It looked like an indoor space to me. Having visited Iceland I can assure the indoor areas are extremely warm - the volcanoes provide cheap heat and electricity (dammit)
Having MCU version of the royal palace of Asgard resemble a golden version of this rather unique church rather than a more standard castle like in comics is actually pretty neat. It certainly makes Valaskjalf more visually impressive and eye-catching.
I pass by this bad boy almost everyday when I drive to school and I even have a good view of it from the eating area in one of the buildings. I don't think about it much, I know about the basic facts and I find it beautiful, but it's never fully seeped in, but this video has made me really appreciate this beautiful church of ours. Thanks Blue. Don't stay from Iceland for too long 💙🤍❤️🤍💙.
💙💙💙💙🤍❤️❤️🤍💙💙💙💙 💙💙💙💙🤍❤️❤️🤍💙💙💙💙 💙💙💙💙🤍❤️❤️🤍💙💙💙💙 💙💙💙💙🤍❤️❤️🤍💙💙💙💙 🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍❤️❤️🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍 ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ 🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍❤️❤️🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍 💙💙💙💙🤍❤️❤️🤍💙💙💙💙 💙💙💙💙🤍❤️❤️🤍💙💙💙💙 💙💙💙💙🤍❤️❤️🤍💙💙💙💙 💙💙💙💙🤍❤️❤️🤍💙💙💙💙 💙💙💙💙🤍❤️❤️🤍💙💙💙💙 💙💙💙💙🤍❤️❤️🤍💙💙💙💙 💙💙💙💙🤍❤️❤️🤍💙💙💙💙 I like flags. And Nordic nations. It's so pretty, ethereal in places, and the entire history of history of cultures, there's so much to love. P.s. that took me 7mins bc I didn't want to not do the flag justice.
There are two points I think you undersell about Iceland's history that I think really put context to why its architectural history is so divergent from other Nordic countries: 1. Iceland is extremely resource poor. After the first generation or so of Vikings managed to clear-cut the island's forests the only semi-reliable source of wood the country had access to was what drifted to shore. It's a bit hard to build anything much less elaborate landmarks when you barely have enough wood for a hearth, and is also a big part of why fermented food is such a key part of traditional Icelandic cuisine. 2. Iceland's weather is very harsh. Anything you build has to be able to stand up to the cold, and the rain, and the wind of the North Atlantic. Actually, one of the things that I noticed in Reykjavik were all of the older houses that were built to look like they were in a classic 19th century, European style but were made of painted sheet metal instead of wood. It was an interesting fusion between practical material and inherited style.
I have to disagree with you when you say Iceland is "resource poor". It has an abundance of fish, so many that it had three "Cod Wars" in the mid to late 20th century with Britain. It's also energy rich, all that thermal energy and hydro electricity means that it could host energy intensive industries like aluminum smelters that were uneconomic in countries with more expensive electricity. From a 21st century perspective, all that electricity is free of CO2, so they don't need to build an entirely new generation system like everywhere else in the world except for a few other cool wet and mountainous places like Norway. Tasmania and the South Island of New Zealand.
@@Dave_Sissonit's still very resource poor in the sense that many of the most used natural resources aren't present in Iceland in large quantities or at all, with wood being the most obvious one. It is absolutely one of the world's most geothermally active regions, though.
@@Dave_Sisson You are correct, I should have phrased it as historically Iceland was a resource poor country. It wasn’t until the mid 20th century that Iceland would be able to tap those energy resources you listed, but now that they can it’s a very different situation.
@@erikrinard Which is itself an interesting point of the concept of what is a "natural" resource is a little less defined than one might think. The general assumption is it's just the stuff you have, but it really only refers to the things that you can use, meaning what is a resource changes with time as technology advances.
there is also the reason that the "posh" architecture in Danmark; Norway and Sweden proper was build with the money of the Nobility and later the emergent and prosperous middle class (and even later by corporations ) of these countries. Given the small population and overall poverty of Iceland until the 20th century.... where's the money for a prosperous palace, Grand church or huge town hall going to come from ? I eaamn christian the IVth of Denmark did wonders wonders for Copenhagen's architectural beauty, but he ruined his countries finances while doing so
1:51 Every time I think Red saves all her chaotic energy for videos, we get a taste of her in real life and realize, "Nope, she doesn't *use* chaotic energy, she *is* chaotic energy."
