Reykjavik attractions – 25 most interesting places
The “Ice Country” (this is how “Iceland” sounds in translation), located on the island of the same name, is unique in everything. There is a special maritime subarctic climate here, where the cold of the Arctic is softened by the North Atlantic current, which goes around the coast of the island state from the south and west. The tundra landscape, flashes of the northern lights, dwarf pines, “white nights”, birches, willows, an abundance of mosses, lichens make Iceland related to the Russian north. Only instead of reindeer, sheep graze here, the wool of which is famous all over the world, in winter there are no such severe frosts, but there are many volcanoes. It was they who turned the Arctic country into an amazingly beautiful land with a mild climate. Iceland is a northern “fairy tale”, a stay in which is extremely interesting and exciting. Let's talk about the main attractions of Reykjavik.
Blue Lagoon
Ranked as the 25th wonder of the world, the Blue Lagoon is an unearthly natural retreat that will impress first-time visitors. The cosmic landscapes that appear before your eyes make you forget that you are on Earth, and not among the Martian fields. Surrounded by swirling steam, the geothermal station enhances the impression of an extraterrestrial reality.
Grandiose heaps of stone blocks – traces of a long-standing lava eruption, covered with centuries-old velvet islands of green moss, and between them – a sea lagoon with water of an incredible milky blue color – an amazing picture! A tiled path leads from the car parking to the lagoon, to the buildings of the spa center, laid on a territory freed from stones.
Around the spa center there are also walking paths strewn with volcanic gravel. The surrounding background continues to amaze: the green of the mosses alternates with a snow-white coating on the black stone statues, creating fantastic color patterns. The main wealth of the Blue Lagoon is boiling geothermal water, which spouts from a 2-kilometer depth and contains silicon dioxide, which precipitates and forms a layer of therapeutic “white” clay, minerals and algae at the bottom. The spa resort has been awarded the Blue Flag for environmental friendliness and cleanliness.
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Imagine the World Tower
On the island of Videy (400 m from the mainland of Reykjavík) there is a symbolic tower “Imagine Peace Tower” – a kind of monument to the famous singer and musician John Lennon. His widow Yoko Ono perpetuated his memory in such an original way. The basis of the tower, named after Lennon's song “Imagine”, is a white stone cylinder (well) 10 m high, inside of which there are 15 searchlights that turn on at night.
The light, amplified by mirror prisms, rushes up 4 km, forming an enchanting pillar-tower, symbolizing the immortality of Lennon's soul and his struggle for peace. Everyone sees the luminous tower every year from 07.10 (John's birthday) to 08.12 (day of death).
Mount Esya
The mountain, called by a touching maiden name, in fact, an extinct volcano that erupted more than 2 million years ago, is located 10 km from the Icelandic capital. A stunningly beautiful panorama of the snow-white peak opens from the city, towering over the streets and quarters like a guard. The inhabitants love Esya very much and literally worship her as a guardian angel. Dozens of marked trails on the slopes of the former volcano lead upward, from where you can admire the enchanting views of the capital, the ocean expanses and the intricate zigzags of the coastline.
Hyovdi's house
An old mansion of the early 19th century, once owned by the French consul, then the Icelandic poet Einar Benetihtsson lived in it, and in the 20th century the house became the property of the state. Guests from different countries were received here. The walls of the house remember many public figures, politicians and artists, including W. Churchill and Marlene Dietrich. He became known to the whole world after the “Icelandic Summit” in 1986, in which a significant meeting took place between the presidents of the two powers – Gorbachev and Reagan, who signed an important agreement on the end of the Cold War in the Hövdi House. Until now, there are legends about the Spirit of the White Lady living in this building, which makes it popular.
Concert Hall and Congress Hall “Kharpa”
Right on the shore of the harbor, there is an extraordinary building – a synthesis of avant-garde architecture, modern science and art – the brainchild of 2 Icelandic innovative creators, architect Larsen and artist Eliasson. This is the first Concert Hall in Iceland, which has already become the venue for many international competitions and forums.
The main building structures of the building are panels of glass in blue and yellow shades and look like a honeycomb framed with a steel frame. Daylight, refracting in them, creates the effect of a giant diamond sparkling with facets. But an even more colorful picture arises at night, when the walls of Harp are illuminated by thousands of LEDs. The building literally floats in the air, spreading a diamond glow over the city and the harbor – a fantastic sight.
The name “Harpa” on the Icelandic meaning Harp reflects the creative idea of the authors of the project: the interior space of 5 asymmetric planes of 5 floors, illuminated from the outside, seems to be permeated with the air strings of the harp. The names and interiors of 4 concert halls embody the nature of Iceland: Eldborg – the crater of an extinct volcano; Silvurberg – a type of Icelandic spar; Nordurlyous – northern lights; Kaltaloun is a cold lagoon.
“Kharpa” is also a symbol of the state's resilience, the government's devotion to its people, which, despite the economic crisis, helped to implement the project. The European Union awarded this architectural masterpiece of modernity with the highest award – the Mie svan der Rohe Prize.
Cultural center “Perlan”
The European direction to transform former industrial enterprises into centers of culture is reflected in Reykjavik. By decision of the mayor-enthusiast Oddsson, the building of the old boiler house (5 floors) was turned into a modern cultural center, having made redevelopment and adding new structures. A transparent glass dome was installed over the historical building, and the space was divided inside with concrete floors, creating spacious rooms for cultural institutions.
Now there is a Center for Contemporary Art, a wax museum, art galleries, souvenir shops. From the observation deck under the glass dome, an amazing panorama of the city opens up, a fashionable restaurant on a rotating platform (the most expensive institution in the capital) is also open here. In 2 hours, the platform makes a full circle of rotation – for this you can enjoy not only the taste of gourmet dishes, but also admire the spectacle of urban landscapes at the same time.