Sten i Skomagergade - historic walking route in Roskilde

Stændertorvet: a benefactor, a fountain and a merchant’s courtyard

The walk begins on Stændertorvet. Its 15 numbered stops follow the historical paving stones from the square into Skomagergade. Some stories concern buildings still shaping the street, while others reveal traces of the town beneath the pavement.

1. The town’s great benefactor

Weaver and merchant O.H. Schmeltz bought Stændertorvet 6 in 1864 and became a major benefactor of Roskilde. His money supported the town hall, the fountain and, later, Byparken. He left his fortune to the town with one unusual condition: none of it could support sport, on land or water.

2. The fountain

The fountain was donated by Schmeltz in 1895. Architect Mørk-Hansen took its roses and eagle heads from Roskilde’s medieval coat of arms. In 1908, the building dividing Rådhustorvet and Nytorv was demolished, creating a connected square and opening up the view towards Roskilde Cathedral.

3. The merchant’s property at Stændertorvet 2

Peder Kornerup established this merchant’s business in 1750. Later owned by the Borch family, the property stretched as far as Bredgade. It combined a home, shop and inn with farm buildings, a distillery, brewery and timber business, reflecting the merchants’ importance in the town’s economy and civic life.

Around Gullandsstræde: medieval care, bathhouses and Prinsessen

4. Helligåndshuset at Skomagergade 2

In medieval towns, charitable institutions cared for poor, sick and elderly people. In 1253, Bishop Jacob Erlandsen gave land, a mill and church revenues to support a House of the Holy Spirit in central Roskilde. It stood west of Skt. Laurentii Kirke until the end of the Middle Ages.

5. Gullandsstræde

The street’s earlier name, Dampestræde, points to medieval bathhouses. Alongside bathing, these offered services such as hair care and bloodletting. The name Gullandsstræde came from an inn called Gulland. Several half-timbered houses and brewery buildings disappeared when the street was widened in 1951, although old outbuildings from the merchant’s property survived.

6. Prinsessen at Skomagergade 1

This corner building dates from 1878 and was commissioned by brewer N.P. Nielsen. Its architect, Ove Petersen, also designed Hotel Prindsen. Resembling the larger hotel, the house became known as Prinsessen, “the Princess”. Nielsen lived here with his family and operated a brewery in the buildings along Gullandsstræde.

Along Skomagergade: coaching days, buried paving and the executioner

7. The old posting inn at Skomagergade 15

Hamburg Herberg was built here after the fire of 1735. From 1780 it also handled mail and passenger transport, becoming known as Postgården. Hans Christian Andersen stayed here. The railway’s arrival in 1847 changed travel patterns, and the post office later moved nearer the station. The old building was demolished in 1964.

8. The earliest paving at Skomagergade 19

About two metres below street level lies paving thought to date from the 12th century. It was made from tufa, a porous limestone deposited by springs. Traffic crushed its surface, and later road surfaces used other stones. These buried layers record successive stages in the street’s history.

9. The town executioner at Skomagergade 26

Roskilde’s executioner lived here from 1719 to 1808. The office involved executions and other official punishments. Its final holder was the widow of Johan Ingemann. She did not carry out the work herself but arranged for Copenhagen’s executioner to do it. The Roskilde office ended after her death.

10. Karen Olsdatters Stræde

Karen’s identity remains unknown. A property assessment from 1682 names the street as Karen Olufsdatters Stræde, and its route dates back to medieval Roskilde. During excavations in 1981, Roskilde Museum found an older street reinforced with woven branches about a metre and a half below the present surface.

Towards the western end: citizens, churches and shoemakers

11. Dyer Svane at Skomagergade 36

Master dyer Th. Hagedorn Svane had this house built in 1836. Active in local politics, he helped establish a savings bank and represented Roskilde in the provincial assembly for the Danish islands. A swan-shaped weather vane sits on the rear building, once his dye works.

12. Countess Danner at Skomagergade 40

Louise Rasmussen lodged with candle maker Hancke in 1839. Printer Carl Berling arranged her accommodation while following the provincial assembly’s political debates in Roskilde. She later married King Frederik VII and received the title Countess Danner.

13. Skt. Budolfi Kirke at Skomagergade 31

This medieval church stood near the corner of Ringstedgade. It is thought to have been built around 1100 and demolished after a fire in 1523. Remains of the tufa-built church lie beneath paving and an adjoining property. The protected ruins have not been fully excavated.

14. A canon’s residence at Skomagergade 46

When King Christian I founded the Chapel of the Magi in Roskilde Cathedral in 1459, he also bought a home for its canon, a member of the cathedral clergy. The property beside Blågårdsstræde included an orchard and fishpond. The house was demolished in or shortly after 1642.

15. The shoemakers’ street

The final stop explains Skomagergade’s name. In the 14th century, 21 master shoemakers lived and worked here. Their guild regulated standards and competition between members. It also provided a social safety net, supporting members and their families in times of illness or bereavement.