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Roskilde ) in east Denmark. The municipality covers an area of 81 km², and has a total population of 54,372 (2005). Its mayor is Bjørn Dahl, a member of the Venstre (Liberal Party) political party.

It is also the name of the municipality's main city, and the site of its municipal council.

Neighboring municipalities are Greve to the southeast, Høje-Taastrup to the east, Gundsø to the northeast, Lejre to the west, and Ramsø to the south. To the west is Roskilde Fjord.

By January 1, 2007 Roskilde municipality will, as the result of i ("The Municipality Reform" of 2007), be merged with existing Gundsø and Ramsø municipalities to form the new Roskilde municipality.

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Roskilde is an ancient city, and was the capital of Denmark until about 1400, when that role transferred to 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. Built in the 12th and 13th centuries, it was first Gothic cathedral to be built of brick and its construction encouraged the spread of this throughout northern Europe. The cathedral is the burial site for Danish monarchs and is a major tourist attraction attracting over 125,000 visitors annually. Since 1995 the cathedral has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. A working church, it also hosts concerts throughout the year.

Another attraction in the city is the Viking Ship Museum (i). The centrepieces of its collection are the well-preserved remains of five viking ships, excavated from nearby Roskilde Fjord in the late 1960s. The ships were scuttled there in the 11th century to block a navigation channel, thus protecting the city which was then the Danish capital, from seaborne assault. The museum also undertakes research in experimental archaeology centred on Viking shipbuilding and seaworthiness.

In the 20th century, Roskilde became a university city; Roskilde University (Danish: i

Since 1971 the Roskilde Festival, a rock music festival, has been held annually on the fairgrounds near Roskilde. It has grown to become one of the biggest rockpop festivals in Europe. The fairgrounds are also the site of regionally popular agricultural and animal exhibitions, as well as large flea markets.

The town boasts an expansive, central walking street (i) with a myriad of shops, restaurants and cafes. The Roskilde train station is a major stop between Copenhagen and the rest of the country west of the capital.