Hallgrimskirkja is 74.5 m (244 ft) and it is also the sixth tallest building in Iceland. It is situated in the city center and has become one of Reykjavík's best known symbols. Hallgrimskirkja is named by an Icelandic poet and clergyman - Hallgrímur Pétursson. The church has a stylized concrete exterior inspired by the distinctive basalt formations found throughout Iceland.
The Bell
The bell tower, accessible via an elevator, provides the best views in the city. The three bells in the tower represent Hallgrímur, his wife, and their daughter who died young.
History
A Lutheran parish church, Hallgrimskirkja is named after the Icelandic poet and clergyman Hallgrímur Pétursson (1614-74), author of the beloved Passíusálmar ("Hymns of the Passion") and other works. He was one of the most influential pastors during the Age of Orthodoxy and wrote many important Lutheran hymns.
The modern Nordic design of Hallgrimskirkja is the work of state architect Guðjón Samúelsson, who also designed Reykjavik's Landakotskirja and the Akureyrarkirkju in Akureyri. The church took 38 years to build (1945-86), the tower being completed long before the church's actual completion.
Leif Eríkson monument
The statue in front of the church is of Leif Eríkson, an Icelandic/Norwegian explorer and the first European thought to have landed in North America. The monument was a gift from the United States for the 1930 Althing Millennial Festival, which marked the 1000th anniversary of Iceland's parliament.
Here some view of Hallgrímskirkja:
