Hallgrímskirkja Church in Reykjavík

Hallgrímskirkja is Reykjavík's most distinctive building. The tower of the Evangelical Lutheran parish church, which belongs to the Icelandic State Church, can be seen from almost anywhere in the city. Hallgrímskirkja is Iceland's largest church building and, after the Smáratorg tower, the second tallest building in the country. The church was designed in 1937 by Guðjón Samuel, who often drew inspiration for his buildings from the fascinating shapes that lava forms when it cools and solidifies. The white color is reminiscent of glaciers. The church was named after the Icelandic hymn writer Hallgrímur Pétursson.

The pipe organ of Hallgrímskirkja

A special feature of the church is the huge pipe organ, which was designed and built by German organ builder Johannes Klais from Bonn. The impressive 15-meter-high, 25-ton organ is operated by four manuals and a pedal. The 102 rows, 72 stops, and 5,275 pipes were designed to fill the large, sacred space with impressive sounds—from gentle to dramatic. The organ was completed in December 1992 and has since been used for various recordings, for example by English organist and harpsichordist Christopher Herrick.

Leifur Eiriksson

In front of the church stands a statue of Leifur Eiriksson (circa 970–1020), the first European to discover America. Records suggest that Leifur landed on the shores of the New World as early as 1000 AD, 500 years before Christopher Columbus. The statue, designed by Alexander Stirling Calder, was a gift from the United States of America in honor of the Alþingi Millennial Festival in 1930, which commemorated the 1,000th anniversary of the establishment of the Icelandic Parliament in Þingvellir.

Construction of the church began in 1945. After 41 years of construction, the entire church was completed in 1986. The first part to be consecrated was the crypt beneath the choir room in 1948. The church tower was also completed long before the actual building. It was finished in 1974, together with the side wings. The nave was the last part to be consecrated, finally in 1986.

Hallgrímskirkja is located on Eiríksgata in Reykjavík. The easiest way to get there is to follow Route 49 (Hringbraut) into the city, then turn onto Njarðargata in front of University of Iceland Park. After 500 metres, turn right onto Eiríksgata to get to the church. As it is located on a hill, and visible from almost anywhere in the city, Hallgrímskirkja is easy to find.