Landakotskirkja

Landakotskirkja is a Catholic church located in the capital of Iceland. The church serves as the cathedral for 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 temple was consecrated in the summer of 1929. The honorary papal title "minor basilica" was received in 1999.

History of Landakotskirkja Church

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

What the temple looks like

Historical documents say that the building appeared in the 60-70s of the 19th century. The church was the place where masses were held. As it became known later, few people were aware of their existence. After World War I, the Catholic community in Iceland only expanded. This process was so progressive that the need arose to build a Catholic church. Landakotskirkja was completely built in 1929.

Externally, Landakotskirkja looks unusual. At least, it is noticeably different from existing Catholic churches. This is not surprising, since we are talking about Iceland. The building was 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 you look at the building more closely, you can see that it is based on concrete. The cathedral tower has a flat top instead of the usual spire. Landakotskirkja is located on the high Landakost hill, hence the name. The floor of the church is paved with unusual tiles.