroneously to all officers of arms....
Jan Baptist Guidetty. In fact, they were never added, and when the Spanish sacked Antwerp
Sack of Antwerp
The sack of Antwerp or the Spanish Fury at Antwerp was an episode of the Eighty Years' War.On 4 November 1576, Spanish tercios began the sack of Antwerp, leading to three days of horror among the population of the city, which was the cultural, economic and financial center of the Netherlands. The...
in November 1576, the monumet was held until the widow of Cornelis Floris paid a ransom. The widow then sent word to the Danish court, requesting that the monument be retrieved and her contrubition covered, which was not done until 1578. When the monument arrived in Elsinore
Elsinore
Helsingør is a city and the municipal seat of Helsingør municipality on the northeast coast of the island of Zealand in eastern Denmark. Helsingør has a population of 46,279 including the southern suburbs of Snekkersten and Espergærde...
, two local stonemasons
Stonemasonry
The craft of stonemasonry has existed since the dawn of civilization - creating buildings, structures, and sculpture using stone from the earth. These materials have been used to construct many of the long-lasting, ancient monuments, artifacts, cathedrals, and cities in a wide variety of cultures...
set to work completing the monument, and in the summer of 1580 it was finally placed in the chapel.
Frederick II's monument, crafted from the same materials, was built 1594-1598 by Geert van Egen from Elsinore. Both monuments are empty however, as the coffins have been buried below the floor of the chapel. King John was also supposed to have been buried in the chapel, but in his later years, he and his wife enjoyed living in Næsbyhoved Castle near Odense
Odense
The city of Odense is the third largest city in Denmark.Odense City has a population of 167,615 and is the main city of the island of Funen...
so much, that he expressed a preferrence to be buried in the town's Franciscan cathedral. However, the bishop and canons in Roskilde claimed that the King had determined that he was to be buried in Roskilde. The king's widow, Christina of Saxony
Christina of Saxony
Christina of Saxony , was a Saxon princess who became Queen consort of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. She was born a granddaughter of Frederick the Gentle of Saxony, and daughter of Ernest, Elector of Saxony and Elisabeth of Bavaria.-Biography:She was married to John, King of Denmark, Norway and...
, sent a letter to Pope Leo X
Pope Leo X
Pope Leo X , born Giovanni di Lorenzo de' Medici, was the Pope from 1513 to his death in 1521. He was the last non-priest to be elected Pope. He is known for granting indulgences for those who donated to reconstruct St. Peter's Basilica and his challenging of Martin Luther's 95 Theses...
asking for assistance, and in his reply, the pope stated that a man's last wish must always be followed, and the king was therefore buried in Odense.
The upper floor is currently used as a cathedral museum, displaying various artifacts and giving a thorough walkthrough of the history of the cathedral.
Christian IV's Chapel
Construction of the chapel was ordered by Christian IVChristian IV of Denmark
Christian IV was the king of Denmark-Norway from 1588 until his death. With a reign of more than 59 years, he is the longest-reigning monarch of Denmark, and he is frequently remembered as one of the most popular, ambitious and proactive Danish kings, having initiated many reforms and projects...
himself in 1613, after the death of his Queen Anne Cathrine
Anne Catherine of Brandenburg
Anne Catherine of Brandenburg was queen-consort of Denmark and Norway from 1597 to 1612 as the first spouse of King Christian IV of Denmark.-Biography:...
the year before, and upon realising that space inside the cathedral was running out. Built in Dutch Renaissance
Renaissance architecture
Renaissance architecture is the architecture of the period between the early 15th and early 17th centuries in different regions of Europe, demonstrating a conscious revival and development of certain elements of ancient Greek and Roman thought and material culture. Stylistically, Renaissance...
style, work on exterior of the chapel was begun in 1614 by Lorenz van Steenwinckel
Lorenz van Steenwinckel
Lorenz van Steenwinckel was a Flemish-Danish architect and sculptor, son of Hans van Steenwinckel the Elder and brother of Hans van Steenwinckel the Younger. From 1613, he was responsible for numerous projects commissioned by Christian IV...
and completed in 1641 by his brother, Hans van Steenwinckel the Younger
Hans van Steenwinckel the Younger
Hans van Steenwinckel the Younger was a Flemish-Danish architect who specialised in the Dutch Renaissance style, typical of prestigious Danish buildings from the first half of the 17th century...
. The exterior was constructed in red brick with a corbie stepped gable
Crow-stepped gable
A Stepped gable, Crow-stepped gable, or Corbie step is a stair-step type of design at the top of the triangular gable-end of a building...
facing north. On each of the gable steps, a sandstone figure is placed, representing each of the Christian virtues
Seven virtues
In the Catholic catechism, the seven catholic virtues refer to the combination of two lists of virtues, the 4 cardinal virtues of prudence, justice, restraint or temperance, and courage or fortitude, and the 3 theological virtues of faith, hope, and love or charity ; these were adopted by the...
