It contains primarily subdivisions with single family homes, but one of the three high schools in Roskilde, Himmelev Gymnasium, is also located the town.
The Norwegian owned liver paté factory Stryhn's is located in the northwestern part of Himmelev, close to Roskilde Fjord.
Veddelev lies slightly to the northwest on a peninsula extending into Roskilde fjord, leaving a narrow waterway of one kilometer extending to the southeast into a rectangular shaped area of the fjord of around 8 sq mi, which contains Roskilde harbor to the south.
Himmelev was located in Sømme Herred and emerged as a parish some time during the 12th century.
In 2003, it was decided to establish a new, 300 ha (740 acres) state forest north of Roskilde, partly to protect ground water resources.
In 2010 the first 141 ha of Himmerlev Forest had been planted by the Danish Nature Agency in collaboration with Københavns Energi (now HOFOR) and Roskilde Municipality.