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The stainless steel sculpture that sits on the seafront in Reykjavik is seen here catching some weak sunlight and starting to glow as it reflects the sun. the name the "Sun Voyager" seems such an appropriate name.
The Vikings from Iceland were well known for their travels and are widely reported to have made the first European visits to North America. They also arrived in Iceland as part of the continued ocean going exploration made by their race. For these reasons the sculpture does seem to be a most appropriate work of art.
Is this not a stunning piece of architecture? Looks like a great rocket, pointing to the heavens - and a statue of Leif Erikson, who was the first Icelander to reach America - 500 years before Columbus!
Wikipedia - Hallgrímskirkja (Icelandic pronunciation: [ˈhatlkrimsˌcʰɪrca], church of Hallgrímur) is a Lutheran (Church of Iceland) parish church in Reykjavík, Iceland. At 73 metres (244 ft), it is the largest church in Iceland and the sixth tallest architectural structure in Iceland after Longwave radio mast Hellissandur, the radio masts of the US Navy at Grindavík, Eiðar longwave transmitter and Smáratorg tower.[1] The church is named after the Icelandic poet and clergyman Hallgrímur Pétursson (1614 to 1674), author of the Passion Hymns.[2]
State Architect Guðjón Samúelsson's design of the church was commissioned in 1937. He is said to have designed it to resemble the basalt lava flows of Iceland's landscape.[3] It took 38 years to build the church. Construction work began in 1945 and ended in 1986, the landmark tower being completed long before the church's actual completion. The crypt beneath the choir was consecrated in 1948, the steeple and wings were completed in 1974,[3] and the nave was consecrated in 1986.[1] Situated in the centre of Reykjavík, it is one of the city's best-known landmarks and is visible throughout the city. It is similar in style to the expressionist architecture of Grundtvig's Church of Copenhagen, Denmark, completed in 1940.
Hallgrímskirkja pipe organ
The church houses a large pipe organ by the German organ builder Johannes Klais of Bonn. It has mechanical action, four manuals and pedal, 102 ranks, 72 stops and 5275 pipes.[1] It is 15 metres tall and weighs 25 tons. Its construction was finished in December 1992. It has been recorded by Christopher Herrick in his Organ Fireworks VII CD and by Mattias Wager on his CD Live at Vatnajökull.
View from the top of Hallgrímskirkja
The church is also used as an observation tower. An observer can take a lift up to the viewing deck and view Reykjavík and the surrounding mountains. The statue of explorer Leif Eriksson (c. 970 – c. 1020) by Alexander Stirling Calder in front of the church predates its construction. It was a gift from the United States in honor of the 1930 Alþingi Millennial Festival, commemorating the 1000th anniversary of Iceland's parliament at Þingvellir in 930 AD.[3]
In 2008, the church underwent a major restoration of the main tower, and was covered in scaffolding. In late 2009, restoration was completed and the scaffolding was removed.
From the top of the Lutheran church Hallgrimskirkja you get quite a view over the colourful rooftops of Reykjavik.
Fríkirkjan í Reykjavík (The Free Church in Reykjavik) is a church which is apart from the State Church. It is an independent Lutheran Free Church of Iceland. It lies in the centre of the Icelandic capital, by the lake Tjörnin.
The Fríkirkjan í Reykjavík congregation was established in Reykjavík in the autumn of 1899. It had an initial membership of 600 which soon rose.
Shortly after the new congregation was founded, a suitable site for a new church was chosen at the east of the lake. The church was consecrated on 22 February 1903. Only two years later the church was lengthened, to a design by architect Rögnvaldur Ólafsson. In 1924 the church was enlarged again. A chancel was built of concrete at the eastern end, and various alterations were built on either side of the forechurch, supervised by master builder Guðmundur H. Þorláksson. (Wikipedia)
Reykjavik
Capital of Iceland
Reykjavik, on the coast of Iceland, is the country's capital and largest city. It's home to the National and Saga museums, tracing Iceland’s Viking history. The striking concrete Hallgrimskirkja church and rotating Perlan glass dome offer sweeping views of the sea and nearby hills. Exemplifying the island’s volcanic activity is the geothermal Blue Lagoon spa, near the village of Grindavik.
including the Hallgrimskikja Cathedral
Il monumento a Leif Erikson (l'esploratore che si ritiene essere il primo europeo ad aver raggiungere la costa americana) è stato fatto costruire dagli USA per ricordare i mille anni (930 - 1930) dalla prima riunione del parlamento islandese ( Althing).
The monument to Leif Erikson (the explorer who is believed to be the first European to have reached the American coast) was built by the USA to commemorate the thousand years (930 - 1930) since the first meeting of the Icelandic parliament (Althing).
IMG_4606m
As storm clouds gather over Reykjavík Harbor, the distant snow-capped mountains of Pingvellir National Park spread forth in panoramic majesty
Hallgrímskirkja, Reykjavík, Iceland. Scanned from a transparency taken in July 1987.
The Lutheran (Church of Iceland) church of Hallgrímskirkja dominates the city centre skyline in downtown Reykjavík and is a truly iconic building. The design, by Guðjón Samúelsson, was intended to echo the basalt lava columns that typify the Icelandic landscape. Construction of the church began in 1945 and took 41 years to complete, with the nave being consecrated in 1986. At the top of the tower is an observation platform, offering breathtaking views over the colourful roofs of the city centre buildings towards the harbour and sea beyond.
The dark sky is purely the result of exposing for the dazzling sunlight reflecting off the building, rather than from any post-processing.
I know this is cliched and cheesy, but I quite like it none the less...
The shore around by the Harpa concert hall was filled with these rock stacks made by tourists. We clambered over the rocks one morning to take photos as the sun was coming up. A cold but lovely morning.
Explore #149 - Thanks all!
Reykjavik - Iceland