Hallgrímskirkja, Lutheran church in Reykjavík, Iceland
Hallgrímskirkja is a Lutheran church in Reykjavík whose slender tower rises 74 meters (243 feet) above the capital. The symmetrical concrete wings echo the shape of basalt columns found along the Icelandic coast.
The architect Guðjón Samúelsson designed this church in the 1930s, but construction only began in 1945 and stretched across four decades. Its completion in 1986 made it one of the longest building projects in Iceland.
This place is named after Hallgrímur Pétursson, a 17th-century poet whose hymns remain part of Icelandic devotion. The name connects the building to a long literary and religious thread in the country.
An elevator takes visitors to the observation platform, which offers wide views over Reykjavík and the sea beyond. The church opens most days and draws many people around midday.
Inside stand two large pipe organs, with the bigger one holding over 5000 pipes and reaching 15 meters (49 feet) in height. Concerts on these instruments draw both locals and travelers.
Location: Reykjavík
Inception: 1986
Architects: Guðjón Samúelsson
Official opening: October 26, 1986
Architectural style: Gothic Revival, expressionist architecture
Height: 74 m
Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible
Opening Hours: Monday-Saturday 11:00-15:00; Sunday 10:00-15:00
Website: http://hallgrimskirkja.is
GPS coordinates: 64.14179,-21.92674
Latest update: December 4, 2025 19:03
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Iceland is an island shaped by ice and fire. Glaciers cover much of the interior while geothermal areas show that something is always happening beneath the surface. The landscapes here look different from most places: black sand beaches formed by volcanic activity, fjords cutting deep into the coast, waterfalls dropping over cliffs and canyons with moss covered walls. Vatnajökull in the southeast is Europe's largest glacier, while smaller ice caps like Snæfellsjökull or Drangajökull have their own character. Reykjavik sits by the ocean and mixes city life with access to nature. The Harpa concert hall stands by the harbor, Hallgrímskirkja church rises above the rooftops, and along the shore you find the Sólfar sculpture. Lake Tjörnin lies in the center of town. Outside the city, routes lead to natural sites: the Blue Lagoon with its milky blue water, Strokkur geyser that erupts every few minutes, Gullfoss waterfall where a river plunges into a canyon. The southern coast shows different faces. Near Vík there is Reynisfjara beach with its basalt columns and black sand, and not far away the cliff at Dyrhólaey. Diamond Beach near Hornafjörður is scattered with ice chunks washed up by the sea. In the north, Lake Mývatn attracts visitors with its volcanic surroundings, while the Westfjords with the Hornstrandir reserve and the red sand of Rauðasandur beach belong to the more remote parts of the country. The Ring Road connects most of these places and circles the entire island.
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