. Next to the gable's windows, four putti
Putto
A putto is a figure of an infant often depicted as a young male. Putti are defined as chubby, winged or wingless, male child figure in nude. Putti are distinct from cherubim, but some English-speakers confuse them with each other, except that in the plural, "the Cherubim" refers to the biblical...
are placed, each holding up one of the symbols of death
Symbols of death
Symbols of death are the symbolic, often allegorical, portrayal of death in various cultures. For allegorical figures that portray death, see Death .- Images that represent death :...
: a skull, a scythe, a torch pointing downwards, and an hourglass. Central At the centre of the gable, the king's escutcheon is found.
The wrought-iron lattice separating the chapel from the nave was forged by Caspar Fincke in 1619, and contains an amusing quip by its creator:
-
- Caspar Fincke bin ich benant
- Dieser arbeit bin ich bekant
(Rough translation: Caspar Fincke I am named, for this work I am famed).
Upon the death of Christian IV in 1648 the interior had not been completed, and the king's coffin was placed in the crypt below instead. The king had commissioned his own monument, depicting him and his queen kneeling before a crucifix
Crucifix
A crucifix is an independent image of Jesus on the cross with a representation of Jesus' body, referred to in English as the corpus , as distinct from a cross with no body....
, but since it had been completed before his death, the monument had been temporarily placed in storage in the king's arsenal
Christian IV's Arsenal
Christian IV's Arsenal , is a historic building on Slotsholmen in central Copenhagen, Denmark. It was built by Christian IV of Denmark in 1604 as part of a grand scheme for the construction of a new naval harbour. The arsenal, along with several other buildings, surrounded the harbour basin which...
. When the arsenal burned in 1647, all that remained of the monument was the grand sandstone
Sandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
crucifix and a head carved from alabaster. The crucifix was subsequently placed in the Church of Holmen
Church of Holmen
The Church of Holmen is a church in central Copenhagen in Denmark, on the street called Holmens Kanal. First built as an anchor forge in 1563, it was converted into a naval church by Christian IV. It is famous for having hosted the wedding between Margrethe II of Denmark, current queen of Denmark,...
, while the head was given to the National Museum of Denmark
National Museum of Denmark
The National Museum of Denmark in Copenhagen is Denmark’s largest museum of cultural history, comprising the histories of Danish and foreign cultures, alike. The museum's main domicile is located a short distance from Strøget at the center of Copenhagen. It contains exhibits from around the world,...
.
The king's succesors were each unable to provide a fitting resting place for the king, and it was not until 1840 and Christian VIII
Christian VIII of Denmark
Christian VIII , was king of Denmark from 1839 to 1848 and, as Christian Frederick, king of Norway in 1814. He was the eldest son of Hereditary Prince Frederick of Denmark and Norway and Sophia Frederica of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, born in 1786 at Christiansborg Palace in Copenhagen...
that work was finally begun. He had hoped to see the project finished by 1848, the 200th anniversary of Christian IV's
Christian IV of Denmark
Christian IV was the king of Denmark-Norway from 1588 until his death. With a reign of more than 59 years, he is the longest-reigning monarch of Denmark, and he is frequently remembered as one of the most popular, ambitious and proactive Danish kings, having initiated many reforms and projects...
death, but it was not until 1870 that the work was completed.
Work on the interior began in 1840, when Christian VIII ordered a statue of Christian IV from famed sculptor Bertel Thorvaldsen
Bertel Thorvaldsen
Bertel Thorvaldsen was a Danish-Icelandic sculptor of international fame, who spent most of his life in Italy . Thorvaldsen was born in Copenhagen into a Danish/Icelandic family of humble means, and was accepted to the Royal Academy of Arts when he was eleven years old...
. This was to be part of a planned monument for Christian IV, which was to be designed by architect G.F. Hetcsh, but it still had to be decided who was to was going to create the decorations. In 1845 a commission tasked Heinrich Eddelien
Heinrich Eddelien
Matthias Heinrich Elias Eddelien was a Danish history painter of German origin.Eddelien arrived in Copenhagen as a young man and attended the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts from 1821 studying under Christoffer Wilhelm Eckersberg. In 1837, he was awarded the Academy's large gold medal...
with the job, but work progressed slowly, perhaps due to Christian VIII's close concern with the matter and criticism of the proposed works. When Christian VIII died in 1848, the project lost its major motivational force, as the new king, Frederick VII, was not sufficiently interested in seeing project finished. When Eddelien died in 1852, only the work on the starry vaulted ceiling and the allegory
Allegory
Allegory is a demonstrative form of representation explaining meaning other than the words that are spoken. Allegory communicates its message by means of symbolic figures, actions or symbolic representation...
motives beneath it had been completed, and work ground to a complete halt.
