Cultural sightseeing in Iceland. What to visit - museums, temples, castles and palaces

Relatively small Iceland has an incredible number of interesting places that must be visited by every tourist interested in the history and culture of the country. The National Museum of Iceland in Reykjavik keeps a huge collection of antiques and artifacts from the time of the settlement to our days. These are paintings, national costumes, ancient sculptures of gods, decorations, weapons, furniture, documents, and much more. The museum carefully stores its exhibits, allowing all comers to get acquainted with the heritage and history of Iceland. On the ground floor, there is a souvenir shop and a cozy cafe.

The Glaumbær Farm located in the northern region of Skagafjörður opened as a museum in 1952. Farm buildings date back to the 18th-19th centuries. Here you can see traditional Icelandic turf houses made from wood and turf. This kind of houses had been common in Icelandic towns and villages until the early 20th century. Houses constructed in this way can stand for centuries. Visitors will also see amazing old shoes made from fish skin. The buildings' rooms - a living room, a kitchen, pantries, and others - are quite dark but cozy.

All those fascinated by the Viking age should not ignore the Viking World Museum, located on Reykjanes peninsula. A building of this unique museum consists mainly of glass, and in its main hall, there is a replica of a Viking ship that can be explored on board. The museum contains weapons, tools, clothing, and other antiques once belonged to real Vikings telling about their fearlessness and strength. This is a great place to dive into the culture of the Vikings. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

The small Icelandic Punk Museum in the capital is recommended for fans of something more contemporary. It is open daily until 10:00 pm. The museum, once a public toilet, tells the history of the punk movement in Iceland through many photographs on the walls. There are also musical instruments available for playing. And in the south-western town of Keflavík, you'll find the Museum of Rock 'n' Roll - a much more serious place inviting visitors to get acquainted with the rock history of Iceland, which was written by such performers as Björk and Sigur Rós. Here you can also play musical instruments, there is a Hall of Fame, a cafe, and a shop selling T-shirts and Icelandic music. The museum is open from 11:00 am to 6:00 PM.

There are many places of religious significance in Iceland. Landakotskirkja in Reykjavik is one of the main attractions of the city. This magnificent Catholic church is a high-rise neo-Gothic structure that has been open to believers since 1929. Numerous arches inside the church create an unusual effect of flying and striving towards heaven. Here you can see the statue of St. Thorlak, the patron saint of Iceland, a statue of Christ carved from cedar wood, and a wonderful 14th-century statue of the Virgin Mary. A Lutheran church with a high tower in Reykjavik, Hallgrimskirkja, is located in the heart of the city. It is dedicated to Hallgrímur Pétursson, a famous Icelandic poet of the 17th century. It houses a Sunday school, art exhibitions, and organ concerts. One can reach a 74.5-meter-high church tower by elevator to admire the beautiful view of the city. In front of the church stands a statue of the Viking Leifur Eiriksson, the first European to set foot on America.

Hellnahelir is the largest artificial cave in Iceland on the western slopes of the mountain near the Helljar farm. Thanks to the unique acoustics, all kinds of concerts and sacred services have been held here. Many centuries ago, this place had been used as sheds and livestock pens. On the walls of the cave, you can see the carved drawings. Some scientists believe that this cave was dug by Irish monks who arrived in these places shortly before the Vikings.

Those wishing to touch the recent history should head to the Höfdi House dating back to 1909. Originally it was the home of the French consul, later the famous house was visited by Churchill and Marlene Dietrich, and in the 1980s, Reagan and Gorbachev met here to put an end to the Cold War. Besides its historical significance, the house is also known for its beauty. It is rumored that the first owner eventually moved out of the house because of the ghost of a woman who has been living here for many years. While the house can only be explored from the outside, it is still used for official events.