Hallgrímskirkja

This article is about the church in Reykjavík. For the church in Hvalfjarðarsveit, see Hallgrímskirkja (Hvalfjörður).
Church of Hallgrímur
Hallgrímskirkja

Hallgrímskirkja
64°08′31″N 21°55′39″W / 64.14194°N 21.92750°W / 64.14194; -21.92750
Country Iceland
Denomination Lutheran
Website hallgrimskirkja.is
History
Founded 1945
Consecrated 26 October 1986
Architecture
Status Active
Functional status Parish Church
Architect(s) Guðjón Samúelsson
Style Expressionist architecture
Completed 1986
Specifications
Spire height 73 meters
Administration
Parish Reykjavík
Clergy
Bishop(s) Agnes M. Sigurðardóttir

Hallgrímskirkja (Icelandic pronunciation: [ˈhatlkrimsˌcʰɪrca], church of Hallgrímur) is a Lutheran (Church of Iceland) parish church in Reykjavík, Iceland. At 73 metres (244 ft), it is the largest church in Iceland and the sixth tallest architectural structure in Iceland after Longwave radio mast Hellissandur, the radio masts of the US Navy at Grindavík, Eiðar longwave transmitter and Smáratorg tower.[1] The church is named after the Icelandic poet and clergyman Hallgrímur Pétursson (1614 to 1674), author of the Passion Hymns.[2]

Description

State Architect Guðjón Samúelsson's design of the church was commissioned in 1937. He is said to have designed it to resemble the basalt lava flows of Iceland's landscape.[3] It took 41 years to build the church. Construction work began in 1945 and ended in 1986, the landmark tower being completed long before the church's actual completion. The crypt beneath the choir was consecrated in 1948, the steeple and wings were completed in 1974,[3] and the nave was consecrated in 1986.[1] Situated in the centre of Reykjavík, it is one of the city's best-known landmarks and is visible throughout the city. It is 1,676 square metres. It is similar in style to the expressionist architecture of Grundtvig's Church of Copenhagen, Denmark, completed in 1940.

Hallgrímskirkja pipe organ

The church houses a large pipe organ by the German organ builder Johannes Klais of Bonn. It has electronic action, the Pipes being remote from the four manuals and pedal console. There are 102 ranks, 72 stops and 5275 pipes.[1] It is 15 metres tall and weighs 25 tons. Its construction was finished in December 1992. It has been recorded by Christopher Herrick in his Organ Fireworks VII CD and by Mattias Wager on his CD Live at Vatnajökull.

View from the top of Hallgrímskirkja

The church is also used as an observation tower. An observer can take a lift up to the viewing deck and view Reykjavík and the surrounding mountains. The statue of explorer Leif Eriksson (c. 970 – c. 1020) by Alexander Stirling Calder in front of the church predates its construction. It was a gift from the United States in honor of the 1930 Alþingi Millennial Festival, commemorating the 1000th anniversary of Iceland's parliament at Þingvellir in 930 AD.[3]

In 2008, the church underwent a major restoration of the main tower, and was covered in scaffolding. In late 2009, restoration was completed and the scaffolding was removed.

Views of Hallgrímskirkja

Opening Hours

References

  1. 1 2 3 Organ Fireworks VII – Christopher Herrick at the organ of the Hallgrimskirkja (CD). Hyperion. 1997.
  2. ↑ Other Icelandic churches named in memory of Hallgrímur Pétursson are the Hallgrímskirkja in Saurbær, where Pétursson was minister and, since 1957, the is:Hallgrímskirkja í Vindáshlíð (Kjós).
  3. 1 2 3 Noyes, David (March–April 2009). "Iceland – Europe's coolest little hot spot". Going Places (AAA):  28.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Hallgrímskirkja.

Coordinates: 64°08′31″N 21°55′39″W / 64.14194°N 21.92750°W / 64.14194; -21.92750

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