Hallgrímskirkja

Hallgrímskirkja is the white concrete church that rises above the rooftops of central Reykjavik from the top of Skólavörðuholt hill, and it is visible from almost everywhere in the city. It is the largest church in Iceland and, at 74.5 metres, one of the tallest buildings in the country. The State Architect Guðjón Samúelsson was commissioned in 1937, and building began in 1945. Work went on for 41 years: the crypt was consecrated in 1948, the steeple and side wings were finished in 1974 and the nave was consecrated in 1986.

The church is named after the 17th-century poet and clergyman Hallgrímur Pétursson, author of the Passion Hymns, which are still read in Iceland. Its stepped front is often compared to the columns of basalt found in Icelandic lava landscapes. Inside, the nave is tall, white and plain, in the Lutheran tradition, and the main feature is the great organ built by Johannes Klais of Bonn and completed in 1992. It has 72 stops and more than 5,000 pipes, stands about 15 metres tall and is used for services and concerts, so check the church calendar if you would like to hear it.

The main reason most visitors queue at the entrance is the tower. A lift takes you up to a viewing level with windows on all sides, looking over the coloured roofs of the old town, the harbour, Mount Esja across the bay and the mountains to the east. It is one of the easiest ways to get your bearings on the first day. Tower tickets are sold in the church shop on the day, with no advance booking, and the lift goes up to the eighth floor. The viewing level is small, so expect a short wait at busy times in summer.

Outside, the statue of the explorer Leif Erikson in front of the church was a gift from the United States in 1930, so it predates the church itself. The square in front is a popular photo spot, especially looking back down Skólavörðustígur, the shopping street that leads downhill towards the centre.

Allow 30 minutes to an hour for the church and the tower. The church is an active parish: the tower closes during the Sunday morning service and some concerts, food is not allowed in the nave or tower, and luggage cannot be stored, so leave suitcases at your hotel. Opening hours are longer from late May to the end of August than in the rest of the year. Ground-floor access is good for wheelchairs, and the lift reaches the eighth floor of the tower, though the top floor is not wheelchair accessible. Skólavörðustígur and Laugavegur, with their cafés, bakeries and shops, are a short walk downhill.