Speaking as a Dane, it's really nice to see someone actually go into some of the bad stuff we, as a nation, have done through history. Very few people outside of Denmark are all that interested in Danish history, making Danes free to write it themselves... This results less in revision than just plain omission. I actually didn't know all that about Denmarks relation to Iceland. I'd love to see more ^^
Tom Scott often complains about how British schools don't teach about the Empire or colonialism at all anymore, and in the US we're all taught that slavery was something a few bad Southerners did and that it all ended abruptly at the end of the Civil War, the end... so Denmark is not unique in omitting embarrassing parts of its history
As someone who is half dane and half icelandic I still vividly remember my disappointment and anger when I found out how inaccurate and xenophobic my danish history books in my danish school were about Iceland - and if I hadn´t had my icelandic mother to tell me it was incorrect I would´ve believed it. I think it also caused me to not be surprised when I found out that Denmark omits or rewrites a lot of past bad behaviour in general.
A few years ago one of my best friends went to visit Iceland. I didn’t know anything about it, and I remember her describing black sand beaches, volcanoes, ice floes, green valleys and rivers and I remember thinking, did this girl go to one place or like all of Europe but black out for half of it. Then I saw the photos and was blown away. It’s on the bucket list now
Iceland is the Chile of Europe. As a European, it always felt like God made Europe, then he made Iceland independently and placed it next to Europe (in the northeast where there was still space). That place just doesn't feel European at all. It's just so strange, fantasy-ish, alien-y. ;)
I can confirm that, despite its size, spartan interior and single-colour stone, stepping inside this one feels warm, inviting, and even cosy! I've been in plenty of Protestant churches, even some Lutheran ones, and while Dutch ones tend to make up for the starkness with nice woodwork, they're still not all that. They feel empty and cold. Hallgrímskirkja feels like the gold standard of minimalism
I went to Iceland around New Years and during a short tour I went on, the tour guide told us that it is basically law that no buildings around can be taller or obstruct the view of this church. No matter where you are in the heart of Reykjavik, you should be able to see it. It really helped me orient myself while walking around so I didn't get lost.
In reality the downtown has historically been hindered from being further developed throughout the 20th and even in the 21st century by both the height limits imposed by the airport south of downtown and planned highways through the downtown. An example is "Amtmannsstígur", where the street draws its name from "Amtmannshúsið" (roughly translates to bailiffs house) that was demolished for a proposed highway that would run through downtown Reykjavík, but never materialised.
I love how you fawn over architecture. I get that a lot of people find military history exciting, but your sheer enthusiasm for man-made rock piles that please the senses is just the greatest.
Native Icelander here, absolutly love the video, can't believe Hallgrímskirkja was worth making a whole vid about. But love to see it. Word of warning though, Icelanders don´t like being referred to as Scandinavians/part of Scandinavia. That is only for Norway/Denmark/Sweden. Nordics/Nordic Region is the one you would use when you include Iceland and Finland with the other Scandinavians.
When I was there in 2016, I toured the church and I was impressed with how unafraid they were to embrace traditional Icelandic culture and history. There is a giant statue of Leif Erikson out front, which while arguably a huge figure in Icelandic history, most churches would not choose to put a statue of a pagan front and center. As Blue mentioned there are also a lot of distinctly Icelandic or even Norse style embellishments which many churches would also perhaps distance themselves from. It was truly beautiful to see a religious organization embrace culture as a unique aspect of their worship vs the puritanical distancing route taken by many churches. (Edit: Didn't know Leif converted to Christianity , very cool!)
