From Vikings to Royalty

With the threat of rain in the afternoon, we hopped on a train and rode out to Roskilde (ROSS-killa) so we could enjoy the best part of the day outside. Roskilde is only 18 miles west of Copenhagen on a long narrow fiord that was once home to Danish royalty. In the mid-1000s, the people had to barricade the channel to prevent their enemies from entering the town, so they sank 5 Viking ships across one channel and left open a channel that only the locals could navigate. 900 years later, acting on a rumor that there were ships in the fiord, divers went searching and found them. It took 25 years to recover, preserve and assemble the remains of these ships. Boatbuilders then recreated each of the five boats using 11th century tools and techniques using the recovered Viking ships as models so that they can sail the seas today. 

I said the town was the home to royalty. We walked through the Roskilde Domkirke and got a history lessen while looking at the many tombs and crypts of Danish kings and queens.  The cathedral was first a wooden church built by Harold Bluetooth in 985.  It burned and another stone structure was put on the exact spot. Starting in 1170 the present church was started and has been added to many times  by successive kings to accommodate their burials. The most recent burial was of King Frederick IX in 1985. 

The organ dates back to 1425 with additions and changes in 1654. It was renovated in 1991. Each King and queen had their own room and some were ornate, some plain and some had marble sculptures.  There was even a room for the children who had died

Just as the train pulled into the station to take us back to Copenhagen it started raining - what timing! It stopped long enough for us to explore Tivoli Gardens - an amusement park in the middle of the city. Elton John performed there last Monday and Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga are there tonight. The rides were built over the restaurants. We counted 43 sit down eateries!!  The Boys Drum and Fife Youth Corps marched past as we tried some wine at one of the restaurants. 

Dinner in the Meat Packing District was fantastic!!