Stykkishólmskirkja
About Stykkishólmskirkja
Stykkishólmskirkja is the white concrete church whose tall, arched bell tower you can spot from almost anywhere in Stykkishólmur. Its sweeping walls and open bell arch look closer to sculpture than to a parish church, and up close they make the old timber houses around the harbor look tiny. The Stykkishólmur church was designed by architect Jón Haraldsson, who died in 1989, the year before it was consecrated on May 6, 1990.
Inside, the space is bright and simple, with seats for 300 people. The altarpiece, Mary with the Child by Kristín Gunnlaugsdóttir, is a large oil painting that came to the church in 1999. A Klais pipe organ built in Germany, with 22 stops and 1,220 pipes, was inaugurated in January 2012, and the church is known for its acoustics and hosts concerts as well as services.
The church stands on Borgarbraut, a short walk uphill from the harbor and the town center, with views out over Breiðafjörður from the rocks around it. Stykkishólmur is about 2.5 hours by car from Reykjavík, on the north side of the Snæfellsnes peninsula. Plan on 15 to 30 minutes, longer if you catch a service or a concert.
Down in the old town at Aðalgata 5 stands the church it replaced, consecrated in 1879 and restored in 1998. That old church is a protected building and is not open to the public, though viewings can be arranged through the Norwegian House museum. Visiting hours for the new church are not posted online, so call ahead if seeing the interior matters to your plans.
Good to know
Who designed Stykkishólmskirkja?
Architect Jón Haraldsson (1930 to 1989) designed the church. He died the year before it was consecrated on May 6, 1990.
Where is the church in Stykkishólmur?
Stykkishólmskirkja is on Borgarbraut, on higher ground a short walk from the harbor and the town center of Stykkishólmur on the Snæfellsnes peninsula.
Can you go inside Stykkishólmskirkja?
The church holds services and concerts, but visiting hours are not posted online. Call the church at +354 438 1560 before you go if you want to see the interior.
What is inside Stykkishólmskirkja?
The church seats 300 people and has an altarpiece of Mary with the Child by Kristín Gunnlaugsdóttir. Its Klais pipe organ, with 22 stops and 1,220 pipes, was inaugurated in 2012.
Is there an old church in Stykkishólmur?
Yes. The old church at Aðalgata 5 was consecrated in 1879 and restored in 1998. It is not open to the public, but viewings can be arranged through the Norwegian House museum.
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