In 1856, Georg Hilker
Georg Hilker
Georg Hilker was a Danish decorative painter active during the Danish Golden Age in the first half of the 19th century. He collaborated with Constantin Hansen.-Early life and career:...
added a frieze
Frieze
thumb|267px|Frieze of the [[Tower of the Winds]], AthensIn architecture the frieze is the wide central section part of an entablature and may be plain in the Ionic or Doric order, or decorated with bas-reliefs. Even when neither columns nor pilasters are expressed, on an astylar wall it lies upon...
below the ceiling vault, which was to act as a separator between the ceiling and wall decorations. When Wilhelm Marstrand
Wilhelm Marstrand
Nicolai Wilhelm Nikolaj Marstrand , painter and illustrator, was born in Copenhagen, Denmark to Nicolai Jacob Marstrand, instrument maker and inventor, and Petra Othilia Smith...
and Heinrich Hansen
Heinrich Hansen (painter)
Heinrich Hansen was a Danish artist who specialized in architectural painting.-Biography:...
were finally appointed in 1860, it was the finance minister
Finance Minister of Denmark
The Finance Minister of Denmark is the head of the Ministry of Finance of Denmark, and a member of the Cabinet. As head of the ministry, the minister has responsibility for the ministry's tasks of administrering the state finances via the fiscal policy, and making economic predictions and...
, C.E. Fenger, who was responsible. The original commission was outraged that the minister had acted behind their backs, but times had changed since the commission had been formed, and with the National Liberal Party
National Liberal Party (Denmark)
The National Liberal Party , was a Danish political party or political movement from the 1830s until about 1880.Often considered "the first Danish political party" the National Liberals were gradually founded as the opposition against the Danish absolute monarchy...
in power, there was an increased focus on the national attitude. The National Liberal minister felt that seeing the completion of Christian IV's chapel, which he regarded as a national relic, would strengthen the national sentiment in the developing conflict with Prussia.
Marstrand and Hansen submitted their decoration proposals in 1861, having decided that Marstrand would paint the paintings while Hansen would paint the framings. That year the pair travelled to France to study oil painting on plaster. Marstrand then spent the summers of 1864-1866 in Roskilde, painting one wall per year. When Marstrand had finished his work, the five coffins in the chapel were placed in their current positions.
Frederick V's Chapel
Consisting of two chapels in neoclassicalNeoclassical architecture
Neoclassical architecture was an architectural style produced by the neoclassical movement that began in the mid-18th century, manifested both in its details as a reaction against the Rococo style of naturalistic ornament, and in its architectural formulas as an outgrowth of some classicizing...
style, the construction spanned 51 years (1774-1825) and required the removal of a previous existing chapel, the Chapel of Our Lady.
Construction of the chapel was started by C.F. Harsdorff
Caspar Frederik Harsdorff
Caspar Frederik Harsdorff, also known as C.F. Harsdorff, , Danish neoclassical architect is considered to be Denmark’s leading architect in the late 18th century, and is referred to as “The Father of Danish Classicism”.- Early life and training :He was born Caspar Frederik Harsdørffer in...
in 1774, possibly using early sketches made during his travels to Rome 1762-1764, but due to a lack of funding the work was suspended in 1779. It was resumed by his apprentice C.F. Hansen
Christian Frederik Hansen
Christian Frederik Hansen , known as C.F. Hansen, was the leading Danish architect between the late 18th century and the mid 19th century, and on account of his position at the Royal Danish Academy of Art the most powerful person in artistic circles for many years...
in 1820 and completed in 1825. The chapel consists of a vestibule
Vestibule (architecture)
A vestibule is a lobby, entrance hall, or passage between the entrance and the interior of a building.The same term can apply to structures in modern or ancient roman architecture. In modern architecture vestibule typically refers to a small room or hall between an entrance and the interior of...
with two adjoining rooms on the north and south sides, usually referred to as Christian VI's chapel, and a domed cruciform-shaped hall, Frederick V's chapel. While the interior of the building had classical, whitewashed
Whitewash
Whitewash, or calcimine, kalsomine, calsomine, or lime paint is a very low-cost type of paint made from slaked lime and chalk . Various other additives are also used...
walls, the exterior retained the red brick characteristic of the rest of the cathedral.
When the chapel was inagurated in September 1825, coffins that had been temporarily stored in Christian IV's chapel were moved to the new chapel, and as members of the royal family died, more were added. This led to the chapel, which had been designed for five marble sarcophagi, holding upwards of 17 coffins in 1912. However, the addition of Christian IX's chapel, the removal of some coffins to the crypts, and a rearrangement of the coffins, led to the present situation where only 12 coffins and sarcophagi are present. It has however led to confusion, as some of the coffins have not been arranged in the pairs which correspond to the relationships that existed during their lifetimes.
The chapel shows a gradual trend in moving from grand marble sarcophagi to more simple, velvet-covered coffins, and in the case of Frederick VII, a wooden coffin.
