time capsule
Most read
Latest
-
Time Capsule: Austurvöllur Square
Austurvöllur Square has been a public gathering space for Icelanders since the 1930s. Though the Square is now home to many cafés and restaurants, the presence of the statue of Independence leader Jón Sigurðsson seems to inspire a spirit of protest as…
-
Time Capsule: WWII Remains at Öskjuhlíð
In the centre of Reykjavík there lies a grassy hill called Öskjuhlíð. Unusually for Iceland, Öskjuhlíð sports a thick covering of greenery, so you can pick one of its many winding paths and enjoy a walk through the pine woods. At the…
-
Time Capsule: The Nordic House
While Iceland’s traditional turf houses have their own special charm, if you fancy admiring some really great architecture, pay a visit to Reykjavík’s Nordic House. Designed by Finnish modernist Alvar Aalto and built in 1968, it stands proudly as the only edifice…
-
Time Capsule: Landsbankinn
In 2013, five years after the financial crisis, one of Iceland’s major banks, Landsbankinn, redesigned its headquarters. Currently Landsbankinn holds all of its operations under one roof at Austurhöfn, which is the original Landsbankinn building and one of the city’s most important…
-
Time Capsule: Höfði
Politicians and ghosts make for a terrifying combination. The Höfði House is Reykjavík’s most famous and haunted residence. Built in 1909, Höfði sits on the waterfront just off Borgartún. Inspired by Nordic Art Nouveau, it was constructed in Norway and shipped to…
-
Time Capsule: The National Theatre Of Iceland
The National Theatre of Iceland is one of Reykjavík’s finest and most long-lived art institutions. It’s hard to miss: the building has an inviting atmosphere, with a baronial structure and classic red carpet on the inside. Opened in April 1950 and designed…
-
Time Capsule: Gamla Bíó
One of Reykjavík’s most exquisite buildings, Gamla bíó (the Old Cinema), is one of the those rare spots that makes you forget you live in a village at the end of the world. Instead, when you enter it, you feel like you…
-
Time Capsule: “Perlufestin” Tjörninn
On the east bank of Tjörnin, the lake in the middle of downtown Reykjavík, lies a delicate mermaid statue: “Perlufestin” by Nína Sæmundsson. Poised and smooth, the siren looks as if she turned to stone only moments before. But has she? In…
-
Time Capsule: The Old Prison
The old prison in Reykjavík (called “Hegningarhúsið” in Icelandic), located just down the street from Hallgrímskirkja, pretty much looks like how one would imagine an old prison to look, when you think about it: grey, dark and frankly not the most accommodating…
-
Time Capsule: The National Gallery Of Iceland
Entering the graceful main entrance of Listasafn Íslands (the National Gallery of Iceland), it’s hard to believe that the building was originally built for storing ice, back in 1916. It’s much easier to imagine citizens of Reykjavik gathering there for dancing and drinking—which…
-
Time Capsule: National Theatre Cellar
Built and opened in 1950, the National Theatre of Iceland stores a page of Reykjavík’s decadent history in the fiery heart of its cellar. As I step under its low ceilings, the room greets me with a warm, crimson hug. Faded red…
-
Time Capsule: Parliament Hall
The Parliament Hall and its iconic cerulean walls have stood the test of time since 1881. Despite the absence of opulent décor, the Hall still exudes grandeur even in its minimal appearance. As I look around I tip my hat to the…
-
Time Capsule: The Top Floor Of Iðno
Iceland has often been accused of being one of the most culturally appropriative countries in the world. While this is certainly true to an extent when it comes to pop culture, believe it or not Iceland really does have a culture of…
-
Time Capsule: Hótel Holt’s Bar
Hótel Holt, built in 1965, has changed little over the decades. You can feel it the moment you walk into the lobby, with its low-slung ceilings, warm polished wood walls and tiled floors. But if you want to get real retro, you…
-
Time Capsule: Vísir
This space is normally reserved for those corners of Reykjavík that have held up against the tides of time, anachronistic islands in a sea of modernity. Vísir is no such place. While this modest grocer’s held onto its spot at Laugavegur 1…
-
Time Capsule: Mokka Kaffi
Visiting the Art Deco-infused Mokka Kaffi is like stepping back into the 1950s. In fact, this cozy little place was one of Iceland’s first coffee houses, and is still run by the same family that started it back in 1958. It hasn’t…
-
Reykjavík Time Capsule: Pétursbúð
In the US, there’s a thing called a “bodega”. This refers to a kind of convenient store, usually of the non-chain variety, and almost always implies a cornershop replete with local flavour. There’s probably a version of this concept in every country…