BSÍ

The church was designed by state architect Guðjón Samúelsson, and building work stretched from the 1940s into the 1980s. It is named after the 17th-century poet and clergyman Hallgrímur Pétursson. The statue of Leifur Eiríksson in front was a gift from the United States, marking a thousand years of the Althing in 1930.

In the middle of the capital, Tjörnin is a calm pond where the city's birdlife gathers, and a path circles the water past colourful houses, the city hall and the old Iðnó theatre. On quiet days the reflections of the buildings fill the surface, and in summer the air is full of birdsong.

Visit around sunrise or sunset for the best light, or on clear winter evenings when the sky behind the sculpture may glow green with aurora. It takes only a few minutes to see, so combine it with a walk along the waterfront to Harpa or into the old harbour area. Wrap up warmly, as the sea breeze can be sharp.