“The central stained-glass window in Akureyri's church reportedly came from England's Coventry Cathedral, saved before German bombs destroyed it in the Second World War.”
About Akureyrarkirkja
Akureyrarkirkja was completed in 1940 to a design by Gudjon Samuelsson, who drew on Iceland's basalt columns for its stepped facade, as he did at Hallgrimskirkja. The church's prized stained glass is traditionally held to have originated in Coventry Cathedral, removed and dispersed before the building was gutted in the 1940 Blitz, before finding its way north.
What Akureyrarkirkja is
Akureyrarkirkja is the landmark church of Akureyri, the main town of north Iceland, standing on a hill above the centre at the top of a long flight of steps. Designed by Gudjon Samuelsson, the same architect behind Reykjavik's Hallgrimskirkja, it shares the stepped, basalt-inspired lines that define Iceland's signature 20th-century church style.
Akureyrarkirkja is the landmark church of Akureyri, the main town of north Iceland, standing on a hill above the centre at the top of a long flight of steps.
A Window From the Blitz
The church holds an unexpected treasure. Its central stained-glass window is said to have come originally from Coventry Cathedral in England, removed before the cathedral was destroyed by German bombing during the Second World War, and reaching Iceland by a roundabout route to be installed here. So a fragment of one of Britain's most famous war-shattered buildings now lights a church in northern Iceland.
The Experience
Taking the long stairway from the town centre to the white, twin-towered church on its hill, with views over Akureyri and the long Eyjafjordur fjord. Inside, the basalt-inspired lines and the stained glass, including the Coventry window, reward a quiet look. A model ship hangs from the ceiling, a Nordic tradition for the safe return of seafarers.
Why It Matters
As the architectural heart of Iceland's second city, Akureyrarkirkja carries the same national church style seen in the capital, tying north and south together. The Coventry-window story links this remote northern town to the wider drama of the Second World War in an unexpected way.
As the architectural heart of Iceland's second city, Akureyrarkirkja carries the same national church style seen in the capital, tying north and south together.
Why Visit
Climb up for the defining landmark of north Iceland's main town, the basalt-inspired architecture of the Hallgrimskirkja designer, and the church's wartime stained glass.
✦ Insider Tips
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Climb the staircase from the town centre for views over Akureyri and Eyjafjordur fjord.
- 2
Note the basalt-inspired design by Gudjon Samuelsson, who also designed Hallgrimskirkja.
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Look for the stained-glass window said to come from England's Coventry Cathedral.
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It is a quick stop, easily combined with exploring Akureyri's centre.
