Domkirkja, Reykjavík

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The majority of the Icelandic nation is of the Lutheran religion. The Lutheran Cathedral is in the very center of Reykjavík, next to the Parliament bulding. The episcopate of Iceland used to be in Skálholt but the seat was moved to Reykjavík and The Lutheran Cathedral was built and consecrated in 1796. It took a long time to build it and the roof was badly built and had to be rebuilt as the Danish builders were drunk while building it (we were a Danish colony back then). The building was leaking and the wood was rotten :( The church had to be reconstructed in 1847-1848 after having been restored earlier as people stayed away out of fear that it would collapse. Again in 1879 the church had to be restorated this time by an Icelandic carpenter. Again it was restored in 1999. It is safe now :D

Outside the Cathedral there is a bust of Bjarni Jónsson, ordination bishop and minister of the Lutheran Cathedral from 1910-1951 and a freeman of Reykjavík.

There is service in the Cathedral on Sundays at 11h and there is an evening meeting on Thursdays at 20h where you can enter and have a moment of prayer and have some coffee.

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This place is more important historically, than architecturally, although I found it more pleasant than the hulking Hallgrimskirkja. There has been a place of worship on this site for over 800 years, but the exsiting structure dates to somewhere between 1796 to 1848 depending on what source you're reading. The Icelandic national anthem was first performed right here in 1874 and it was also from here that national independence was first blessed by the Lutheran church.

FREE from 10am to 5pm daily.

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Reykjavík's main cathedral, Dómkirkja, was built in 1847. The wooden cathedral is located next to the Parliament on Austurvöllur square and reminded me of churches in New England in the US.