Ready for Takeoff

irreverent-dan (60) in photofeed • 7 years ago

Reykjavik's Hallgrímskirkja doesn't have anything in common with the churches that I have seen! The huge concrete construction looks like something that was born in the mind of a die-hard communist architect. It instantly reminded me of Buzludzha - the abandoned communist monument in Bulgaria.

Hallgrímskirkja is also minimalist on the inside - big windows that let light in and nothing redundant or kitschy to distract you. Very different compared to the Bulgarian Orthodox churches, which are typically dark, with big chandeliers, and with lots of icons and candles. Does anyone know if all Lutheran churches are like the one in Reykjavik?

The benches were nicely padded and comfortable, and there was a shiny big pipe organ.

I don't know this guy...

The rocket-shaped church is located on top of a hill in the centre of Reykjavik.

Have you seen a weirder looking church?

Thanks for stopping by!

Dan

I know this girl - @agniese

photofeed photography blog travel iceland

7 years ago by irreverent-dan (60)

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countrygirl (66) · 7 years ago

Look at you getting all churchie!! 😇

Amazing minimalist linear shots.....there are lines everywhere. I feel like someone with OCD following the lines inside the church photos!! hehe....

Lutheran church buildings are usually plain inside. No statues, or ornate stuff. Simple.

I love the quaint little street in contrast to the modern other worldly building that is used as a church....very scary looking in a way.

I see @agniese rocking it in the front pew. Interesting :)

Nice post - very clean looking....the soft greys mixed with soft green , golden lighting and lots of wood - I like it. But it doesn't match the charm of the village. It would be interesting to know who created the architecture and why. Most towns build to keep a certain feel or theme. I can't think of the word. ha! Annoying brain.

agniese (50) · 7 years ago

Dan, church and rock & roll? Okay, it sounds weird... Anyway, that's a good point - "the village". Because the shots were taken in a capital city. But it's true that Reykjavik is more a town alike.

irreverent-dan (60) · 7 years ago

Dan, church and rock & roll?

😁 Would you agree that Iceland is a country for weirdos?

Did you manage to read the story behind the church? If not, take a look at the link that I sent to @countrygirl - there are some weird facts.

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agniese (50) · 7 years ago

Hey, I moved there! Sure you cannot be "normal" to live in Iceland ;)
Thank, I'm gonna check it out!

fotosdenada (65) · 7 years ago

Haha! You world like Hoven, South Dakota, if you like the mismatch between village and church. Some German guy, back in the 1800's had this idea that, if he built a huge cathedral in a farming community, in the middle of the pains, people would come. They didn't.

irreverent-dan (60) · 7 years ago

I feel like someone with OCD following the lines inside the church

Hahah 😁 I knew you are going to love it!

Yes, the building is a complete mismatch with the rest of the architecture. I think it was built by an Icelandic architect who was inspired by the countryside nature. Wow, I just read some pretty crazy facts about it: https://theculturetrip.com/europe/iceland/articles/a-brief-history-of-hallgrimskirkja-icelands-picturesque-church/

By the way, in the city where I stayed, most churches looked weird :) Imagine something like a warehouse that has been transformed into a church. I should have taken photos of them.

I see you guys in Canada are almost 50%/50% catholics and protestants.

Agniese is always willing to pose for me 😁 Great model!

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countrygirl (66) · 7 years ago

Most non denominational churches are very warehouse like. Not big church buildings with steeples and the like that you are used with the Orthodox ones. You won't usually find pews, but rows of chairs. No organ, but a band and a screen hanging at the front to project words for the songs. Some even rent out old theatres. I can see that looking strange to you. It was for me as well. I grew up in the catholic church and grew away from that and am a non denominational type of christian. In other words, I don't have a label to identify me to a group, like a Baptist Christian, or Pentecostal Christian, or Luthern Christian type of thing. My identify comes from knowing Christ. Makes it way simpler.

But there are still many old church buildings around, some very ornate - mostly of the catholic variety or eastern orthodox and within the protestant denominations you will see plainer versions without the pomp and circumstance decor.

I visited a very old church in a small town - it was not being used and was for sale - my son was going to purchase it for the land so he could instal solar panels. Anyways, the church building was amazing. I wanted some of the pews - they were the kind you'd see in a movie theatre but without padding - all gorgeous wood and the seats pulled up like at the show. I really did want a couple for my house - they'd be very interesting. And I also wanted the pulpit. It would have made a great computer stand. :) But the building was full of mold, there was no way I'd want to bring that into my house. It's too bad it was in such condition bc it was deemed an historic site and wasn't allowed to be torn down (which is why my son didn't buy the property). It was the church that was started by the first female evangelist. Ami Semple McPherson. She had quite the history - a lot of scandal - true or not, I don't know - but it was interesting.

The Iceland building is amazing. That photo of the ceiling that you didn't take - the one from the link you posted (achem - very surprised as it was minimal and had gorgeous lines) is beautiful and I can see why you said somewhere that the acoustics are most likely fabulous. I can almost feel the base from that organ playing. I still enjoy music like that.