Christian IX's Chapel
When the Constitution of DenmarkConstitution of Denmark
The Constitutional Act of Denmark is the Kingdom of Denmark's constitution, or fundamental law. Originally verified in 1849, the last revision was signed on 5 June 1953 as "the existing law, for all to unswerving comply with, the Constitutional Act of Denmark".-Idea and structure:The main...
was revised in 1915, the Folketing
Folketing
The Folketing , is the national parliament of Denmark. The name literally means "People's thing"—that is, the people's governing assembly. It is located in Christiansborg Palace, on the islet of Slotsholmen in central Copenhagen....
decided to honour the Royal Family
Danish Royal Family
The Danish Royal Family includes the Queen of Denmark and her family. All members except the Queen hold the title of Prince/Princess of Denmark with the style of His/Her Royal Highness or His/Her Highness. The Queen is styled Her Majesty. The Queen and her siblings belong to the House of...
, granting King Christian X's
Christian X of Denmark
Christian X was King of Denmark from 1912 to 1947 and the only King of Iceland between 1918 and 1944....
wish, by constructing a new chapel at the cathedral, dedicated to the House of Glücksburg which had been in power since Christian IX
Christian IX of Denmark
Christian IX was King of Denmark from 16 November 1863 to 29 January 1906.Growing up as a prince of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg, a junior branch of the House of Oldenburg which had ruled Denmark since 1448, Christian was originally not in the immediate line of succession to the Danish...
became king in 1863. The chapel was designed by then cathedral architect, Andreas Clemmensen.
Construction of the chapel, overseen by a master builder Schledermann, began in 1919 and was completed in 1924, built in a Byzantine Revival style, with a Roman inspiration. Built as an extension of the northwestern weaponporch
Church porch
A church porch is a room at a church's main entrance.In Scandinavia the porch of a church is often called by names meaning weaponhouse. Visitors stored weapons there because of a prohibition against carrying weapons into the sanctuary, or into houses in general....
, which then ceased to exist as an independent building, the chapel is cruciform
Cruciform
Cruciform means having the shape of a cross or Christian cross.- Cruciform architectural plan :This is a common description of Christian churches. In Early Christian, Byzantine and other Eastern Orthodox forms of church architecture this is more likely to mean a tetraconch plan, a Greek cross,...
with grey walls and a domed roof. Upon its completion, there was a heavy debate in the Danish newspapers, with some believing that the chapel was completely removed from the prevailing style of the cathedral.
In the northern arm stands the double sarcophagus of Christian IX and his Queen Louise
Louise of Hesse-Kassel
Louise of Hesse was a German Princess and the queen consort to King Christian IX of Denmark.-Early Life and Ancestry:...
. Designed by Hack Kampmann
Hack Kampmann
Hack Kampmann was a Danish architect. His parents were the priest Christian Peter Georg Kampmann and Johanne Marie Schmidt...
, the sarcophagus was originally to have stood in the eastern arm of Frederick V's chapel. Surrounding the sarcophagus are three statues of female figures, designed by Edvard Eriksen
Edvard Eriksen
Edvard Eriksen was a Danish-Icelandic sculptor. He is best known as the creator of the Little Mermaid statue in Copenhagen, which he completed in 1913.-External links:...
. The statues are named "Grief", "Memory", and "Love" and were cut from white marble
Marble
Marble is a metamorphic rock composed of recrystallized carbonate minerals, most commonly calcite or dolomite.Geologists use the term "marble" to refer to metamorphosed limestone; however stonemasons use the term more broadly to encompass unmetamorphosed limestone.Marble is commonly used for...
from Carrara
Carrara
Carrara is a city and comune in the province of Massa-Carrara , notable for the white or blue-grey marble quarried there. It is on the Carrione River, some west-northwest of Florence....
in Italy. The statue of "Grief" bears a notable resemblance to the statue of the Little Mermaid in Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
, which is not without reason. Edvard Eriksen had created the statue of the Little Mermaid in 1911, two years before he created the statues in the chapel, and his wife Eline Eriksen
Eline Eriksen
Eline Eriksen was the wife of Edvard Eriksen and the model for the body of the Little Mermaid statue in Copenhagen, Denmark. The face of that statue was modelled after primaballerina Ellen Price. Before this Eriksen had stood model for several of her husband's statues, such as The First Grief and...
was model for both. In the western arm stands the double sarcophagus of Frederick VIII
Frederick VIII of Denmark
Frederick VIII was King of Denmark from 1906 to 1912.-Early life:Frederick was born on 3 June 1843 in the Yellow Palace in Copenhagen as Prince Frederick of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg, a junior male line of the House of Oldenburg descended from Christian III of Denmark and who had...
and his Queen Louise, designed by Utzon-Frank
Einar Utzon-Frank
Aksel Einar Utzon-Frank was a Danish sculptor and professor at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts. During his lifetime, he produced a large number of sculptures, many of which stand as public monuments...
