Top Rated Attracties in Reykjavik

On an elevated platform outside the majestic Hallgrímskirkja, the statue of Viking Leif Eiríksson gazes longingly into Reykjavik's landscape. Appearing to almost guard the iconic cathedral behind it, the statue is one of the most notable monuments in the capital city. The history of Leif Eiríksson goes back to more than a millennium, when the continent of North America was first discovered by him. As a token of gratitude, the United States of America gifted this grand statue of the Viking to Iceland on the 1000th anniversary of the Alþingi Parliament. Interestingly, the statue has an identical sibling that adorns the front yard of the Mariners' Museum in Newport, Virginia.

The Leifr Eiriccson Monument is a statue located in front of the Hallgrimskirkja monument which was a gift from the USA to Iceland in the year 1930. Leifr Eiriccson is said to be the first Viking explorer to have discovered the Americas. His father, Eric the Red, is said to have established the Viking settlement in Greenland where Leifr later moved to be with his family. The statue in front of the cathedral depicts the brave explorer looking out to the sea from atop a high pedestal.