The royal tombs of Roskilde Cathedral

The first church on the site of Roskilde Cathedral was built by Harold Bluetooth, who died around 985. This was a wooden church, and no traces of it have ever been found. This wooden church was replaced in the 1000s by a stone church by King Cnut’s sister Estrid from money she received after he had her husband murdered. Around 1080 another church was consecrated on this spot. The present church was started in the 1170s under bishop Absalon.

Construction lasted for more than 100 years, and the body of the church was completed in 1280. Over the years, additions have been made, up to 1985. In 1995, Roskilde Cathedral was admitted to the UNESCO World Heritage list.

 

 

The King’s Door – Used by royal guests as an exit (Photo by Moniek Bloks)

 

Trolle’s Chapel – Tombs of King Frederick IV’s second wife Sophie Reventlow and three of their children (Photo by Moniek Bloks)

 

(Photo by Moniek Bloks)

 

Tomb of King Frederick VIII and his wife Louise of Sweden (Photo by Moniek Bloks)

 

Tomb of King Christian IX and his wife Louise of Hesse-Kassel (Photo by Moniek Bloks)

 

Tombs of King Christian X and his wife Alexandrina of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (Photo by Moniek Bloks)

 

(Photo by Moniek Bloks)

 

(Photo by Moniek Bloks)

 

Tomb of Anne Catherine of Brandenburg (wife of King Christian IV)

 

Tomb of King Christian IV (Photo by Moniek Bloks)

 

Tomb of Christian, Prince Elect (Photo by Moniek Bloks)

 

Tomb of King Frederick III (Photo by Moniek Bloks)

 

Tomb of Sophie Amalie of Brunswick-Calenberg, wife of King Frederick III (Photo by Moniek Bloks)

 

Tombs of Just Juel and the Bielke family (Photo by Moniek Bloks)

 

Tombs of Just Juel and the Bielke family (Photo by Moniek Bloks)

 

Tombs of Just Juel and the Bielke family (Photo by Moniek Bloks)

 

Tomb of Queen Margrethe I of Denmark (Photo by Moniek Bloks)

 

Tomb of Queen Margrethe I of Denmark (Photo by Moniek Bloks)

 

Tomb of Christopher, Queen Margrethe I’s brother with four royal tombs behind him (Photo by Moniek Bloks)

 

Tomb of Charlotte Amalie of Hesse-Kassel, wife of King Christian V (Photo by Moniek Bloks)

 

(Photo by Moniek Bloks)

 

Juliana Maria of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel, second Queen of King Frederick V (Photo by Moniek Bloks)

 

Tomb of Louise of Great Britain, first wife of King Frederick V (Photo by Moniek Bloks)

 

Tomb of King Christian VII (Photo by Moniek Bloks)

 

Tomb of Marie of Hesse-Kassel, wife of King Frederick VI (Photo by Moniek Bloks)

 

Tomb of King Frederick V (Photo by Moniek Bloks)

 

Tombs of King Christian VIII (left), Sophie Magdalene of Brandenburg-Kulmbach (back) and Caroline Amalie of Schleswig-Holstein (right) (Photo by Moniek Bloks)

 

Tombs of King Christian VIII (left), Sophie Magdalene of Brandenburg-Kulmbach (back) and Caroline Amalie of Schleswig-Holstein (right) (Photo by Moniek Bloks)

 

Tomb of Eleonor Green, wife of Prince Viggo, Count of Rosenborg (Photo by Moniek Bloks)

 

Tombs of Princess Marie of Orleans (left), Prince Valdemar of Denmark (middle) and Princess Margrethe of Denmark (right)(Photo by Moniek Bloks)

 

(Photo by Moniek Bloks)

 

Chapel of the Magi with the tombs of King Christian I, Dorothea of Brandenburg, King Christian III, Dorothea of Saxe-Lauenburg, King Frederick II and Sophie of Mecklenburg-Güstrow (Photo by Moniek Bloks)

 

Door to the underground crypt – once housed the remains of Empress Maria Feodorovna (Photo by Moniek Bloks)

 

(Photo by Moniek Bloks)

 

Grave of King Frederick IX and Ingrid of Sweden (Photo by Moniek Bloks)

Roskilde Cathedral is the main burial church for the Danish monarchs and some other Danish royals. As such, it is home to several magnificent monuments.