Guðjón Samúelsson

Guðjón Samúelsson's most famous building and a widely visible landmark of Reykjavík: the Hallgrímskirkja

Guðjón Samúelsson ([ ˈkvʏðjoun ˈsaːmuɛlsˌsɔn ], born April 16, 1887 , † April 25, 1950 ) was an Icelandic state architect .

In 1927, Guðjón drew up the first, unrealized development plan for the Icelandic capital Reykjavík . His works include the main building of the University of Iceland , the national theater Þjóðleikhúsið , the catholic cathedral Landakotskirkja in Reykjavík as well as the church of Akureyri , Akureyrarkirkja. His best-known work is the Hallgrímskirkja , the planning work of which began in 1937 and which, at 74.5 m, was the tallest building in Iceland at the time.

Much of his work is said to have been influenced by Icelandic geology, especially basalt columns like those at Svartifoss .

Other works (selection)

• Local museum in Kópasker
• The house on the corner of Austurstræti and Pósthússtræti, Reykjavík, built between 1916 and 1917, is the first large building in Iceland. The building, characterized by Art Nouveau and Danish national romanticism, on which there are statues by Einar Jónsson , housed a branch of the Landsbankinn and, for a long time, Reykjavíkurapótek, which opened in 1930 . After they closed, the Apótekið restaurant moved in.
• Landspítalinn
• Hotel Borg
• Héraðsskólinn in Laugarvatn

• 

  The main building (Aðalbygging) of the University of Háskóli Íslands with Ásmundur Sveinsson's sculpture Sæmundur á selnum (1926).

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  The National Theater (Þjóðleikhúsið) in Reykjavík.

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  The National Theater (Þjóðleikhúsið) from Ingólfsstræti with the old building of the National Library (Landsbókasafnið), Reykjavík.

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  Landakotskirkja, the Catholic Church in Reykjavík.

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  Hallgrim's Church in Reykjavík.

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  Akureyrarkirkja, the Church of Akureyri.

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Icelandreise.info: Architecture and Urban Planning - City Expansion Reykjavík ( Memento of the original from September 27, 2007 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.  
2. ↑ ^{a b c d} Grapevine.is: The Building that Shaped the City Austurstræti 16  ( page no longer available , search in web archives )  Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.  

Note: Icelanders are referred to by their first name or first and last name, but not just their surname. Further information can be found under Icelandic personal name .