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All Iceland Reykjavik Hallgrimskirkja

Hallgrimskirkja

One of the tallest buildings in Iceland, and perhaps, the most visually impressive.

Reykjavik, Iceland

Added By
Damien Day
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Hallgrimskirkja   dvdhaven on Flickr
Hallgrimskirkja   User submitted
Hallgrimskirkja   User submitted
Hallgrimskirkja   User submitted
View from the top.   User submitted
Hallgrimskirkja   User submitted
Hallgrimskirkja   michelle / Atlas Obscura User
View from the clocktower.   michelle / Atlas Obscura User
Organ   michelle / Atlas Obscura User
  kaskalaga / Atlas Obscura User
Hallgrimskirkja shoots up like a rocket on the distant horizon   mocchiatto / Atlas Obscura User
  Mathew Browne / PhotoHound
  Fred Cherrygarden / Atlas Obscura User
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Winter Morning  
June 2016   theresia / Atlas Obscura User
June 2016   theresia / Atlas Obscura User
June 2016   theresia / Atlas Obscura User
View from tower at sunset   Dr Alan P Newman / Atlas Obscura User
Sunrise.   Dr Alan P Newman / Atlas Obscura User
Exlosed re-bars during repairs to columns either side of the tower in 2017   Dr Alan P Newman / Atlas Obscura User
Interior looking towards the entrance   eliauw / Atlas Obscura User
Hallgrimskirkja’s façade at night   nordkin / Atlas Obscura User
A view from the Hallgrimskirkja bell tower   nordkin / Atlas Obscura User
  drunktankpink / Atlas Obscura User
  haley strong / Atlas Obscura User
Hallgrimskirkja, by Alan Tigwell   Bearded Zombie / Atlas Obscura User
Hallgrimskirkja, by Alan Tigwell   Bearded Zombie / Atlas Obscura User
Hallgrimskirkja   Dominikus / Atlas Obscura User
At night   ssheppard3 / Atlas Obscura User
Hallgrimskirkja interior   mxhurley01 / Atlas Obscura User
  mxhurley01 / Atlas Obscura User
  Devin San Luis / Atlas Obscura User
With Leif Eriksson   quitos123 / Atlas Obscura User
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Hallgrimskirkja July 2017   Kara Davis / Atlas Obscura User
Hallgrimskirkja July 2017   Kara Davis / Atlas Obscura User
Hallgrimskirkja July 2017   Kara Davis / Atlas Obscura User
Hallgrimskirkja July 2017   Kara Davis / Atlas Obscura User
Hallgrimskirkja July 2017   Kara Davis / Atlas Obscura User
  sandush / Atlas Obscura User
  sandush / Atlas Obscura User
Hallgrimskirkja at New Year   DanHoroTravelMemories / Atlas Obscura User
Hallgrimskirkja at sunset   DanHoroTravelMemories / Atlas Obscura User
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View from tower   sandush / Atlas Obscura User
The church at night   Klara / Atlas Obscura User
View from the top   revelrybecomesher / Atlas Obscura User
  Mathew Browne / PhotoHound
20 Apr 2024 View from the Front door   Ragnar of Ballard / Atlas Obscura User
Hallgimskirkja   mosiondz / Atlas Obscura User
  Gogostevie / Atlas Obscura User
June 19, 2023   alittlebrowndog / Atlas Obscura User
  Julius Spada / Atlas Obscura User
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Hallgrimskirkja   Jaszmina Szendrey / Atlas Obscura User
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About

Rising 244 feet above the streets of Reykjavik is Hallgrimskirkja. The building is situated in the capital city’s center and has become one of Reykjavik’s best-known symbols.

The Lutheran church has a stylized concrete exterior inspired by the distinctive basalt formations found throughout Iceland, such as the waterfall Svartifoss. This gives the building an appearance more akin to a spaceship than a place of worship and makes it a unique feature of Reykjavik’s skyline. Although construction began in 1945, the church took 38 years to build, as many parts of the church were consecrated and in use at different times.

Besides its stunning exterior, its most famous feature inside is a huge organ that was built in Germany in 1992, boasting 5,275 pipes. It is 15 meters tall and weighs 25 tons. Along with an exploration of the inside of the Hallgrimskirkja, the bell tower, which is accessible via an elevator, provides the best views in the city.

A hidden gem is the large stained glass window above the church entrance. From the outside the window isn't done justice, it's only when you see it with natural backlight that you really see its beauty. The window is on the tower's second floor, accessible through stairs on the right-hand side of the entrance.

There is also a statue of Leif Ericksson in front of the church, a gift from the United States in 1930. The statue predates the actual construction of the church and was given to Iceland in commemoration of the 1000 year anniversary of Althingy, the Icelandic parliament at Thingvellir in 930A.D.

Perhaps the best time of year to see Hallgrimskirkja is New Year's Eve. Icelanders and tourists alike gather in the square in front of the church to count down towards midnight and welcome in the New Year.

A huge fireworks display takes places all across Reykjavik, with a particular focus above Hallgrimskirkja. The results are spectacular and the church really comes alive, illuminated by the dazzling colours.

Related Tags

Music Architectural Oddities Sacred Spaces Architecture

Know Before You Go

There is an admission fee for the tower, which is only accessible via a lift. It is ISK 1,000 (Icelandic króna) for adults and ISK 100 for children, which is payable at the church's gift shop.

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Community Contributors

Added By

Dampo

Edited By

michelle, hrnick, helloJay, Dr Alan P Newman...

  • michelle
  • hrnick
  • helloJay
  • Dr Alan P Newman
  • amaranthine
  • theresia
  • borg
  • allisont13
  • keslar
  • Fred Cherrygarden
  • DanHoroTravelMemories
  • Jaszmina Szendrey
  • atimian
  • eliauw
  • jrc2692
  • morgicorgi
  • thegenxjourney
  • ssheppard3
  • nordkin
  • Bearded Zombie
  • Ragnar of Ballard
  • Klara
  • drunktankpink
  • mxhurley01
  • Dominikus
  • haley strong
  • newspath
  • quitos123
  • Kara Davis
  • chocolateyclaire
  • sandush
  • mocchiatto
  • Luka Esenko
  • mathewbrowne
  • Devin San Luis
  • alittlebrowndog
  • jyackabonis
  • Julius Spada
  • Gogostevie
  • kaskalaga
  • mosiondz
  • revelrybecomesher

Published

November 15, 2014

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  • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hallgr%C3%ADmskirkja
  • https://horotravelmemories.com/new-year-2021-in-iceland/
Hallgrimskirkja
4 Eiríksgata
Reykjavik, 101
Iceland
64.141715, -21.926637
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