Roskilde Cathedral World Heritage Center
Client:
ROMU. Donation by the A.P. Moller Foundation, the Augustinus Foundation, the City of Roskilde, the Ministry of Culture, Dronning Margrethes og Prins Henriks Fond, and Fondsorganisationen Kulturarv Roskilde Domkirke
Size:
1,025 m2
Program:
Transformation and restoration of royal palace into world heritage center for the UNESCO world heritage site, Roskilde Cathedral, including exhibition spaces, ticket office and museum shop, work spaces, educational and creative learning spaces and café connected to the palace garden
Collaborators:
Arcgency, Drachmann Arkitekter, Artelia and Niels Mellergaard
Roskilde Cathedral World Heritage Center unites the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Roskilde Cathedral, the neighboring Royal Palace, and the city of Roskilde into one coherent cultural experience. Clear axes and new connections naturally guide visitors through the site, linking the listed Baroque architecture with vibrant urban spaces. The Baroque serves as the overarching design concept in the project. The site’s hierarchy has been carefully preserved, bringing forward the inherent qualities of the place with every intervention firmly rooted in history.
Built in the 12th and 13th centuries, Roskilde Cathedral is Scandinavia's first Gothic cathedral. It has been the mausoleum of the Danish royal family since the 15th century. Over the past 800 years, the cathedral has evolved with new chapels added over time, creating a rich, layered architectural experience. The nave serves as a unifying space with distinct side chapels, each with its own architecture, story, and character. Similarly, the neighboring Royal Palace brings together the Gatehouse (Portbygningen), the West Wing (Vestfløjen), the Main Building (Hovedbygningen), and the Palace Garden (Palæhaven) - four unique spaces, each with its own proportions, colors, materials, and hierarchy.
The Royal Palace’s distinct character is revealed through a conservation strategy rooted in its proportions, materials, and architectural hierarchy. Historic traces are made visible and interpreted through Baroque principles, creating a shared architectural language across time. Like the cathedral’s nave, which unites the cathedral's diverse chapels, the Palace courtyard becomes a gathering space for buildings of different character and scale. Rather than smoothing out differences, the project highlights them, allowing each place its own voice and ensuring the World Heritage Center is experienced as a living, layered, and engaging museum.
The Gatehouse (Portbygningen) is the welcoming entrance to the World Heritage Center, guiding visitors from the main axis into the Palace courtyard and the Cathedral’s presence. Inside, ticketing, museum shop, and café create an intuitive, engaging flow.
The West Wing (Vestfløjen) links the Royal Palace and Roskilde Cathedral. A new vertical perspective through the floor above frames the Cathedral spire and reinterprets a characteristic Baroque element: the ceiling painting. The visitors are guided through spaces for exhibitions, installations, and interactive experiences. Muted historic colors and traditional materials create an intuitive flow, while upper floors provide staff facilities and visual connections that bring the building to life.
The Main Building (Hovedbygningen) brings royal history to life, from absolutism to today, through immersive exhibitions where the architecture itself tells the story. High-ceilinged enfilade rooms, historic materials, and carefully chosen colors guide visitors, while flexible displays and quiet spaces allow reflection. Here, building, objects, and history come together in a rich, engaging experience.