. The eastern arm houses the simple marble coffins of Christian X and his Queen Alexandrine
Alexandrine of Mecklenburg-Schwerin
Alexandrine Auguste of Mecklenburg-Schwerin was the queen consort of King Christian X of Denmark.-Family:She was born a Duchess of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, in the city of Schwerin...
. The coffins were designed by Kaare and Naur Klint, made from Norwegian marble, and have a stylized Dannebrog
Flag of Denmark
The national flag of Denmark, Dannebrog is red with a white Scandinavian cross that extends to the edges of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side...
covering the lid and sides.
Following the death of Maria Feodorovna in 1928, and following a short ceremony in the Alexander Nevsky Church
Alexander Nevsky Church, Copenhagen
The Alexander Nevsky Church is the only Russian Orthodox church in Copenhagen, Denmark. It was built by the Russian Government between 1881 and 1883, prompted by Princess Dagmar of Denmark's marriage to Alexander Alexandrovich on 9 November 1866 and their later ascent to the Russian throne as Tsar...
in Copenhagen and a Russian Orthodox
Russian Orthodox Church
The Russian Orthodox Church or, alternatively, the Moscow Patriarchate The ROC is often said to be the largest of the Eastern Orthodox churches in the world; including all the autocephalous churches under its umbrella, its adherents number over 150 million worldwide—about half of the 300 million...
ceremony in Roskilde, the coffin of the dowager queen was placed in the chapel. In 1957, the coffin was placed in the crypt under the chapel, until September 2006, when it was returned to Russia. It had been the dowager queen's wish to be buried next to her husband Alexander III
Alexander III of Russia
Alexander Alexandrovich Romanov , historically remembered as Alexander III or Alexander the Peacemaker reigned as Emperor of Russia from until his death on .-Disposition:...
in the Peter and Paul Cathedral
Peter and Paul Cathedral
The Peter and Paul Cathedral is a Russian Orthodox cathedral located inside the Peter and Paul Fortress in St. Petersburg, Russia. It is the first and oldest landmark in St. Petersburg, built between 1712 and 1733 on Zayachy Island along the Neva River. Both the cathedral and the fortress were...
, once Russia was again free.
Following Frederick IX's death in 1972, his coffin was placed in the chapel, draped with his Royal Standard, guarded by three silver lions from the Danish Crown Regalia
Danish Crown Regalia
Danish Crown Regalia are the symbols of the Danish monarchy. They consist of three crowns, a sceptre , an orb , a sword of state and an ampulla....
, and flanked by a pair of candelabra
Candelabra
"Candelabra" is the traditional term for a set of multiple decorative candlesticks, each of which often holds a candle on each of multiple arms or branches connected to a column or pedestal...
in the shape of anchors. After the king's coffin was buried in 1985, only the candelabra remain in the chapel.
St Andrew's Chapel and St Bridget's Chapel
These two chapels, on the north side of the cathedral, are the only remnants of the many medieval chapels that were attached to the original cathedral. St Andrew's chapel was constructed in 1396, and St Bridget's in 1485.St Andrew's Chapel was completely redecorated in 2010 by artist Peter Brandes, who provided a new altarpiece as well as a latticework separating the chapel from the nave. It is the intention of the parochial church council that in future the chapel will provide a more intimate setting for some of the church functions in the cathedral, such as weddings or baptisms. The chapel has its own small organ for these services.
Since the Reformation, St Bridget's Chapel has mainly been used to store various items of church inventory from Catholic times, no longer needed in the Lutheran era. These include the three-seated celebrant's
Celebrant
Celebrant may refer to:* Celebrant or Officiant, the leader of a liturgy or ceremony who is empowered to perform it** In the Catholic and Anglican churches, the celebrant is the person who celebrates a sacrament, e.g., the priest who celebrates the Eucharist or the bishop who ordains a priest*...
chair, the cantor's
Cantor (church)
A cantor is the chief singer employed in a church with responsibilities for the ecclesiastical choir; also called the precentor....
chair, and the canons'
Canon (priest)
A canon is a priest or minister who is a member of certain bodies of the Christian clergy subject to an ecclesiastical rule ....
letter box
Letter box
A letter box, letterbox, letter plate, letter hole, mail slot, or mailbox is a receptacle for receiving incoming mail at a private residence or business...
. The chapel also has the oldest gravestone in the cathedral, dating back to ca. 1250. Queen Margrethe II
Margrethe II of Denmark
Margrethe II is the Queen regnant of the Kingdom of Denmark. In 1972 she became the first female monarch of Denmark since Margaret I, ruler of the Scandinavian countries in 1375-1412 during the Kalmar Union.-Early life:...
has chosen St Birgitte's Chapel as the future burial site for herself and the Prince Consort
Henrik, Prince Consort of Denmark
Henrik, Prince Consort of Denmark , is the husband of the Queen of Denmark, Margrethe II.-Early life:Henrik was born in Talence, Gironde, France...
