Hallgrimskirkja

Hallgrimskirkja is the largest church in Iceland - its distinctive tower reaches 74.5 meters! The Lutheran building stands on Skólavörðuholt's hilltop, making it visible from different areas of the city. Commissioned in 1937 by Guðjón Samúelsson, the State Architect, the project started in 1945 and took 41 years to finish. Said to be inspired by the Icelandic landscape, the church can be categorized as Expressionist architecture. The statue of the explorer Leif Erikson (c.970 – c.1020) in front of the entrance actually predates the construction of the building. Sent over by the United States, the statue is a gift to commemorate the 1000th anniversary of the convening of Iceland's parliament at Þingvellir in 930 AD. If you are looking for panoramic views of the city, you can take the elevator or the stairs to the top of the tower; the cost for one adult is 1500 ISK (ca. 10.5€).