Roskilde Cathedral

Roskilde Cathedral
Danish: Roskilde Domkirke
View from the north-west
Map
55°38′34″N 12°4′48″E / 55.64278°N 12.08000°E / 55.64278; 12.08000
LocationRoskilde
CountryDenmark
DenominationChurch of Denmark
Previous denominationCatholic Church
Websitewww.roskildedomkirke.dk
History
StatusActive
DedicationVirgin Mary
(formerly St Lucius and the Holy Trinity)
Consecrated1225
Architecture
Functional statusCathedral
Heritage designationprotected monument 020410-79
Architect(s)Absalon, Peder Sunesen
StyleFrench Gothic, Dutch Renaissance, Neoclassicism, Byzantine Revival, Modernist
Groundbreakingc. 1170
Completed1636
Specifications
Length86 metres (282 ft)
Width27 metres (89 ft)
Height75.7 metres (248 ft)[1]
Number of towers2
Number of spires2
Administration
DioceseRoskilde
Clergy
Bishop(s)Ulla Thorbjørn Hansen
CriteriaCultural: ii, iv
Reference695
Inscription1995 (19th Session)

Roskilde Cathedral (Danish: Roskilde Domkirke), in the city of Roskilde on the island of Zealand (Sjælland) in eastern Denmark, is a cathedral of the Lutheran Church of Denmark.

The cathedral is one of the most important churches in Denmark, and the official royal burial church of the Danish monarchs. It is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This is due to two criteria: the architecture of the cathedral shows 800 years of European architectural styles, and it is one of the earliest examples in Scandinavia of a Gothic cathedral to be built in 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. 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 and the many added chapels show different architectural styles.

The cathedral is a major tourist attraction, bringing in over 165,000 visitors annually. Since 1995, it has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site due to its unique architecture. A working church, it also hosts concerts throughout the year.

  1. ^ "Roskilde Domkirke" (PDF) (in Danish). Historiefaget.dk. Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 September 2014. Retrieved 15 December 2014.

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