Agniese is a beautiful model, not camera shy at all. :)

Just a short comment for your reading pleasure :)

irreverent-dan (60) · 7 years ago (edited)

Just a short comment for your reading pleasure :)

Haha, I love your short comments! :) It's a pity that you were not able to get some of those pews - I am sure they would have been a great addition to your collection of chairs :)

I remember now that I have several pictures from a church that was no longer in use. A few years back, we (I and my ex-ex) went to a village up in the mountains, and upon seeing us with cameras, a young man asked us if we could snap some photos of the local church. They were to be used in a book about the village. We agreed, of course, so we went to the house of an old lady that kept the keys. She took us to the building and said: "Don't be worried, you can enter everywhere and touch everything." That was the first and only time I had the chance to explore a church in a proper way.

I will share a couple of photos with you once I get back home :)

P.S. Photos

countrygirl (66) · 7 years ago

My chairs!!! thanks for reminding me :) I love chairs. and books.....and maybe dishes....in that order :)

What a sweet lady to allow you inside to explore. Did you get a copy of the book they were making? That would be a nice keep sake.

I look forward to that post about this little church and the village - and myabe about your ex ex. haha...never heard that term before.

irreverent-dan (60) · 7 years ago

Haha, that's the one before my ex-girlfriend 😁 Too many exes, Deb.

I didn't get a copy of the book, unfortunately, and apart from 4-5 church shots, I have no pictures from the village itself. We visited it during a cold day in March. I don't think I will write a post about it, sorry :)

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countrygirl (66) · 7 years ago

thats okay :) No worries.

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norwegianbikeman (56) · 7 years ago (edited)

Got some "man in black" flash back on the photo of the man in the front.
Science fiction feeling over it super cool. in my home town in norway the church is a octagonal stone church. not weirder but its unusual.

countrygirl (66) · 7 years ago

That is so beautiful @norwegianbikeman.....!

norwegianbikeman (56) · 7 years ago

yes its a super nice place it u are in norway one time u most visit Gubransdalen in the summer time :)

fotosdenada (65) · 7 years ago

Wow! That's a pretty one, and the scenery is amazing, too! With such a steply sloped roof, it must be an exceptionally snowy area...

irreverent-dan (60) · 7 years ago (edited)

What a cute looking small church 😊 Maybe this would sound weird, but the graveyard is pretty cool, too! Where are you from in Norway? Are people religious there?

You know, I spent 4 years living in Denmark and I never went to Norway...

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norwegianbikeman (56) · 7 years ago

actually is room for 750 in there :)
this is Sør fron is in the middle of norway 80km from Lillehammer where the 1994 olympics where held.
in the my village is 300 people ish its 4km from the church is called baksia like the back side because the sun i gone there most of the year. :)

Are people religious there?

not anymore, but my grandmother and my mother are

a spend a couple of summer in Denmark one of my father faders friend
had a summer house on fyn

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irreverent-dan (60) · 7 years ago

Wow, so it only gives the impression of being small? :)

How did you find Fyn and Denmark compared to Norway? I spent 2 years in Odense, and the summer houses around Fyn were quite nice :)

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norwegianbikeman (56) · 7 years ago

its almost the same a think the Norwegian people are more quiet.
a haven't been to Denmark in many years. so a bit vague on the how it is there but a remember is was super nice it had straw roof. where we stayed.

fotosdenada (65) · 7 years ago

Wow... That does look like it's about to take off! It looks nicer inside, in my opinion. Can you climb to the top? It looks like it has a set of bells up there, and I bet the view is spectacular!

irreverent-dan (60) · 7 years ago

Oh yes, you can climb but you'll have to pay something like 10 euros :) considering it's the tallest building in town, I assume it would be worth paying the money :))

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smawkward (49) · 7 years ago

10 euros seems kind of steep, pun intended :) but it would be cool to see the design on that entrance sidewalk from above.

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irreverent-dan (60) · 7 years ago

I will climb up there next time im in Reykjavik :))

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intrepidphotos (75) · 7 years ago

Beautiful. I have never seen any pics inside that building before. Thanks for sharing.

irreverent-dan (60) · 7 years ago

Thanks for commenting, Robert :) Glad that you liked it!

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dijana969 (57) · 7 years ago

That building looks intriguing. Does it have six floors or?... because judging by interior photos it doesnt look crazy high inside. I have never seen church with pudded seats before 😊 and those organs look spectacular. At first I thought that you’ve done color isolation on photos, untill I saw people inside it. Great post and photos dear!

irreverent-dan (60) · 7 years ago

Thank you so much Di! You can actually climb up the tower for a small fee :) I think the view towards the city will be awesome. What do you have there in Australia in terms of church architecture? I'm asking everyone, lol 😂

dijana969 (57) · 7 years ago

Hahahhaha...Adelaide is city of churces, so you name it, you will find it here...there are three in area that I’m living in...

