Completed in 1986, Hallgrímskirkja is the second tallest building in Iceland.
With it's position on a hilltop in the centre of the city,
it serves as a distinct and singularly imposing landmark
which never fails to help hapless tourists
get their bearings and find their way.
It is arguably the most architecturally attractive modern religious structure I have ever seen
in spite of its austere Lutheran sensibility inside and out.
The bells can be heard throughout the city on the quarter hour.
A statue of Leifur Eriksson stands as a sentinel in front of the church and predates it by 56 years.
A gift from the USA, it was erected in 1930 to commemorate the 1,000th anniversary
of the 'Thingvellir',
Iceland's (and the world's oldest continuous) parliament.
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