, with a double sarcophagus created by artist Bjørn Nørgaard
Bjørn Nørgaard
Bjørn Nørgaard is a Danish artist who has been active in a variety of fields. He has significantly influenced the art scene in Denmark both through his "happenings" and his sculptures in Danish cities...
.
Frederick IX's Burial Site
Opened on September 23, 1985, it was the first burial site outside of the cathedral itself. The reason for the construction was twofold: it had been Frederick IX's wish to be buried outside the cathedral, in view of Roskilde FjordRoskilde Fjord
Roskilde Fjord is the fjord north of Roskilde, Denmark, and is located at . It is a long branch of the Isefjord.-Cities:The cities Frederiksværk, Frederikssund, Jægerspris, Jyllinge and Roskilde, , all have coastline at Roskilde Fjord...
(the King was a keen sailor and closely connected to the navy), and in any case there was no space left in the Chapel of Christian IX. It was only on the king's passing in January 1972 that a debate was opened on how his wish could be granted. A meeting was held in May of the same year, involving the municipality, the parochial church council, the National Museum of Denmark, and a foundation for building and landscaping culture. In 1974 a discussion paper was presented, which spelled out how the area would be preserved and the new burial site established. There was some opposition from members of the parochial council, who insisted that the tradition of burying monarchs inside the cathedral be upheld. The zoning plan for the area was finished in 1982 and work on the burial site could begin.
The burial site was designed by architect Vilhelm Wohlert
Vilhelm Wohlert
Vilhelm Wohlert was a Danish architect.Wohlert was educated at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts' School of Architecture, where one of his teachers was Kaare Klint. In 1958 he and his partner Jørgen Bo started work on the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, a project on which they would work for...
in cooperation with Inger and Johannes Exner, and consists of a simple, uncovered brick octagon with a bronze gate designed by Sven Havsteen-Mikkelsen. The gravestone was cut from Greenlandic granite by sculptor Erik Heide, though the grave was not sealed permanently until the burial of Queen Ingrid
Ingrid of Sweden
Ingrid of Sweden was a Swedish princess and the queen consort of King Frederick IX of Denmark.-Background:...
in 2000. At the wish of Queen Ingrid, the grounds of the burial site are covered in wild vines and plants from throughout the kingdom.
Piers flanking the apse
- Harald I BluetoothHarald I of DenmarkHarald "Bluetooth" Gormsson was the son of King Gorm the Old and of Thyra Dannebod. He died in 985 or 986 having ruled as King of Denmark from around 958 and King of Norway for a few years probably around 970...
(d. 985-986): supposedly buried in the northwestern pierPier (architecture)In architecture, a pier is an upright support for a superstructure, such as an arch or bridge. Sections of wall between openings function as piers. The simplest cross section of the pier is square, or rectangular, although other shapes are also common, such as the richly articulated piers of Donato...
, but no remains have been found - Sweyn II EstridsenSweyn II of DenmarkSweyn II Estridsson Ulfsson was the King of Denmark from 1047 to 1074. He was the son of Ulf Jarl and Estrid Svendsdatter. He was married three times, and fathered 20 children or more, including the five future kings Harald III Hen, Canute IV the Saint, Oluf I Hunger, Eric I Evergood and Niels...
(d. 1076) in the southeastern pier
Estrid Svendsdatter (d. between 1057 & 1073) was widely believed to have been buried in the northeastern pier, but a DNA test in 2003 dispelled the myth as the remains belonged to a woman much too young to be Estrid Svendsdatter. The new theory is that the sign on the pier refers to Margareta Hasbjörnsdatter
Margareta Hasbjörnsdatter
Margareta Hasbjörnsdatter or Margareta Asbjørnsdatter was a Mediaeval Danish Queen consort, spouse of King Harald III of Denmark....
, who was also known as Estrid and who married Harald III Hen
Harald III of Denmark
Harald III Hen was King of Denmark from 1074 to 1080. Harald III was an illegitimate son of Danish king Sweyn II Estridsson, and contested the crown with some of his brothers. He was a peaceful ruler who initiated a number of reforms. Harald was married to his cousin Margareta Hasbjörnsdatter, but...
, the son of Sweyn Estridsen. In the southwestern pillar lie the remains of two bishops, Asser (d. 1074) and Wilhelm (d. ca. 1158).
Apse
- Christopher III of BavariaChristopher of BavariaChristopher of Bavaria or Christopher the Bavarian; as king named Christopher ; Danish and Norwegian: Christoffer af/av Bayern; Swedish Kristofer av Bayern was union king of Denmark , Sweden and Norway .-Biography:He was probably born at Neumarkt in...
(d. 1448) - Christian VChristian V of DenmarkChristian V , was king of Denmark and Norway from 1670 to 1699, the son of Frederick III of Denmark and Sophie Amalie of Brunswick-Lüneburg...