In Iceland, year 1000 A.D. it was decided that all Icelanders would convert to Christianity. It was more a political decision than religious to keep the peace and the nation united. At the same time it was decided that people could keep on worshipping the Old Nordic gods if they wanted, as long as they did it in secrecy. I find that decision somehow very Icelandic. Of course soon Christianity took over and in the 16. century Iceland turned from Catholicism to become Lutheran protestant. That religious change was not as peaceful as the former and the Lutheran church was also much more strict.
Hi OSP Red and Blue from Vietnam! I have been watching your videos for like 3 years now, and I really love them. But I was especially inspired by your 10 year anniversary Detail Diatribe, where you said "if you have an idea, even if you are not completely sure, just give it a shot." I have thought about that for some time, and so recently I started my own channel on indie game analysis (which is sth I have thought of for many years). I have been enjoying this, and I have you two to thank! So thank you very much for all the great contents and inspiring me. I wish your team the very best! (Also yeah I'll get to watching Reboot someday)
1:32 fun fact, this town is Siglufjörður, the northmost town in Iceland and home of the Herring Era museum (it’s the red barn by the water)! It’s also where my grandmother was born and raised and I’ve been there three times. If you ever go, I can’t recommend it enough!
That is a space that a person could die in. I don't get excited about architecture most of the time (except when I'm listening to Blue bc his enthusiasm and joy is contagious) but THAT is a place that could make anyone have a spiritual experience. I'd even go to Iceland to see that, and I am not much inclined to travel, ever.
My wife and I went to Iceland in September, so I'm thrilled to see y'all doing this one. The place was just absolutely amazing. It was a substitute trip for Japan (who hadn't opened at time of planning), and did not at all feel like it. Just an absolutely amazing trip.
Used to walk past it everyday to and from work before I moved and while I new the basic history I love that you give us both a deeper understanding as well as an "outside" perspective. I also performed there while I was still in choir and the acoustics are to die for 🤩
What a coincidence! I just got back to my hotel after visiting hallgrimskirkja. The extreme Icelandic weather is an important part of the church’s appeal in my opinion, as I was almost blown off my feet while walking to the entrance. The inside is a nice respite from the weather, and the sound of the wind outside sounds like you are lost at sea. When we exited there was a rainbow over the statue of Lief Ericsson looking down at the rainbow road. What an unbelievably beautiful country!
3:53 - Ooooh, that's some SLEEK lookin editing for the flag, I LIKE IT! I'd love to see other flag color-meanings done in this style, not necessarily by Blue of course, just in general i think it would make the symbolism a lot more clear
This is one of those rare videos where I can say "Hey, I've been there!" Even before I knew the history it was impressive, but now it just recontextualises it and makes it even more so, nicely done Blue
Literally started to tear up at the interior reveal. The hyucking aesthetic on display, that point of churches feeling like empty rooms, but this emptiest of rooms feeling whole and complete really hit me. All the space that isn't people is the filled with the room itself, awe inspiring without the weight of detail. And the crystal font almost actually made me cry. And like I know it is a Lutheran church, but it also felt like the least christian christian space I have ever seen. Like Christian in name, but Pagan at heart. But then, that could just be me projecting to all hyuck.
Maybe what you felt was the real way Christian church buildings should feel? As a Christian I hate that many churches look and feel ostentatious when they should feel welcoming and bring glory to GOD...
Well, the next roads along from the Rainbow Street are Loki Steps, Thor Street and Freya Street, and crossing them all is Baldur Street. I think it's fair to say the area hasn't lost touch with its old religion.
Quick thing that got glossed over, but I think is important for Iceland's modern history: The same day that Germany invaded France, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg, the United Kingdom invaded and occupied Iceland. They later handed over occupation to the United States, and THEN the Icelanders declared independence.
1:13 "Volcanoes sprung out from the ground tens of thousands of years ago, yet still to this day are constantly erupting-" Except when Tom Scott is in town. 😅
Despite the lack of ornamentation, the inside of Hallgrimskirkja is astounding. When it's filled with light like that, it really gives a sense of what a luminous God's realm would be without just shining a spotlight in your face.
