搁别测办箩补惫铆办鈥檚 immense white-concrete church (1945鈥86), star of a thousand postcards, dominates the skyline and is visible from up to 20km away. An elevator trip up the 74.5m-high tower reveals an unmissable view of the city. In contrast to the high drama outside, the Lutheran church鈥檚 interior is quite plain. The most eye-catching feature is the vast 5275-pipe organ installed in 1992. The church鈥檚 size and radical design caused controversy, and its architect, Gu冒j贸n Sam煤elsson (1887鈥1950), never saw its completion.
The columns on either side of the tower represent volcanic basalt, part of Sam煤elsson's desire to create a national architectural style. At the front, gazing proudly into the distance, is a statue of the Viking Leifur Eir铆ksson, the first European to discover America. Designed by Alexander Stirling Calder (1870鈥1945), it was a present from the US on the 1000th anniversary of the Al镁ingi (Parliament) in 1930.
贬补濒濒驳谤铆尘蝉办颈谤办箩补 (pronounced hatl-krims-kirkya) was named after poet Reverend Hallgr铆mur P茅tursson (1614鈥1674), who wrote Iceland鈥檚 most popular hymn book: 笔补蝉蝉铆耻蝉谩濒尘补谤 (Passion Hymns).
From mid-June to late August, hear half-hour choir concerts (www.scholacantorum.is; 2500kr) at noon on Wednesday and organ recitals (www.listvinafelag.is) at noon on Thursday and Saturday (2000kr), and for one hour at 5pm on Sunday (2500kr). Services are held on Sunday at 11am, with a small service Wednesday at 8am. There is an English service the last Sunday of the month at 2pm.
