Hallgrimskirkja
Church · Reykjavik
Hallgrímstorg 1, 101 Reykjavík, Iceland
Highlights
Hallgrímskirkja, Reykjavík’s striking 73m-tall modern cathedral, channels Iceland’s basalt landscapes with soaring views and a majestic organ.
Hallgrímskirkja, Reykjavík’s striking 73m-tall modern cathedral, channels Iceland’s basalt landscapes with soaring views and a majestic organ.
"Best chance to see the northern lights, with options for whale-watching tours and nearby hot springs." - Lydia Mansel Lydia Mansel Lydia Mansel is a writer with more than eight years of experience editing and writing for both brands and online publications—with a particular focus on travel, fashion, and lifestyle. She’s
"Hallgrímskirkja You can’t miss Hallgrímskirkja, Reykjavík ’s 240-foot-tall, rocket-shaped church, which soars above the city skyline and is illuminated at night. Designed by famed national architect Guðjón Samúelsson in 1937, and inspired less by outer space than by Iceland ’s picturesque basalt rock formations, the church took over 40 years to construct, finally opening in 1986. The statue outside the church doors is of Leifur Eiríksson, the first European to discover continental North America, 500 years before Christopher Columbus. The church interior is well worth a visit, if only to admire the giant organ, which has over 5,000 pipes and was designed and constructed by German organ builder Johannes Klais of Bonn. You can also take the elevatorto the church’s tower for magnificentviews over Reykjavík’s colorful rooftops."
"Hallgrímskirkja You can’t miss Hallgrímskirkja, Reykjavík ’s 240-foot-tall, rocket-shaped church, which soars above the city skyline and is illuminated at night. Designed by famed national architect Guðjón Samúelsson in 1937, and inspired less by outer space than by Iceland ’s picturesque basalt rock formations, the church took over 40 years to construct, finally opening in 1986. The statue outside the church doors is of Leifur Eiríksson, the first European to discover continental North America, 500 years before Christopher Columbus. The church interior is well worth a visit, if only to admire the giant organ, which has over 5,000 pipes and was designed and constructed by German organ builder Johannes Klais of Bonn. You can also take the elevatorto the church’s tower for magnificentviews over Reykjavík’s colorful rooftops."
"Hallgrímskirkja You can’t miss Hallgrímskirkja, Reykjavík ’s 240-foot-tall, rocket-shaped church, which soars above the city skyline and is illuminated at night. Designed by famed national architect Guðjón Samúelsson in 1937, and inspired less by outer space than by Iceland ’s picturesque basalt rock formations, the church took over 40 years to construct, finally opening in 1986. The statue outside the church doors is of Leifur Eiríksson, the first European to discover continental North America, 500 years before Christopher Columbus. The church interior is well worth a visit, if only to admire the giant organ, which has over 5,000 pipes and was designed and constructed by German organ builder Johannes Klais of Bonn. You can also take the elevatorto the church’s tower for magnificentviews over Reykjavík’s colorful rooftops."
"Settled by the Vikings in 870 AD, the once gable-fronted houses shifted to farm and Swiss chalet styles that still populate the city. But after a devastating fire in 1915, an Icelandic architect who had returned from Denmark had a vision for a more modern look, evident in the towering Hallgrimskirkja Church that sits in the middle of town."
