Gl. Vor Frue Kirke, Roskilde

Was here for a concert with the choir Hermia who had done a whole concert based on Leonardo da Vinci who was born 500 years ago. The choir sings without musical accompaniment and with many voices - more than I can count. It also made excellent use of the church space by changing the arrangement from in front of the altar to at the end of the aisles. A wonderful choir experience in a wonderful old church room. Except that I did not show in advance that the concert was not sponsored by the local congregation, like the one in Slangerup Church this summer. So that's why I was surprised to have to pay an entrance fee of DKK 150 per person, and that a glass of wine during the break cost DKK 30 - maybe not quite restaurant prices, but it's close.

A beautiful three-nave ashlar church, which was built around the year 1080 by Roskilde bishop Svend Nordmand. Around 1160, a Cistercian nunnery was built south of the church, whose nuns came from Zealand's richest families. In 1177, Bishop Absalon had his relative, the local saint Margrethe of Højelse, buried at the church. Crowds of pilgrims made pilgrimages here and their gifts made the church powerful and prosperous. Throughout the Middle Ages, the building was both expanded and rebuilt several times. After the Reformation in 1536, the monastery was closed down and around the year 1600, first the monastery and then the choir were demolished. The current appearance stems from the series of restorations carried out in the years around 1850. Part of the church's inventory consists of objects that have been preserved from the 17th century