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irreverent-dan (60) · 7 years ago

I bet you don't have an Orthodox church 😁

dijana969 (57) · 7 years ago (edited)

Yes we have, few of them...which one you prefer, Serbian, Russian, Greek, Macedonian...told you you name it you will find it here 😉. You will force me to start taking photos of them, hahhahaha

irreverent-dan (60) · 7 years ago

Haha! So you have many minorities living in Adelaide :)

dennisauburn (51) · 7 years ago

Beautiful. An alien spaceship landed - and that's where they put it. Love the lines.

irreverent-dan (60) · 7 years ago

The lines are dope, man! Check out the link I shared to my Buzludzha post - I think it's my second post on Steemit. That's a proper spaceship!

How are you doing, by the way? I haven't got much time lately for beer posts.

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dennisauburn (51) · 7 years ago (edited)

I'm doing well, thanks for asking.See now, I'm thinking the inside of the church would have been a great place for a beer post.
I tried to get a good picture of the Mormon temple in San Diego for you, but I couldn't pull it up. I could go take a picture, but, you know, that's a lot of work. :-)) Anyway, if you're so inclined, you could look it up - - absolutely a spaceship, but more like one humans would make. Cheers. Glad you made it safely there and backagain.

irreverent-dan (60) · 7 years ago

I'm thinking the inside of the church would have been a great place for a beer post.

Haha! What a great idea! Knowing the temper of some of our orthodox priests, however, I will have to be extra careful when taking the pictures, as it could end up with me being anathematized and kicked out of the church 😁

I looked the Mormon temple up, and it left me speechless! Wow, is it made of marble?

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jarvie (70) · 7 years ago

there you go https://www.jarviedigital.com/Temples/Organized-by-Temple/San-Diego-LDS-Temple

dennisauburn (51) · 7 years ago

Thanks for the pictures. I found one at a time and they really didn't show it.

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irreverent-dan (60) · 7 years ago

Thanks man! Bizarre architecture at its best :)

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dennisauburn (51) · 7 years ago

I don't know what it's made of. It's very visible by the major freeway from San Diego to LA. Two different spaceships. :-)) Each is striking in it's own strange way. Cool.

gpbak (42) · 7 years ago

Thanks for sharing! Nice pics!

I find it interesting that this edifice would trigger in you an association with Buzludzha. I take it this is a negative association? Or not?

On a different note, the word "church" shouldn't even be in the Bible or in our vocabulary. It's not a word that comes from Scripture. I would call this edifice a religious temple. But again, that's me and I realize most people don't care what words they use, even if horribly wrong.

irreverent-dan (60) · 7 years ago

Thanks for your comment, George! Glad that you liked the pics 😊

There are no negative associations - I love such type of architecture (I'm not sure though if the architecture of this temple can be classified as Brutalism, and Buzludzha is one of my favorite monuments :)

I didn't know about the word church. Are you religious?

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gpbak (42) · 7 years ago (edited)

The Communist monument which looks like a mix between a gigantic toilet bowl a flying saucer? You find that “thing” what? Artistic? Everything it stands for is evil and I hope to God is gets blown up ASAP!

What does “religious” mean according to you?

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irreverent-dan (60) · 7 years ago

Omg... Get lost and away from my blog, please!

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gpbak (42) · 7 years ago

Why so triggered? The only people I know who get triggered like this when I call Communism for the evil that it is, are flaming liberals. In which case, I wear it as badge of honor!

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cam.mcfarlane (55) · 7 years ago

What a stunning building!

irreverent-dan (60) · 7 years ago

Absolutely, and it looks kind of out of place :) But I like it! Thanks for your comment, man 🙏

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ablaze (61) · 7 years ago

Nope haven't seen a weirder looking church! :o) It's really cool though..

irreverent-dan (60) · 7 years ago

Glad that you liked it man :))

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gillianpearce (65) · 7 years ago

That does look pretty weird @irreverent-dan, especially when you see it at the end of a street like that. On it's own it reminds me of a mantle clock.

I find it too plain for my taste inside but then I'm not a lover of grey in any situation. The organ looks pretty stunning though, a work of art in it's own right. 😊

irreverent-dan (60) · 7 years ago

Can we agree that it's a weird looking mantle clock, as there's an actual clock on the top? 😁

I wonder how the organ sounds in such an empty building. I guess the acoustics will be amazing.

Are there primarily protestants in the UK?

gillianpearce (65) · 7 years ago

Ok. Agree. it's a weird looking mantle clock @irreverent-dan! 😁

I wondered the exact same thing about the acoustics and also thought they would be good. Maybe that's why it is built the way it is.

I would say there are primarily non religious people in the UK. But of the denominations I think protestants out number Catholics.

Wishing you a fun weekend! 😊

irreverent-dan (60) · 7 years ago

Thanks Gillian, have a great week ahead!

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paddygsound (53) · 7 years ago

Wow, such striking architecture. It certainly stands out from the crowd when compared to most other churches

irreverent-dan (60) · 7 years ago

It certainly does :) thanks for your comment @paddygsound!

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trendygran (45) · 7 years ago

Amazing and clever architecture. Building it at the end of the street. Can't be missed

irreverent-dan (60) · 7 years ago

I read on the internet that you can see it from everywhere as it's the city's tallest building. I didn't pay much attention if that's true :)

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pixresteemer (65) · 7 years ago

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greentomorrow (5) · 7 years ago

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pixresteemer (65) · 7 years ago

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