REYKJAVIK SITES

                                              Lots to See

The church

 The famed Hallgrimskirkja Church  Completed in 1986, the church is designed to look like a mountain of lava and is the city’s most unusual structure. Named for a poet, its 246-foot tower affords a panoramic view of the city. Outside the church is a statue of Leif Eriksson presented by the US in 1930.  Many think the Lutheran church interior is stark, but I rather think it is elegant in its simplicity. The all white interior makes it very light inside. The plaza surrounding the church is paved with 9-inch charcoal and grey tiles that are laid to form several crosses in the design. The parish built the church taking 40 years to complete. Architect Samulson designed the church plus many other buildings in the city. In 1920 he was the first to graduate from architectural school. The church is the tallest building in the city, but I understand an office building is in the process of being built that will be slightly higher.

      The ten-story Perlan, Pearl Building, 1990, is where geothermically heated water and power is supplied to the city.  The building sits on six huge storage tanks. On the fourth deck of the building is an observation platform that offers wonderful views of the city. A revolving restaurant is on the top floor and a café below that.

       Old town is fascinating with much of the city’s past as well as where green parks and museums are located. The city was the site of the Reagan-Gorbachev summit in 1996.     Government offices are housed in a white building that was originally the 18th century jail. It is one of the oldest buildings in the city. A statue of the first prime minister in 1904 is on the right of the building and a statue on the left is of Christian IX. However, the oldest house in town, dating back to 1752, was Sheriff Magnusson’s weaving shed. Destroyed by fire in 1764, it was immediately rebuilt on the same site and now houses a pub.

      The City Hall, Radhus, was controversial when it was built. Located on the north end of the lake, its front pillars and part of the building are actually in the lake. It is an unusual building. The lake, Tjornin, is in the city center and is more of a pond than a lake.

      Reykjavik is relatively small and very walkable. There are sights outside the city and we took the time to travel to see the magnificent Gulfass, golden waterfall. The picturesque two-tier waterfall often showcases a rainbow shining through the mist and spray. The wind was blowing and we got a pretty good shower of spray. At one time a hydroelectric plant was proposed, but there was such a citizen uproar that the government bought the land to preserve the waterfall. West of Gulfass is the Strokkur Geyser, “the churn”, which spouts a 60-100 foot jet about once every five minutes. The geyser performed for us a couple of times as we walked by.

      The drive around the Golden Circle was a lovely ride into the countryside on a beautiful sunny day. The beautiful historic site of Thingvellir lies 30 miles from Reykjavik. It is the site of the world’s  oldest existing parliament. Starting in 930 AD the parliament met annually to enact laws and govern the island. One law in 1000 AD introduced Christianity.  The lake in the area, 84 meters long and 114 meters deep, is the largest in the country. Shalholt was the historic site of Bishops for 740 years. An early school dates to 1056.

 

A Friendly Greeting

     Since 1902 natural thermal heat from springs in the center of town has heated greenhouses at Hveragerdi, Greenhouse Village. Artificial light and hot water prolongs the growing season for flowers and produce. A thin layer of soil covers boiling water underneath. Many residents make regular treks here for fresh produce long after the normal growing season is over. It was an interesting visit to a unique facility. The southern low plateau is an agricultural area.

Visit posts 4-6-11 Reykjavik, Botanical Garden9-4-11, Blue Lagoon7-17-10, Famous hot dog12-31-10