# Hallgrímskirkja (DD-567) > Hallgrímskirkja is a Lutheran parish church of the Church of Iceland, on the Skólavörðuholt hill near the center of Reykjavík. At 74.5 m (244 ft), it is the largest church in Iceland and the second-tallest building in the country. It is named after Hallgrímur Pétursson (1614–1674), the poet and pastor who wrote the Passion Hymns. State Architect Guðjón Samúelsson was commissioned to design it in 1937. He is said to have modeled it on Iceland's landscape, especially columnar basalt formations like those at Svartifoss. Architectural historians usually classify it as Expressionist, and Copenhagen's Grundtvig's Church is often cited as an influence. Building it took 41 years. Construction began in 1945, the crypt beneath the choir was consecrated in 1948, and the tower and its wings were finished in 1974. The nave was consecrated on October 26, 1986. The nave is plain and pale, and a lift takes visitors up the tower to a viewing deck. The main concert organ was built by Johannes Klais of Bonn and inaugurated in December 1992. It is 15 m tall, weighs about 25 tonnes and has 72 stops and 5,275 pipes. The statue of Leif Erikson in front of the church is older than the building: the United States gave it to Iceland for the 1930 millennium of the Althing, Iceland's parliament. The footage shows the tower at dusk with the statue, the main doors, the façade against a sunrise, and a winter aerial view. - Department: Locations (also History) - First published: 2025-05-10 - Last updated: 2025-05-10 - Permalink: https://detailenjoyer.com/case/hallgrimskirkja/ - Author: Marcus Easterling (DetailEnjoyer), The Detail Department ## On the timeline - **1937**: Guðjón Samúelsson is commissioned to design the church - **1945**: Construction begins - **1974**: The tower and side wings are completed - **Oct. 26, 1986**: The nave is consecrated and the church is complete - **December 1992**: The Klais concert organ is inaugurated Full timeline: https://detailenjoyer.com/timeline/?case=hallgrimskirkja ## Quick facts - **DD-567-F01**: Hallgrímskirkja was consecrated on October 26, 1986, 41 years after construction began. _(Write-up · Exhibit C (41 years))_ - **DD-567-F02**: Hallgrímskirkja's Klais organ has 5,275 pipes. _(Write-up · Exhibit E (The Klais organ))_ ## Write-up A church shaped like basalt. Reykjavík's 74.5 m Hallgrímskirkja took 41 years to build. 1. **Named for a poet**: The church is named after Hallgrímur Pétursson, the 17th-century pastor who wrote the Passion Hymns. 2. **Basalt in concrete**: Guðjón Samúelsson's design is said to evoke Iceland's columnar basalt. 3. **41 years**: Construction began in 1945, and the church was consecrated on October 26, 1986. 4. **Tallest church**: At 74.5 m, it is Iceland's largest church and second-tallest building. 5. **The Klais organ**: The organ, inaugurated in 1992, has 5,275 pipes and stands 15 m tall. ## Related case files - [Kailasa Temple (DD-605)](https://detailenjoyer.com/case/kailasa-temple/): Another religious building shaped by its stone - [Fissure Flames (DD-645)](https://detailenjoyer.com/case/fissure-flames/): Iceland's volcanic geology, the source of its basalt - [Catalan Gothic (DD-197)](https://detailenjoyer.com/case/catalan-gothic/): I linked another striking church - [Be Not Afraid (DD-261)](https://detailenjoyer.com/case/be-not-afraid/): I linked another religious subject ## Reel vs. record - **Note**: 'Completed in 1986 after decades of construction': 41 years. Construction began in 1945, the crypt was consecrated in 1948, the tower and wings were finished in 1974, and the nave was consecrated on October 26, 1986. - **Note**: 'Was inspired by Iceland's basalt lava columns': that's how the design is usually described (Guðjón Samúelsson is said to have drawn on columnar basalt such as at Svartifoss). He was commissioned in 1937 and died before the church was finished. - **Note**: 'A dramatic modernist appearance': architectural historians usually call it Expressionist and point to Copenhagen's Grundtvig's Church as a likely influence. - **Note**: 'A massive pipe organ with over 5,000 pipes': the Klais organ, inaugurated in December 1992, has 5,275 pipes and 72 stops, stands 15 m tall and weighs about 25 tonnes. - **Missing**: at 74.5 m, it is Iceland's largest church and second-tallest building. The Leif Erikson statue in front, seen in the footage, was a US gift for the Althing's 1930 millennium and predates the church. ## Video: Hallgrímskirkja: A Church Shaped Like Basalt - Duration: 29.2 s · Published: 2025-05-10 - File: https://detailenjoyer.com/assets/videos/DJe0pi2xQTJ.mp4 ### Transcript DID YOU KNOW? The Hallgrímskirkja is a striking Lutheran church in Reykjavik, Iceland and one of the country's most iconic landmarks. Designed by architect Guðjón Samúelsson and completed in 1986 after decades of construction, the church's soaring 74.5 m or 244 ft tower, was inspired by Iceland's basalt lava columns and rugged landscapes, giving it a dramatic modernist appearance. Named after the Icelandic poet and clergyman Hallgrímur Pétursson, the church features a minimalist interior and a massive pipe organ with over 5,000 pipes. NOW YOU KNOW! ## Questions & answers **Q: Who is Hallgrímskirkja named after?** A: The poet and pastor who wrote the Passion Hymns. _(Source: Write-up · Exhibit A (Named for a poet) · Hallgrímskirkja: The building and history; Wikipedia: Hallgrímskirkja)_ **Q: When was Hallgrímskirkja consecrated?** A: On October 26, 1986, 41 years after construction began. _(Source: Write-up · Exhibit A (Named for a poet) · Hallgrímskirkja: The building and history; Wikipedia: Hallgrímskirkja)_ **Q: Which rock formation is the design said to evoke?** A: Like the columns at Svartifoss. _(Source: Write-up · Exhibit A (Named for a poet) · Hallgrímskirkja: The building and history; Wikipedia: Hallgrímskirkja)_ **Q: How many pipes does the church's Klais organ have?** A: It was inaugurated in December 1992. _(Source: Write-up · Exhibit B (Basalt in concrete) · Wikipedia: Hallgrímskirkja; Benárd (2018), Hallgrímskirkja, Reykjavík: A Late Example of Expressionist Church Architecture, YBL Journal of Built Environment)_ **Q: Whose statue stands in front of the church?** A: A US gift for the Althing's 1930 millennium. _(Source: Write-up · Exhibit A (Named for a poet) · Hallgrímskirkja: The building and history; Wikipedia: Hallgrímskirkja)_ ## Sources - [Hallgrímskirkja: The building and history](https://www.hallgrimskirkja.is/en-gb/husi%C3%B0-og-sagan) - [Hallgrímskirkja: The organs](https://www.hallgrimskirkja.is/en-gb/orgelin) - [Wikipedia: Hallgrímskirkja](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hallgr%C3%ADmskirkja) - [Benárd (2018), Hallgrímskirkja, Reykjavík: A Late Example of Expressionist Church Architecture, YBL Journal of Built Environment](https://doi.org/10.2478/jbe-2018-0006) ## Cite this case file Easterling, Marcus. "Hallgrímskirkja." The Detail Department (DetailEnjoyer), case file DD-567, last updated May 10, 2025. https://detailenjoyer.com/case/hallgrimskirkja/