Iceland. Reykjavik’s Hallgrímskirkja Cathedral

🌟Hallgrímskirkja, the most iconic church in Iceland. The cathedral, designed by the renowned Icelandic architect Guðjón Samúelsson, is the largest church in Iceland; 🌟Renowned buildings like the Icelandic National Theater (Þjóðleikhúsið) and Akureyrarkirkja in Akureyri bear his distinctive style. The church was designed in 1937, construction began in 1945, and it was not completed until 1986, taking 41 years to finish; the massive pipe organ inside the church is constructed from over 5000 pipes and was not fully assembled until 1992. 🌟Hallgrímskirkja is named after Hallgrímur Pétursson, a 17th-century Icelandic religious poet and author of “Passísusálmar.” The inspiration for the church’s design comes from Iceland’s nature, with elements of glaciers, mountains, volcanoes, and lava artfully incorporated into the architecture; 🌟The church’s exterior mimics the unique geological formation of hexagonal basalt columns, with the regular undulations of the columns evoking the perfect normal distribution in mathematics: a visit to Svartifoss in Skaftafell Nature Reserve will show that Iceland’s nature is the most creative architect of all. 🌟Hallgrímskirkja is the most famous landmark in Reykjavik, the world’s northernmost capital; taking the elevator up to the church tower offers a breathtaking panoramic view of the city center, with charming Nordic colorful rooftops and the majestic mountains and bay in the distance. From any corner of the city center, one can see the towering cross at the top of the church. #Iceland #IcelandTravel #Church #IcelandicChurch #Reykjavik #Hallgrímskirkja