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Hallgrimskirkja, Reykjavik

4.4

#1 of 1,207 in Things to do in Iceland

Church Tourist Spot Must See

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An unusual-looking church, the design of Hallgrimskirkja was inspired by the forms created when lava cools into basalt rock. The church was designed by Gudjon Samuel in 1937 and constructed between 1945 and 1986. The tower, at 73 m (239.5 ft) tall, dominates Reykjavik's skyline. The view from the top looks out over the entire city, plus the rocky, volcanic landscape and the sea beside the capital. Inside the church, listen to the melodies wafting from the enormous, 25-ton pipe organ. A statue of Leifur Ericsson, the first European to reach America, stands directly outside the strange edifice. A visit to Hallgrimskirkja represents just the start of the adventure when you use our Reykjavik online travel route planner to plot your vacation.

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Hallgrimskirkja Reviews

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TripAdvisor Traveler Rating

21,146 reviews

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4.5

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5.0

225 likes

• By jcole2017

  Great views from the top of a beautiful church. Quick line (price reasonable) and church is free just to wander.  more »

• By cnb134

  Well, it is interesting and as plain inside as outside... worth a quick visit while you are walking around Reykjavik... not included in the walking tour...  more »

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• By Dorota NM

  The church looks amazing and is perfectly placed in Reykjavik. It creates splendid landscapes from many places in the city. It is not so common to see such beautiful modern church.

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• By SeFok Chan

  Concrete in the service of God. The facade and some of the exterior of the church is made of concrete columns which seem to allude to Iceland's magmatic geology. They evoke the column wear basalts found in many places in Iceland. The shape of the facade reminds one of the front of a Viking boat. The interior of the church is rather plain and austere. It has however a magnificent organ. The beautiful sound of organ is a good reason to visit this church.

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