Denmark part V - Roskilde
One of Denmark’s oldest towns, Roskilde is probably most famous for its annual wild rock festival. What drew me to town, however, was another must-see World Heritage site, Roskilde Cathedral. The Cathedral is an imposing structure and houses the graves of Danish monarchs through the last millennium, from Viking king Harald Bluetooth to the parents of present-day Queen Margrethe.
Roskilde is also home to a creative interactive Viking Ship Museum. The Danes have made much out of their relatively modest Viking Ships. Opportunities to take to the waters in replica Viking ships, workshops, Viking clothes to try on, Viking board games to play and much more. Excellent for educational purposes. And fun!
Oslo, on the other hand, also home of a Viking Ship Museum… well, the Norwegian ships are more impressive – much more impressive.
Danish Viking ship
Oseberg Ship in Oslo
Oseberg photo by anthologist on flickr
But apart from exhibiting the ships and artefacts found on them, nothing much is done. No opportunities to be a Viking, to feel how they lived. The gift shop, if you can call it that, comprises a few books behind the cash register. That’s it. (Although the specially built museum building in Oslo is cool.)
In contrast, the museum in Roskilde has a large browse-around gift shop with a good selection of Norwegian items, ironically. Could probably use some of those Danish marketing skills up north.
Tags: Blogsherpa, Denmark, Europe, Oslo, Roskilde, Travel with children, UNESCO World Heritage Sites, Viking Ships
