Author: - The Reykjavik Grapevine

Now And Then: Diving Into A Piece Of History

by

Deciphering the subtle transformation of Sundhöll Reykjavíkur Having opened to the public in 1937, Sundhöll Reykjavíkur is Reykjavík’s oldest swimming…

It’s Always Fun On Arnarhóll

by

This is Arnarhóll. You know, the hill in the centre of Reykjavík. According to some of the oldest written records…

Now And Then: Hey, Remember When Those Whaling Ships Were Sunk?

by

Revisiting Iceland’s other core memory from 1986  There were two things that happened in Iceland in 1986 that have been…

Now And Then: Is A Church More Than Just A Building?

by

The evolution of Reykjavík’s most prominent structure If you drop that question to a devout Catholic or anybody serious about…

Now And Then: A Tale of Two Bankruptcies

by

Storage Units become Housing Units Few locations in downtown Reykjavík have shapeshifted as massively in the past two decades as…

Iceland Is Reputed To Be Happy And Safe. So Why Is Violent Crime On The Rise?

by

According to the UN’s 2024 World Happiness Report Iceland is the third happiest country in the world. It has maintained…

Now And Then: A Bizarre Episode Of History

by

What you are looking at here is Pósthustræti 2 — one of the relatively few buildings in Reykjavík that has simply…

The Survivors: Never-Changing Institutions In The Ever-Changing Downtown

by and

They say that you’re a New Yorker once you lived there long enough to remember what was in that spot…

Don’t Go To The Volcano, Because You Might Die

by

It has escaped no one’s attention that yet another eruption is taking place on the Reykjanes peninsula. Just like the…

Anybody Can Run For President… And That’s Exactly Who’s Running

by

The office of President of Iceland is a peculiar one. When Iceland won independence in 1944 the constitution the Dane’s…

Is Iceland Airwaves Past Its Prime?

by

The best festival we have. The only festival we have. Strictly speaking, the Iceland Airwaves festival, which will turn 25…

A Smooth Rendition Of Taking Responsibility

by

A reflection on the resignation of Bjarni Benediktsson On the morning of October 10, Minister of Finance Bjarni Benediktsson held…

Reaching The Sky

by and

A how-to guide to hikes around Reykjavík A hike is nothing more than a walk on a mountain. Sure, you’ll…

How Not To Sell A Bank

by

Explaining the storm swirling around the sale of Íslandsbanki The saga of Icelanders and banking is a tale that feels…

On Why One Founds The Reykjavík Grapevine

by

Sometime over the past 20 years, the reason became clear Remember boredom? That thing that could happen to you before…

Ask A Lawyer: Was There Ever The Death Penalty In Iceland?

by

Was there ever the death penalty in Iceland? We asked lawyer and Grapevine founding member Jón Trausti Sigurðarson for the…

Reykjavík of Yore: Hallgrímskirkja

by

Pictured here is probably the best-known landmark in Reykjavík, and perhaps the most Instagrammed one, too. The church Hallgrímskirkja is…

Reykjavík Of Yore: Landspítallin

by

Pictured here is the oldest building of Landspítalinn, The National University Hospital of Iceland, located by Hringbraut in 101 Reykjavík….

Gimme Some Whale

by

I remember the first time I tried whale meat. It was the early ‘90s, and I was a ten-year-old living…

Grapevine Milestones

by , , and

FIRST SUMMER The first issue was published on June 13, 2003. As the reader should know by now, we publish…

The Game Of Risk

by

“Congratulations!” This word was frequently shouted this past Monday. Why? Did Iceland’s national handball team win the European Championship? Or…

That First Year Of Grapevines

by and

Issue 01 2003 – “Jackboots on Ice” Notable: The fist issue, the only issue at the time. The only issue…

Reflecting on The Grapevine’s First 100 Issues

by and

The Reykjavík Grapevine has for some reason managed to stay in business for over six years and a hundred issues…

What can I vote for?

by

  You can vote for parties not individuals. Here is a list of the current Icelandic political parties with a…

The Republic of Iceland FAQ

by

The Icelandic government, led by the Independence Party and Social Democrat Alliance, imploded last month after a year and a…