The Churches of Iceland
Búðakirkja, Snaefellsnes Peninsula, Iceland (ISO 200, 45 mm, f/8, 1/1250 s)
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When Icelanders are born, they are registered as Christian or Lutheran for religious affiliation. As such, one would expect there to be quite a few churches in the country. The actual figures comes out to about 350 churches, big and small, in the whole of Iceland for approximately 330,000 inhabitants. This seems to be a bit excessive but with how spread out the country is, it makes more sense. The most interesting part of this is that Iceland is the 6th most atheistic country in the world.
You will undoubtedly stumble across a few of them on your trip to Iceland, especially if you rent yourself a camper van and take a road trip around the Icelandic ring road. Also, ‘church’ in Icelandic is ‘kirkja’, which is pronounced ‘she-ur-ka’.
If this is what you’re planning to do, you can use my summary guide here to help you determine your route! (Road Trip Posts - Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6).
If you like some of my photos that you have come across, just know that I have many prints showcasing a variety of landscapes, including Iceland, available for purchase below! (Sold as Posters, Canvas, or in Metal-Frames).
A Google map of these churches (and all the other places I would recommend) can be seen at the end of this blog post. Also, if you’re keen to find out what to see in Reykjavik and how to explore Iceland in the winter time, check out my posts.
Hallgrímskirkja Church, Reykjavik, Iceland (ISO 200, 12 mm, f/25, 1/4 s)
Speaking of Reykjavik, you can start off by seeing the largest church in the country called Hallgrímskirkja. This Lutheran church towers over Reykjavik and is the perfect point to orient yourself around the city if you happen to get lost (a hard feat looking at how small Reykjavik is). Nonetheless, there is a statue of Leif Erikson in front of the church, which was a gift given to the nation by the United States.
The interior is simple and elegant in my opinion with high vaulted ceilings and a large pipe organ. The church itself was named after the 17th century poet Hallgrímur Pétursson, and its design is a nod to the various nature features that is known about Iceland. For example, the exterior facade possesses hexagonal columns which are reminiscent of the basalt columns that litter the landscapes around Reynisfjara Beach and other volcanically active area.
For sweeping views of the city itself, you can also go up to the bell tower of Hallgrímskirkja. There is a small fee and it is open at select times but you can’t get any better view of the Icelandic cityscape in the entire country. Protip: it is always cold up there, so bundle up.
Seyðisfjarðarkirkja is a Lutheran church located in the fishing town of Seyðisfjörður, obvious enough. It is also called the blue church because, obvious enough. The entire town is extremely charming and so quintessentially Icelandic. I came here to just see the church but stayed a little while to enjoy the town. If you can’t find the church, just follow the rainbow road which will guide you to its doors.
The cool thing about Hvalsneskirkja is that it was made from driftwood from nearby beaches! It is located just a few miles away from Keflavik International Airport so it very well may be the first church you see upon touching down. Its origin dates back to around 1887 along with the cemetery beside it.
One of the more common stops in Iceland is in the town of Vik i Myrdal. Its church, called Vikurkirkja, is nestled up on a hill overlooking the entire town, so it is easy to find. The best view of it comes from the cemetery located just above it as well. In fact, it is this position on the hill that makes it a safe place to go to should the area encounter flash flooding. Nonetheless, what I enjoy most about it is its distinct red roof (not the only one in Iceland however), and the wildflowers that grow in the area during the warmer months.
Strandarkirkja stands in the Reykjanes peninsula on the Southern coast of Iceland. It was built all the way back in the 12th century and was built by fisherman at the time as a way of thanking their god for their safe return from sailing on the coastline. And it is because of this that it is described as the ‘Miracle church’.
Hofskirkja (ISO 100, 24 mm, f/4, 1/800 s)
Hofskirkja is one six turf churches in Iceland but the last one that was built. It is also protected as a historical monument. Located near Skaftafell, there has been a church in this town for over 700 years. Since there was usually a shortage of wood from early settlers centuries ago, they found that using turf was had excellent insulating properties that protected structures against bad weather.
Glaumbaer Church (ISO 100, 24 mm, f/8, 1/400 s)
Glaumbaer Church, located in the North of Iceland in Skagafjörður, and its surrounding area of farms and turf houses is a protected area and owned by the National Museum of Iceland. The area is reminiscent of how Icelanders lived long ago. The turf houses themselves can also be toured.
Ingjaldshólskirkja is the oldest concrete church in Iceland and located in the Snaefellsnes peninsula. Another awesomely red church, it is situated atop a hill, surrounded by a massive meadow with stunning views of the nearby beach and mountains. It was one of my favorites because it along with the landscape, was so representative of how gorgeous Iceland is as a whole. A lonely building in a vast and imposing landscape, quite the dichotomy.
Although not a church anymore, the Kirkjubaer (guesthouse) is known for its stunning blue and white facade. It sits in the east of Iceland and was built in 1925. I imagine staying there is quite the unique experience. Something to consider for my next trip back!
Búðakirkja (ISO 200, 24 mm, f/8, 1/320 s)