Iceland: REYKJAVIK - HALLGRIMUR CHURCH and THE NEIGBORHOOD OF THE GODS

On the top of a downtown hill reigns a beautiful church.

Its steeple is 73 meters tall and it can be seen from 20 km away (when the rain stops).

Like so many other Icelandic churches it is elegantly simple in its design. 

It took almost 40 years to build but finally in the year 1986 the church  opened its doors.

The church was named after the 17th century Lutheran clergyman and a famous Icelandic poet Hallgrímur Pétursson.

The architectural design, however, is thoroughly modern and it is based on the natural phenomena of Iceland: the amazing basalt lava columns that can be found throughout the country.

The church's 15 meter pipe organ is something else to see! It is a feat of a German designer and organ builder Johanned Klais, weighs 25 tonnes and boasts 5275 pipes! It graces the church since 1996. and it is truly one of the most amazing pipe organs we have ever seen. Once again, its clean and simple lines reminded us of the tall and slim columns formed by the country's volcanoes.

It is possible to ascend the tower (by an elevator and a flight of stairs).

The view is rewarding! It is possible to see (and photograph) the city below from every direction. What a treat!

In front of the church stands another statue that predates the church itself. 
It was given is a gift to Iceland by the American people in 1930, way before the construction of the church behind it commenced. It is a statue of the great Icelandic explorer Leifr Ericsson who sailed to North America at the very end of the 9th century!

And while my 10 years old grandson would certainly be taken by the man's appearance I am just as intrigued by the plaque on the back of the pedestal. 

"Christopher Columbus who? Icelanders will happily explain that it was their own Leifur Eiríksson who discovered America some 600 years before Columbus. As a “thanks for finding us” present to Iceland, America gave the nation this heroic statue of the Leif the Lucky, who now perches on the highest hill in downtown Reykjavík."

 Sculptor: Alexander S. Calder
Source: Wikipedia



Vinland refers to North America. And Althing is actually Alþing in Icelandic - it means the National Assembly thant had been founded in 930 at the Parliament Planes in Þingvellir (our next stop).
It is the oldest parliamentary democracy in the world.




The streets surrounding the church are also interesting: their names salute the old Nordic gods. 
Nowadays, Iceland is mostly Christian; yet many people worship the old pagan gods as well. The 3 most powerful ones are Odin, Thor and Frey.
But do not forget Loki ....the trickster who could make your life miserable.
And because the streets bear the names of the old deities the entire neighbourhood is called Neighbourhood Of The Gods.
Now if that is not democratic, I don't know what is.









The wisdom seeker - one eyed Odin, the boss of all Norse pagan gods, who had to sacrifice one of his eyes in order to drink from the Well of Knowledge.
He is credited with passing his wisdom and a gift of poetry to man.

Thor was the god of storm and thunder and a great warrior.

Frey was a god of fertility, vegetation and sailing.

The god of all tricks and wickedness was Loki - the troublemaker amongst the gods.


There were many more - all of them glorified warriors - in many ways not too different from Greek or Roman gods. 

Tired after the day of walking we are quick to spot Cafe Loki - only a stone-throw away from the Hallgrimur church.

Talk about location. With 1 million tourists a year this Cafe could not sit in a better spot.

Am  I quick to remind everyone that we, the West Kootenay residents, have a Mt. Loki in our own  neighbourhood?

You bet!

Mt. Loki by Kaslo, British Columbia, Canada

But since everyone needs coffee and something else nobody listens. They just keep on walking. And that's when the trickster Loki makes up his mind to playa really nasty trick on us!

Stay tuned.