Landakotskirkja

Landakotskirkja is a Catholic church located in the capital of Iceland. The church serves as the cathedral of the Catholic Diocese of Reykjavik. It is very difficult to pass by such a building, already at a distance of several hundred meters it attracts attention. The church was consecrated in the summer of 1929. The honorary papal title of "minor basilica" was awarded in 1999.

The history of the Landakotskirkja Church

On the one hand, it is unclear how a Lutheran country could allow a Catholic church to be built on its territory, but in fact everything is very simple. In the middle of the 19th century, Jean-Baptiste Baudoin and Bernard arrived in Iceland from France. They were Catholic missionaries. There is no doubt that they had a hard time at first. Firstly, their house was far away, and secondly, the harsh climate of Iceland was very different from that in France. But nature could not break the indestructible faith of the missionaries. They invested their money in the purchase of land, where there were already several buildings. This place became their abode. After a while, a small chapel appeared near the house. A couple of years later, a wooden church was built there.

What does the temple look like?

Historical documents say that the building appeared in the 60-70s of the XIX century. The church was a place of mass. As it became known later, few people were aware of their existence. After the First World War, the Catholic community in Iceland only expanded. This process was so progressive that it became necessary to erect a Catholic church. In 1929, Landakotskirkja was completely built.

Externally, Landakotskirkja looks unusual. At least it is noticeably different from the existing Catholic churches. This is not surprising, because we are talking about Iceland. The building is built in the Neo-Gothic style. When you look at it, you immediately get the impression of antiquity. At first, you might even think that it was built in the 13th century, but not in the 19th century. If we look at the building more closely, it can be seen that it is based on concrete. The cathedral tower has a flat top instead of the usual spire. Landakotskirkja is located on the high hill of Landakost, hence the name. The floor of the church is lined with unusual-looking tiles.