Hallgrímskirkja

Introduction

Hallgrimskirkja is the defining feature of Reykjavik's skyline and the largest church in Iceland, standing on Skolavorduholt hill at the top of the Skolavorduigur shopping street and visible from almost every corner of the centre - the city's best orientation point. Commissioned from state architect Gudjon Samuelsson in 1937, construction began on 29 August 1945 and the completed church was consecrated on 26 October 1986, forty-one years in all, with the choir crypt already in use from 1948. The church puts the tower at 73 metres, the highest public vantage point in central Reykjavik. The stepped concrete exterior, usually read as Expressionist, evokes Iceland's columnar basalt, mountains and glaciers; the church is named for Hallgrimur Petursson, the 17th-century Lutheran pastor and poet of the Passion Hymns. The interior is spare and white, a sharp contrast with the dramatic exterior; the west end is dominated by the pipe organ built by Johannes Klais of Bonn in 1992 - 15 metres tall, about 25 tonnes, 5,275 pipes and 72 stops, the largest instrument in Iceland. It was funded by donations, and individuals could 'adopt' individual pipes, with certificates still sold in the church shop. The statue of Leifur Eiriksson in front, by Alexander Stirling Calder and a 1930 gift from the United States marking the millennium of Iceland's parliament, predates the church itself. Entry is free; the tower observation deck lift is ticketed separately at about 1,000 ISK. The nave is wheelchair accessible, and both nave and tower may close for services, weddings, funerals and concerts, so check on-site notices or the church website before visiting.

✨ Highlights

🛈 Practical Info