Domkirkjan - The Cathedral

Reykjavík, 3 August 2012
The building of the cathedral has quite a story. How could it be otherwise in the land of sagas?!
Near the end of the 18th century it was decided to move the diocesan town from Skálholt to Reykjavík. It was about the time, 1786, when the Danish rulers abolished the trading monopoly and granted six communities an exclusive trading charter. This lead to Reykjavík becoming a town of considerable importance and probably to the decision to move the bishop's residence to Reykjavík. A cathedral had to be built.

In 1788 stones were heaped on the building site and in summer Danish craftsmen started working. However according to historical tradition the progress was slow because the men were regularly drunk. The work was finished in 1796. The cathedral offered room for most of Reykjavíks inhabitants, but people kept away due to deficiencies in construction. The roof leaked and the building extremely damp. It was proved that the  wood had already been rotten from the beginning of the works. In 1815 the church was condemned and two years later the church was thoroughly restored. However ten years later on Whitsunday the roofbeams squeaked so much that the congregation fled the building out of fear.

Between 1847-1848 the cathedral was reconstracted again by Danish craftsmen. Danish sand had been imported for the masonry as if sand was a rarety in Iceland. After that the church fell again in disrepair due to the lack of maintenance. It seems the community did not care much for the Danish works. Another restauration was called for in 1879 and this time it was led by an Icelandic craftsmen. The result was the cathedral as it is looking today. Though it does not appear overly big when you stay between the nave it has seats for 600 people. But its wooden interior is radiating a cosy atmosphere which makes you underestimate its size.