Reykjavík, Iceland, photograph # 1 – the modern residential district on the eastern side of the city, with the new cruise ship harbor in the center and the surrounding mountains in the background; Reykjavík is the country’s capital and largest city
Reykjavík, 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 Lutheran Church and the rotating Perlan glass dome (south of downtown) 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.
Iceland is about the size of the states of Kentucky or Maine in the United States with a population of only 372,000, of which 232,000 live in greater Reykjavík – about half of those live in the city limits. Despite being a small city on the world scale, Reykjavík, punches way above its weight due to its capital city status. With almost two-thirds of Iceland’ residents living in the capital region, Reykjavík is one of the biggest small cities in the world. Unlike the Faroe Islands and Greenland, Iceland is very volcanically active. Most people in the country live along the coast — the country has a 1,000-mile (1,600 kilometers) coastline. There is a lot of geothermal activity on the island and Reykjavík is heated by a government operated geothermal water system. Said to be inspired by the steam rising from hot springs, early settlers named the bay Reykjavík, which means “Smoky Bay” in Old Norse. At latitude 64-08 degrees North, just below the Arctic Circle (66-30 degrees North), Reykjavík is the world’s northernmost capital city.
For additional perspective on Reykjavík and the natural wonders of Iceland, please see our previous blog posts from August 2019, “Reykjavik, Iceland” and “The Golden Circle, Iceland
Reykjavík, Iceland, photograph # 2 – on the 3D topographic map in City Hall, Reykjavík can be seen in the foreground, to the right of the vertical black line, with the city area painted orange (and closer to the front edge is the Keflavik Airport neighborhood); said to be inspired by the steam rising from hot springs, early settlers named the bay Reykjavík, which means “Smoky Bay” in Old NorseReykjavík, Iceland, photograph # 3 – a view of the city from Perlan, Iceland’s iconic attraction and nature museum, that offers panoramic views, a nature exploratorium with interactive exhibits, and a unique glacier experienceReykjavík, Iceland, photograph # 4 – a symbol of the city of Reykjavík, the Sun Voyager is a sculpture by Jón Gunnar Árnason, located on the coastal road next to Faxaflói Bay; Sun Voyager is described as a dreamboat, or an ode to the Sun — the artist intended it to convey the promise of undiscovered territory, a dream of hope, progress and freedom
“Although Iceland is relatively young (it has only been a country since 1944, when it gained independence from Denmark), the country boasts one of the world’s most celebrated cultures. Settled by Scandinavian immigrants (known as Vikings) and British slaves between the ninth and 10th centuries, Iceland continues to celebrate its Viking customs and traditions through the retelling of folktales about elves and trolls.” — https://travel.usnews.com/Reykjavik_Iceland/
Reykjavík, Iceland, photograph # 5 — the Harpa Concert Hall, an architectural masterpiece with a façade made with 714 glass panels, each a different shape and equipped with LED lights, is the winner of the prestigious Mies van de Rohe Award; it is the home of the Icelandic Symphony Orchestra and the Icelandic Opera, among othersReykjavík, Iceland, photograph # 6 – a view of the small boat marina behind the Harpa Concert HallReykjavík, Iceland, photograph # 7 – a brightly painted, well maintained fisherman’s home, dating back to the 1800s, in the oldest neighborhood in the cityReykjavík, Iceland, photograph # 8 — Landakotskirkja, formally Basilika Krists konungs — Cathedral of Christ the King — is located in the western part of the city and is the sole cathedral of the Catholic Church in Iceland; on its dedication in 1929, it was the largest church in Iceland
In 2011, Reykjavík became the first non-native-English native city to be designated a UNESCO City of Literature. The recognition highlighted the city’s “outstanding literary history”, including the incredible importance of the Norse sagas and the central role literature plays in today’s modern city.
Reykjavík, Iceland, photograph # 9– Kænugarður (the Icelandic word for Kyiv) or Kyiv torg, Kyiv Square, located near the Russian embassy, was renamed as such by the City of Reykjavík in 2022 in honor of the Ukranian capital city noting, “With this decision by the city, a clear message is being sent of solidarity with the residents of Ukraine who are fighting for their liberty and independence.”Reykjavík, Iceland, photograph # 10 — Dómkirkjan í Reykjavík, Reykjavík Cathedral, is the seat of the Bishop of Iceland and mother church of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Iceland, as well as the parish church of the old city center and environs; it is located at Austurvöllur, and next to it is [see next photograph]Reykjavík, Iceland, photograph # 11 – Alþingishúsið, the Parliament House, is a classical 19th century building, located next to the Reykjavík Cathedral; the building was designed by Ferdinand Meldahl and built using hewn Icelandic dolerite from 1880 to 1881Reykjavík, Iceland, photograph # 12 — a view from Hallgrímskirkja’s (the towering, white Lutheran church — see photograph # 14) viewing platform of Lake Tjörnin (The Pond) with City Hall on the upper right side of the lakeReykjavík, Iceland, photograph # 13 – a view of City Hall from Lake Tjörnin (The Pond) with a pedestrian bridge across Lake TjörninReykjavík, Iceland, photograph # 14 — Hallgrímskirkja (Church of Hallgrimur), a towering, white Lutheran church, is Reykjavík’s most striking landmark; we went up to the top where there is an interior viewing platform with 360-degree views of the city (several of these photographs were made while on the viewing polatform)Reykjavík, Iceland, photograph # 15 — Pride colored stripes adorn the pavement of a major shopping street in the heart of the cityReykjavík, Iceland, photograph # 16 – al fresco dining is popular during the long daylight days of summerReykjavík, Iceland, photograph # 17 – the city’s favorite hot dog stand serves many varieties of hot dogs, but the favorite is the simple hot dog in a bun with mustardReykjavík, Iceland, photograph # 18 – the Reykjavík Art Museum is the largest visual art institution in Iceland; it occupies three locations in Reykjavík – the old harbor warehouse, Hafnarhús (pictured here), Kjarvalsstaðir by Klambratún and Ásmundarsafn in LaugardalurReykjavík, Iceland, photograph # 19 – a mosaic mural (this photograph is of the right-side panel of 2 panels) from 1972 adorns the side of a block-long building near the harborReykjavík, Iceland, photograph # 20 – this statue (“Founder Statue”) in the center of the city honors Ingólfur Arnarson, the Norseman who founded Reykjavík in 874 A.D.; the initial statue was sculpted by Einar Jónsson in 1903 in Rome, Italy, and the final statue was erected in 1924, after it was cast in 1907 – the delay was due to challenges raising the funds in Denmark for the gift to the city of ReykjavíkReykjavík, Iceland, photograph # 21 — the Harpa Concert Hall with its LED lights lighted inside the differently shaped 714 glass panels; this photograph was made at dusk at 10:55 p.m.
Where in the world is Riccardo? 