Halls­grim­skirk­ja

Reykjavik´s most promi­nent visu­al land­mark is the Halls­grim­skirk­ja named after Hall­grimur Peturs­son, a 17th cen­tu­ry poet whose haunt­ing hymns I have record­ings of at home. It´s a twen­ti­eth cen­tu­ry struc­ture, in con­crete, but it´s style so suc­cess­ful­ly fus­es mod­ern and goth­ic ele­ments that it has a “time­less” look. It is equal­ly pleas­ing in the inte­ri­or. The stat­ue in front of it is of Lei­fur Eiríks­son (Leif Eric­son). The res­i­den­tial streets around it have a pleas­ant jum­ble of old and new hous­es. Seri­ous, Luther­an-look­ing cats peer from the win­dows. Next to it, there’s a rather spooky lit­tle enclosed gar­den filled with the sculp­ture of Einar Jonns­son, and a muse­um devot­ed to him. His work might best be described as “hero­ic fan­ta­sy”. In this gar­den set­ting, it is quite enchant­i­ng. I don´t think it would look as good in the cold light of a gallery. Read more »