Two Days in Reykjavik, Reykjavik, Iceland

Forty-eight hours in an unfamiliar destination is usually enough to check out the highlights, form a limited impression - basically, scratch the surface at best. My stay in Iceland was exactly that long, and it gave me roughly one cumulative day to explore the capital of Reykjavik. Which, for a city of a relatively small size that is not exactly known as a sightseeing magnet, appears sufficient. I got a reasonable feel of it, managed to stop by most of its main landmarks, and found time for several museum visits.

The standout landmark in the shot above is Hallgrímskirkja. The church is only 40 years old this year (completed in 1986) and dominates the city’s skyline to a degree that it is visible practically from anywhere in Reykjavik. It is the most recognizable architectural landmark of the entire country and must also be the most photographed one, to which I couldn’t help but contribute plentifully.

The sculpture in front of the church is of Leif Eriksson, the first European to set foot in North America.

The interior of the great church is decidedly spartan, with just a handful of embellishments, as befits a Lutheran place of worship.

I ended up in front of Hallgrímskirkja after the fall of darkness as well, so here are a couple of nighttime shots repeating the daytime angles. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).