Today is all about the town Roskilde and it threw plenty of surprises at me!
Out the hostel having had my usual DIY breakfast in bed.....a money saver in most countries so far.
Then with my day pack on I'm back to the station for the 9.03 train to Roskilde a short trip but one that the interrail pass includes, I can't wait to disclose the complete milage I've covered using the pass!
With only a 20 minute trip I'm in Roskilde before my planned first stop is open so I'm off straight to the Viking ship museum!
A short walk through the town to the harbour on the Roskilde fjord through the now expected immaculate danish town.... I could live in this country quite happily!
With one comedy restaurant name!
Hopefully not denoting the class of it's customers! 😁.... The sanity would suit me tho!
For once it's actually an overcast day so when I see the fyord, it casts a feeling I expect for a place which would have fought many a war on these waters and the seas and lands beyond...
banners flying and shields and axes stowed long ships like this fought from and for these waters
this one is of course a modern reconstruction called the sea stallion it was made to test the building skills employed by the Danish going Viking! And in 2007 it sailed across the north sea and around the UK to Dublin from this very port!
https://youtu.be/ZqbiJh--wAs?si=Wpww55k3oBUkD59o
At its height Roskilde was the capital of Denmark..... Something I learnt this morning! (Schmetterling!!!!)
And has repelled many an attack the boats and ships in this museum are evidence of that all 6 were found in the fyord where they had been deliberately sunk to for invading ships to runaground on!!
this one ^ was a warship it's girth showing that it was designed for speed unlike the more bulky cargo ships...
but all were indeed Viking vessels.
And the restoration/preservation of these was a slow process but historically significant as it showed the construction methods employed and the tools used 1000 years ago
similar methods now being used at the museum to improve the understanding of the skills woods and materials used, for instance the sails of Viking ships were either made of linen or unbelievably wool!!
Both of course treated to keep them dry, wool was indeed a surprise to me .. but they wouldn't have had many options!
Surprisingly no mention of figureheads on danish boats!
Though they did have intricately cut metal weather vanes!
this one shows the lion of Denmark fighting of a serpent and another mythical beast.
Following the wind that blows my heels I wander towards the town cathedral, I should probably call it city?
Through a nice little park with an artificial steam leading me in my desired direction I glimpse the sun glinting between the two spires of the cathedral.... Not one to miss an eye of sauron photo opportunity.....
I head towards the main an impressive front doors!
I'm not sure of the age but the leaflet claims it was built in the 1200's replacing an earlier church that had replaced a wooden church built by Harald Bluetooth!
One thing is certain it's a properly royal building! With at least 40 kings and queens laid to rest here! And the next royal death has already been prepared for with a glass tomb built but hidden away from the eye before it's put into use For queen Margerthe the second...
only a handle is visible in the glass case to the left, tho in the museum above it's beautiful casket is shown
impressive!
I'll show a few royal tombs now and hope I add the correct royals names!
Christian 9th and Queen Louise
Fredrik 8th and Queen Louise
A popular queen name!
Not just royalty here with one Chapel set aside for the Trolle family
On the door visible to the right is the image of a troll.... The founder of the Trolle family claimed to have killed a troll! Who are we to argue!
The general architecture of the cathedral is rather beautiful without being excessive pastel hues adorning the walls and ceilings!
so much nicer than gilt everything!!!
Back into town I head for my originally first objective pushing through the pretty and as always here clean town square!
My objective had been to get my Danish souvenir which I had intended to be a coin from the Viking age....
Though with better knowledge of where I am and what history has forged here I opt for a silver penny from 1252-59 of king Christopher the first, almost certainly minted within the monastery only a few hundred yards from where I bought it!
showing Rex on this side...
A perfect representation of my visit!
And an equally pleasing way to leave the city..
Back to Copenhagen I get some groceries and hit the dorm, to relax for the evening.... This turns rapidly into sleep, I have a lot of energy to recoup!
eventually as we near Stockholm small towns and agricultural land was passed through before reaching our destination of Stockholm.... It seems Sweden is as clean as Denmark! 
no matter where you are the big man always dominates doesn't he!
