Hallgrímskirkja is a Lutheran parish church which is located in Reykjavik, Iceland. With a height of 74.5 meters (244 feet), this church occupies the fourth tallest building in Iceland. The church took its name Hallgrímur Pétursson (1614-1674), poet and preacher, author of "Hymns Sorrow". The design of the church is powered by an architect named Guðjón Samuelsson country. He began his duties in 1937 and construction of the church took over 38 years.
Architects design the State Guðjón Samuelsson church was commissioned in 1937. He is said to have been designed to resemble basalt lava flows of Iceland's landscape. It took 38 years to build the church. Construction work began in 1945 and ended in 1986, a landmark tower which was completed long before the actual completion of the church. Crypt under the choir was consecrated in 1948, the tower and the wing was completed in 1974. The middle section was ordained in 1986. Located in the center of Reykjavik, this is one of the most famous city landmarks and visible throughout the city. It is similar in style to the expressionist architecture Grundtvig Church of Copenhagen, Denmark, completed in 1926.
The church is also used as an observation tower. The observer can take the elevator up to the deck look and see Reykjavik and the surrounding mountains. Statue of explorer Leif Eriksson (1929-1932) by Alexander Stirling Calder in front of the church preceded the construction. It was a gift from the United States to honor the 1930 Althing Millennial Festival, commemorating the 1000th anniversary of Iceland's parliament in Þingvellir in 930 AD.
In 2008, the church experienced a major recovery from the main tower, and covered in scaffolding. At the end of 2009, restoration was completed and the scaffolding was removed.
