Roskilde
Walk through Danish history and one of the biggest festivals in Northern Europe
The former royal city of Roskilde is located about 30 kilometers from Copenhagen on the island of Zealand. Until 1455 the city was the royal capital of Denmark and an important church seat.
Roskilde Cathedral
The most important building in the city is the Gothic cathedral from the 13th century. Roskilde Cathedral has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1995. 38 Danish kings are buried there. The different tombs reflect the styles of the individual centuries.
Viking ship museum
Finds from the Roskildefjord are exhibited in the halls. These are long ships that were discovered in 1957. They are probably around 1000 years old and were sunk in the fjord to prevent enemy ships from passing through. Researchers have reconstructed the findings accordingly.
Roskilde today
The city has long been an important trading center, but it has retained a hospitable identity. There is a lively student scene and there is a large, colorful market twice a week. The hospitality becomes particularly evident during the
Roskilde Festival
One of the largest music festivals in Northern Europe has been held here once a year since 1971. Up to 115,000 visitors take part in the event with rock, pop, metal and electronic music. The festival is organized by volunteers and the profits are donated to charitable organizations.
Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek
There are two extraordinarily impressive collections that distinguish the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek: one that focuses on modern art and one with antique collections.
Anyone who is always traveling in Denmark, whether alone, as a couple or as part of a study trip, should definitely make a detour to Copenhagen. The capital is full of sights, with the Glyptotek being one of the unrestricted special features.
It starts with the sight of the imposing museum, built by the architect Vilhelm Dahlerup in 1888 and expanded a little later by his colleague Hack Kampmann. The old and the new wing were connected by an airy glass dome. Under this glass vault is an inviting winter garden with subtropical plants and a splashing fountain, where visitors can take a break. Which is absolutely recommended given the variety of works of art.
The Etruscan collection alone, which is otherwise only available in this abundance in Italy, plus the Roman, Egyptian and Greek sculptures from 3000 BC. until 500 AD make the heart of every art lover beat faster. These treasures are undoubtedly the heart of the antique department. 3500 years of history and art come to life here in an impressive way. The modern art section makes the visitor similarly breathless.
The museum has the largest collection of August Rodin’s work outside of France. In addition, all of Edgar Degas’ bronzes can be seen. The modern collection is rounded off with paintings and sculptures from the 19th and 20th centuries. Paintings by van Gogh, Gauguin, Toulouse-Lautrec, Cézanne, Edouard Manet and Claude Monet hang here.
We owe the Glyptotek to Carl Jacobsen, owner of the Carlsberg Brewery, and his wife Ottilia. Both were enthusiastic art collectors and made the Glyptothek in Munich with its sculpture collection a model for their museum. Today the house, which is famous far beyond Denmark’s borders, is financed by the Carlsberg Foundation and a contribution is made for every bottle of Carlsberg beer.
Skagen
The charming port city of Skagen is located on the far northern tip of Denmark, in the North Jutland region. The city has Denmark’s largest fishing port and, with its marina, is a popular destination for recreational captains. The harbor promenade is lined with a number of traditional packing houses, which today are home to fish restaurants. Freshly caught fish of any kind comes straight to your plate. The old town with its distinctive yellow houses houses small shops, art galleries and workshops with handicrafts. The 34-meter-high water tower with its viewing platform, which can be reached via 120 steps, promises a comprehensive panoramic view of the city and the surrounding area.
About painters and bunkers – Skagen’s museums
A visit to Skagen’s museums is a must for study travelers. First and foremost is the Skagens Museum, which has 1,900 works of art by famous Skagen painters. The Natural History Museum offers interesting exhibitions that illustrate the connections between wildlife, nature and geology around Skagen. A little outside the city, the Skagen Bunker Museum provides information about the bunkers of the German Atlantic Wall, which are omnipresent in this region. Just a few steps further, a permanent exhibition in the Grenen Art Museum shows works by the Skagen painter Axel Lind.
Skagens lighthouses – the signposts for seafaring
The geographically exposed location of Skagen made it necessary to build several lighthouses. Particularly noticeable is the White Tower from 1747, which, however, is no longer in use as a beacon. The gray lighthouse, built in 1858, is one of the tallest lighthouses in Denmark at 46 meters. 210 steps separate the traveler from an unforgettable view.
Grenen – where the North Sea meets the Baltic Sea
A few kilometers north of the city of Skagen, on the Grenen headland, the Skagerrak as part of the North Sea and the Kattegat as part of the Baltic Sea meet. This meeting creates significant currents that many seafarers underestimate. For this reason there is an absolute bathing ban at this point, but this does not detract from the natural spectacle.
