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The Viking Ship Museum, Roskilde
In the Once Capital of Denmark
Everywhere around Roskilde is so green — which is hardly surprising, considering there was water wherever I looked. Roskilde sits on the shore of Roskilde Fjord, which seems to have an almost infinite number of bays and inlets, and connects to the sea by a narrow channel. It’s easy to understand why the Vikings became seafaring people, for travelling over the water was a way of life.
In turn, Roskilde could be just as easily invaded from the sea. With the city being a major hub for viking land and sea routes, and also the capital of Denmark from the 11th C, the prize of conquest was great. Within the narrow waterways, the channels could easily be blocked to hinder invaders. Beacons once stood on the hills surrounding the fjord, ready to be lit at the first sighting of invaders. There are even burial mounds in the surrounding hills.
Around the year 1070, five Viking ships were deliberately scuttled not far from Roskilde at Skuldelev, forming a barricade to protect the city from the sea. These included both longboats used for warfare and wider trading vessels. Once sunk, they were long forgotten until being rediscovered…