(d. 1699) and Queen Charlotte Amalie of Hesse-Kassel (or Hesse-Cassel) (d. 1714) - Frederick IVFrederick IV of DenmarkFrederick IV was the king of Denmark and Norway from 1699 until his death. Frederick was the son of King Christian V of Denmark and Norway and Charlotte Amalie of Hesse-Kassel .-Foreign affairs:...
(d. 1730) and Queens: Louise of Mecklenburg-GüstrowLouise of Mecklenburg-GüstrowLouise of Mecklenburg-Güstrow was Queen consort of Denmark and Norway as the first spouse of the King Frederick IV of Denmark....
(d. 1721)
Chapel of the Magi (Christian I's Chapel)
- Christian IChristian I of DenmarkChristian I was a Danish monarch, king of Denmark , Norway and Sweden , under the Kalmar Union. In Sweden his short tenure as monarch was preceded by regents, Jöns Bengtsson Oxenstierna and Erik Axelsson Tott and succeeded by regent Kettil Karlsson Vasa...
(d. 1481) and Queen Dorothy of BrandenburgDorothea of BrandenburgDorothea of Brandenburg was the consort of Christopher of Bavaria and Christian I of Denmark. She was queen of Denmark , Norway and Sweden two times each...
(d. 1495) - Christian IIIChristian III of DenmarkChristian III reigned as king of Denmark and Norway. He was the eldest son of King Frederick I and Anna of Brandenburg.-Childhood:...
(d. 1559) and Queen Dorothy of Saxony-LauenburgDorothea of Saxe-LauenburgDorothea of Saxe-Lauenburg , consort of Christian III from 1525 and Queen consort of Denmark and Norway. She was daughter of Duke Magnus I of Saxe-Lauenburg and Catherine, daughter of Henry IV, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg...
(d. 1571) - Frederick IIFrederick II of DenmarkFrederick II was King of Denmark and Norway and duke of Schleswig from 1559 until his death.-King of Denmark:Frederick II was the son of King Christian III of Denmark and Norway and Dorothea of Saxe-Lauenburg. Frederick II stands as the typical renaissance ruler of Denmark. Unlike his father, he...
(d. 1588) and Queen Sophia of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (d. 1631)
Frederick V's Chapel
- Christian VIChristian VI of DenmarkChristian VI was King of Denmark and Norway from 1730 to 1746.He was the son of King Frederick IV of Denmark and Norway and Louise of Mecklenburg-Güstrow. He married Sophia Magdalen of Brandenburg-Kulmbach and fathered Frederick V.-The reign and personality of Christian VI:To posterity Christian...
(d. 1746) and Queen Sophia Magdalena of Brandenburg-KulmbachSophia Magdalen of Brandenburg-KulmbachSophia Magdalene of Brandenburg-Kulmbach was queen-consort of Denmark and Norway as the wife of King Christian VI of Denmark and Norway.-Background:...
(d. 1770) - Frederick VFrederick V of DenmarkFrederick V was king of Denmark and Norway from 1746, son of Christian VI of Denmark and Sophia Magdalen of Brandenburg-Kulmbach.-Early life:...
(d. 1766) and Queens: Louise of Great BritainLouise of Great BritainLouise of Great Britain was the youngest surviving daughter of George II of Great Britain and Caroline of Ansbach, and became queen consort of Denmark and Norway.-Early life:...
(d. 1751) and Juliana Maria of Brunswick-WolfenbüttelJuliana Maria of Brunswick-WolfenbüttelDuchess Juliane Marie of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel , , was queen of Denmark between 1752 and 1766, second consort of king Frederick V of Denmark and Norway, mother of the prince-regent Hereditary Prince Frederick of Denmark and Norway and herself de facto regent 1772–1784.- Early life and queen :Born...
(d. 1796) - Christian VIIChristian VII of DenmarkChristian VII was King of Denmark and Norway and Duke of Schleswig and Holstein from 1766 until his death. He was the son of Danish King Frederick V and his first consort Louisa, daughter of King George II of Great Britain....
(d. 1808) - Frederick VIFrederick VI of DenmarkFrederick VI reigned as King of Denmark , and as king of Norway .-Regent of Denmark:Frederick's parents were King Christian VII and Caroline Matilda of Wales...
(d. 1839) and Queen Marie of Hesse-Kassel (or Hesse-Cassel) (d. 1852) - Christian VIIIChristian VIII of DenmarkChristian VIII , was king of Denmark from 1839 to 1848 and, as Christian Frederick, king of Norway in 1814. He was the eldest son of Hereditary Prince Frederick of Denmark and Norway and Sophia Frederica of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, born in 1786 at Christiansborg Palace in Copenhagen...
