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St.Petersburg Cruise - Copenhagen Page |
Copenhagen for Roskilde, the Old Capital
Monday 17th September 2018
Up at 07:40 & kept the breakfast lighter. The coach trip was quick once we were out of Copenhagen’s not very dense but aggressively driven traffic & onto the motorway. The Viking Ship Museum was very impressive, with a film showing how they recovered the 5 vessels which had been used as blockships. It shows the archaeologists wallowing in mud behind a coffer dam, washing pieces of timber with the garden spray and numbering them. Then, soaking for decades in poly-ethylene glycol to replace the water soaked in them, before reconstructing them as best possible. They have researched how the ships were built & what tools were used, which they have reproduced to built replica Viking ships. The guide’s English was a bit limited, surprisingly considering nearly everyone speaks English & conducts business in it.
Roskilde Viking Museum
Reconstructed Dublin-built ship |
The Ropemaker's |
Building a ship using old style tools |
Copy of the recovered warship |
Warship bow end |
Warship rowlocks showing thickness |
Cargo ship stern |
Wide cargo ship |
Another cargo ship |
Reconstructed cargo |
Reconstructed bow |
Plan of a typical Viking village |
Then, to the cathedral, this Gothic version built by Bishop Absalom in the 12th century (& familiar to me from my history talks) in brick. It is light & airy, especially for its time. Danish monarchs are interred here in sarcophagi. Queen Margaret has already had hers made, although she is only 78. (Her husband died this February but was barbecued). We were not back until 2, so I had more to eat, stuffing vegetables as it is difficult to get one’s 5 handfulls. The Show Team show was too loud again & we walked out. The hour went on again tonight.
Roskilde Cathedral |
Roskilde Cathedral interior |
Original striking clock |
Tomb of Margaret 1st |
High altar |
Ceiling of tomb room |
Contact: Ken Baldry at 17 Gerrard Road, Islington, London N1 8AY +44(0)20 7359 6294 or e-mail him
URL: http://www.art-science.com/Tourism/Cruises/SP2018/CR1.html Last revised 1/10/2018 ©2015 Ken Baldry. All rights reserved.