Roskilde (population 52,572) is an ancient city in Denmark, situated in the island of Zealand, 30 km west of Copenhagen.
The city's early importance is evident from the fact that the Roskilde cathedral was the only cathedral in Zealand until the 20th century. At the Reformation in 1536, the Bishop's residence was moved to Copenhagen, and he from then on held the title of 'Bishop of Zealand'.
The cathedral, dating from the late Middle Ages, in the Gothic style, is the burial place for most Danish kings and queens. For this reason, several royal burial chapels have been added to the building, somewhat changing its appearance. (See Margaret I of Denmark.) The cathedral is a major tourist attraction. Another attraction is the museum that exposes the reconstruction of some viking ships of the 13th century.
In the 20th century, Roskilde became a university city; Roskilde University (Danish: Roskilde Universitetscenter) was founded in 1972.
Since 1971, a pop music festival has been held annually in the vicinity of Roskilde, the Roskilde Festival. It has grown to become one of the biggest pop festivals in Europe.