Reykjavik Cathedral (Dómkirkjan)

Reykjavik Cathedral (Dómkirkjan) is a small white church on Kirkjustræti beside Austurvöllur square, consecrated in 1796 and serving as the mother church of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Iceland. The building replaced earlier churches at Reykjavik and was designed in a plain neoclassical style under Danish rule, when the bishopric was moved from Skálholt to the growing town. It is the seat of the Bishop of Iceland and the venue for national ceremonies: the president, members of the Althing, and the government attend a service here at the opening of each parliamentary session, after which they walk across the square to the Parliament House. The exterior is deliberately modest, with whitewashed walls, a dark roof, and a squat tower, while the interior is simple and light. It was extended and altered in the 19th century, including work in the 1840s, when the tower was reshaped and the interior remodelled; the building has since been repaired several times and remains in regular use. Among the notable furnishings is a baptismal font carved by the Danish sculptor Bertel Thorvaldsen and given to the church, reflecting links between Iceland and Danish art. Burials and memorials in the surrounding churchyard include figures of Icelandic history, and the Dómkirkjan has been the site of state funerals and important weddings. Visitors normally find the church open on weekdays and for services, and the schedule should be checked on domkirkjan.is before arrival. The church is free to enter, and music is a regular feature, with concerts and choir performances held there. Its location beside the Parliament House and a short walk from Aðalstræti and the Settlement Exhibition makes it an easy stop on a walking route through the oldest part of central Reykjavik. Silence is expected in the nave, and photography is generally tolerated outside services.