Reykjavik City Hall, Reykjavik

Reykjavik City Hall, Reykjavik

Reykjavík's City Hall, designed by architects Margrét Harðardóttir and Steve Christer, stands on Tjörnin lake's northern shore, at the heart of the city. This building uniquely blends nature and urban elements, reflecting its dual purpose. The City Council Building, located on the north side, is solid and structured, mirroring the Kvos district's architectural style. In contrast, the south-facing Office Building, where administrative work happens, has a more fluid and open design, with workspaces and meeting rooms overlooking the lake. A notable feature outside is a moss-covered wall, reminiscent of Iceland's natural mossy rock formations.

The concept of a city hall in Reykjavík dates back to the city's early days. After years of planning and an open competition in 1986, the winning design by Harðardóttir and Christer, both London Architectural Association School graduates, was chosen from 38 entries. The construction began in 1988 and the hall was inaugurated in 1992.

A key attraction inside is a large 3D map of Iceland, located in the main hall. This detailed map, crafted from 1 millimeter thick cardboard cut to represent Iceland's topography and mounted on a wooden and aluminum frame, spans 76.4 square meters. The map, built by the city's carpenters and painted by Sigurður Pálsson, is designed at a 1:50,000 scale but with an exaggerated elevation scale of 1:25,000 for better visual impact. This map, along with the building's design, symbolizes the fusion of Reykjavík's urban fabric and natural environment.

Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Reykjavik. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "GPSmyCity: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.

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Reykjavik City Hall on Map

Sight Name: Reykjavik City Hall
Sight Location: Reykjavik, Iceland (See walking tours in Reykjavik)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark

Walking Tours in Reykjavik, Iceland

Create Your Own Walk in Reykjavik

Create Your Own Walk in Reykjavik

Creating your own self-guided walk in Reykjavik is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Reykjavik Introduction Walking Tour

Reykjavik Introduction Walking Tour

Reykjavik is the capital city of Iceland. Located close to the Arctic Circle, it is the world's northernmost capital. This charming, eclectic destination is the center of Iceland's economy, culture, and government.

Reykjavík is considered to be Iceland's first settlement. According to ancient texts, Norseman Ingolfr Arnarson was drawn to Reykjavík's natural harbor and...  view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.8 Km or 2.4 Miles
Reykjavik Historical Buildings Tour

Reykjavik Historical Buildings Tour

Reykjavik, although primarily famous as a base from which to explore the rest of Iceland, is surprisingly full of unique historic locations, many of which are off the beaten path and thus not overrun with tourists. In fact, unless you're accompanied by a historian or knowledgeable local, you can easily walk right past them and not realize their historical importance.

Relatively small in...  view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.9 Km or 1.8 Miles