(d. 1848) and Queen Caroline Amalie of Schleswig-Holstein (d. 1881) - Frederick VIIFrederick VII of DenmarkFrederick VII was a King of Denmark. He reigned from 1848 until his death. He was the last Danish monarch of the older Royal branch of the House of Oldenburg and also the last king of Denmark to rule as an absolute monarch...
(d. 1863)
Christian IV's Chapel
- Christian, Prince ElectChristian, Prince Elect of DenmarkChristian was the Prince Elect of Denmark between 1610 and his death.-Early life:He was born in Copenhagen Castle as a son of King Christian IV of Denmark and Queen-Consort Anne Catherine . He was the couple's oldest living son, an older brother Frederick having died in 1599, less than a year old...
(d. 1647) - Christian IVChristian IV of DenmarkChristian IV was the king of Denmark-Norway from 1588 until his death. With a reign of more than 59 years, he is the longest-reigning monarch of Denmark, and he is frequently remembered as one of the most popular, ambitious and proactive Danish kings, having initiated many reforms and projects...
(d. 1648) and Queen Anne Catherine of BrandenburgAnne Catherine of BrandenburgAnne Catherine of Brandenburg was queen-consort of Denmark and Norway from 1597 to 1612 as the first spouse of King Christian IV of Denmark.-Biography:...
(d. 1612) - Frederick IIIFrederick III of DenmarkFrederick III was king of Denmark and Norway from 1648 until his death. He instituted absolute monarchy in Denmark and Norway in 1660, confirmed by law in 1665 as the first in western historiography. He was born the second-eldest son of Christian IV of Denmark and Anne Catherine of Brandenburg...
(d. 1670) and Sophie Amalie of Brunswick-Lüneburg (d. 1685)
Christian IX's Chapel
- Christian IXChristian IX of DenmarkChristian IX was King of Denmark from 16 November 1863 to 29 January 1906.Growing up as a prince of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg, a junior branch of the House of Oldenburg which had ruled Denmark since 1448, Christian was originally not in the immediate line of succession to the Danish...
(1906) and Queen Louise of Hesse-Kassel (or Hesse-Cassel) (1898) - Frederick VIIIFrederick VIII of DenmarkFrederick VIII was King of Denmark from 1906 to 1912.-Early life:Frederick was born on 3 June 1843 in the Yellow Palace in Copenhagen as Prince Frederick of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg, a junior male line of the House of Oldenburg descended from Christian III of Denmark and who had...
(1912) and Queen Louise of Sweden-NorwayLovisa of Sweden|align=right|Louise of Sweden was Queen of Denmark as the spouse of King Frederick VIII of Denmark. She was the only daughter of King Charles XV of Sweden and Louise of the Netherlands .-Early life:...
(1926) - Christian XChristian X of DenmarkChristian X was King of Denmark from 1912 to 1947 and the only King of Iceland between 1918 and 1944....
(1947) and Queen Alexandrine of Mecklenburg-SchwerinAlexandrine of Mecklenburg-SchwerinAlexandrine Auguste of Mecklenburg-Schwerin was the queen consort of King Christian X of Denmark.-Family:She was born a Duchess of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, in the city of Schwerin...
(1952)
Frederick IX's Burial Site
- Frederick IXFrederick IX of DenmarkFrederick IX was King of Denmark from 20 April 1947 until his death on 14 January 1972....
(d. 1972) and Queen Ingrid of SwedenIngrid of SwedenIngrid of Sweden was a Swedish princess and the queen consort of King Frederick IX of Denmark.-Background:...
(d. 2000)
Boy's Choir
Organ
In 1554 a new organ built by Herman Raphaelis was donated to the cathedral for services. It was enlarged in 1600 and 1833 and restored once again in 1988 and 2000.Sources
- Arhnung, J.O. (1965). De hellige tre Kongers Kapel. Copenhagen: G.E.C. Gads Forlag.
- Bolvig, Axel (1997). Altertavlen i Roskilde Domkirke. Copenhagen: Nordisk Forlag.
- Cederstrøm, Elisabeth. Kong Christian stod ved højen Mast.... Found in Danmarks Christian - Christian IV i eftertiden. (1988). Edited by Nina Damsgaard. Aarhus: Aarhus Kunstmuseums Forlag.
- Fang, Arthur (1960). Roskilde Domkirke Gennem 1000 Aar. Roskilde: Roskilde Domsongs menighedsråd.
- Fang, Lotte (1989). En Pave i Roskilde.
- Horskjær, Erik (1970). De Danske Kirker 3. Copenhagen: G.E.C. Gads Forlag.
- Højlund, Ole (2010). Roskilde Domkirke — Under stilladser og presenninger. Roskilde: Roskilde Domsogn.
- Kruse, Anette (2003). Roskilde Domkirke. Roskilde: Roskilde Domkirkes Salgsfond.
- Smidt, C.M. (1949). Roskilde Domkirkes Middelalderlige Bygningshistorie. Copenhagen: Nordisk Forlag.