Reykjavik buildings · Buildings in Reykjavik
All Destinations | Europe | Asia | North America | Africa | South America | Oceania | Hotels
Buildings in Reykjavik
Buildings in Reykjavik
Reykjavík has a very eclectic building style, which is mainly the result of bad (or no) planning. Many of the oldest houses still standing are wooden buildings covered in brightly coloured corrugated iron. Don't be surprised to see that the next buildings down the street are an ultra-modernistic functionalist cube followed by early 20th century neoclassical concrete. Some of the most interesting buildings you'll see in Reykjavík are those you find wandering about. Some deserve a special mention, however.
Alþingi, Kirkjustræti (by Austurvöllur), . On the southern edge of Austurvöllur is a small building of hewn stone, but don't let its size fool you. This is the building of the Icelandic parliament, known as Alþingi. The institution has in fact long since outgrown the building which was built in 1881 for a nation of a little over 60,000. Today the upper floors of most houses on the north and west sides of the park also house parliamentary offices. The Alþingi building today houses only the debating chamber of the unicameral institution and the party meeting rooms. When Alþingi is in session it is possible to go up to the viewing platforms and follow the debates, otherwise it is necessary to be part of a group to see the building from the inside. �
Reykjavík Cathedral (Dómkirkjan í Reykjavík), (by Austurvöllur). The church beside the parliament is Reykjavík cathedral, the head Lutheran church of the country. Similarly deceptive in size, it has been beautifully renovated both inside and out to reflect its orginial 18th century architecture and. �
City Hall (Ráðhúsið), Tjarnargata 11 (on the northern edge of Tjörnin). One of the best examples of late 20th century architecture in Iceland, built into Tjörnin (The Pond). On the ground floor, which is open to the public, there is a large relief map of the whole country as well as a café and an exhibition hall. �
Hallgrímskirkja, Skólavörðuholti, ( ), . Mass: Sunday 11am; Church tower open daily 9am - 8pm. This can't miss attraction towers over the city on top of a hill. In front is a statue of Leif Ericsson (Leifur Eiríksson in Icelandic), the Norse explorer who sailed to North America in the 10th century. The United States gave this statue to Iceland in 1930, in honor of the 1,000th anniversary of the Althingi, the Iceland parliament. Admission to the tower: 500 kr., children (6 - 12) 100 kr.. �
Perlan (The Pearl), (on the top of Öskjuhlíð). 10am - 9pm. An iconic (if slightly ugly) building on top of a wooded hill called Öskjuhlíð, to the southeast of the city centre. Perlan is built on top of five hot water storage tanks and offers fantastic views of the entire city both from a viewing platform open to the public and a rotating restaurant at the top. If the restaurant is too expensive for you (it is for most), there is also a small cafeteria on the same floor as the viewing platform. �
Imagine Peace Tower, Viðey Island, . Yoko Ono's memorial to John Lennon, projecting a "tower of light" into the air that can be seen from around Reykjavík. The tower is turned on October 9th-December 8th, December 21st-28th, December 31st and March 21st-28th. �
The Most Frequently Asked Travel Questions about Reykjavik
Where To Stay & Best Hotels in Reykjavik - updated May 2024
SAVE up to 75% on Last Minute deals! Search for discount Reykjavik hotels, motels, apartments, hostels, guest accommodations and vacation resorts. Book now and pay at the hotel. Instant email confirmation!
>>> SEARCH FOR DEALS <<<
WHERE TO TRAVEL NEXT IN 2020
Reykjavik Travel Guide from Wikitravel. Many thanks to all Wikitravel contributors. Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, images are available under various licenses, see each image for details.