Thingvellir (Þingvellir) Church
Thingvellir (Þingvellir) Church
Thingvellir’s parish church, built in 1859, serves the small congregation of the area, as well as being used for public and private church ceremonies.
The bell tower contains three bells: a very old one, another dating from 1697 and a third which was added on the 17th of June 1944, when the Icelandic republic was established at Thingvellir.
Written sources mention that the first church here was erected in 1015, following a gift of timber and a bell from King Olaf of Norway, shortly after Iceland converted to Christianity.
Behind the church, you'll find a circular cemetery, where poets Einar Benediktsson and Jonas Hallgrimsson are honored with a memorial. The house next door belongs to the State; it is used for meetings and serves as a summerhouse for the Prime Minister of Iceland.