As a horse person, visting Iceland has been on the bucket list for years, and the natural beauty of the country is certainly part of that reason - I'd love to explore it on horseback. This video makes me more interested in exploring the settled parts as well
I took a horseback tour on my first trip to Iceland, would definitely recommend. I can recommend the outfitter I used if you want and if it doesn't violate some sort of UA-cam rule or comment etiquette.
@Erik Rinard I appreciate the help, but since this is sadly the kind of bucket list item that's on the list as in "Yeah sometime in the next 30 or 40 years preferably", I don't have any plans to go there at the moment and will likely not remember your advice anyways when it happens xD thanks though!
The amount of stuff I had to learn about Guðjón Samúelsson in my Art History classes makes it almost surreal to hear one of my favorite channels talk about him. Throughly enjoy the video!
I had the absolute pleasure to stay near the church when I visited, and to hear a performance of their pipe organ while I was there. It really is a beautiful building. Also, on windy days, the pillars serve as excellent shields from the elements if you're waiting nearby for something.
A wonderful demonstration of architecture as art. As you say, I'm normally not a fan of this overall style, but the Hallgrimskirkja _absolutely_ makes it work. I'd even say that we can see influences from this concept in other places as well, as video games like tapping into that "stark beauty of a partial render" and "beautiful, open space defined by the light that strikes it as much as its shape" thing. The creative use of negative space is all too easy to underestimate in art, and this wonderful church shows exactly why we shouldn't do that.
Always a pleasure to watch OSPs videos, but a couple of notes: 0:51 I think a typo has sneaked in, because I assume you meant "Nyhavn" and not "Nyvahn as is in the video. 1:05 also, iceland is not a scandinavian country. It is a NORDIC country, but the scandinavian countries are exclusively denmark, sweden and norway. The nordics are those three plus iceland and finland. Regards, a Danish person that wants OSP to remain absolute top quality bants with substance :D
In English Scandinavia pretty much means anywhere speaking an Old Norse derived language or heavily culturally influenced by the cultural grouping of what I believe you mean by Nordic countries. There's not as clear a distinction between Nordic and Scandinavian. A bit like how a lot of people seem to confuse English for British, despite those being very distinct things to anyone on the British Isles.
Having just visited my capital of Copenhagen and walked in the King's Garden at Rosenborg Castle, it was pretty neat to see it here. I was gonna comment that Iceland isn't part of Scandinavia, but I just read on Wikipedia that it's not as clear cut for English speakers. Like Finland, I would call Iceland Nordic, but not Scandinavian.
I am a icelandic native here and i just wanted to tell you that your video is very well made and nails basically half of what you need to know about the small history of icelandic architecture. However i would like to make one small correction and that is that iceland is infact not scandinavian but rather nordic since its not a part of the scandinavian Peninsula, and even though we relate alot to the other nordics our biggest "friend countries" are greenland and the faroes even though they are still under danish rule.
This was the first major location I visited during my 2019 stay in Iceland. The tower has stunning views of the city, but I never made the Bifrost connection to the rainbow road (which sounds crazy in retrospect).
Went to Iceland many years ago (like 20 now) and the hotel we stayed in was directly opposite this bad boy. If you get the chance to visit Iceland I highly recommend it!
I have enjoyed your videos for a couple of years now (which is precisely how long I’ve been watching them upon learning of their existence). One thing, though: why not use BCE & CE vs BC & AD? Otherwise, thank you to all y’all for being alive and so very creative!
Youre making my desire to go to Iceland stronger 😂 seeing the insides of the church reminded me a bit of the Sagrada Familia’s interiors. I love the crisp white and clean interiors
Fun fact about Hallgrímskirkja: the church bells are named Hallgrímur, Guðríður, and Steinunn, after the poet, his wife, and daughter. I thought that was very cute. And Blue did a pretty good job pronouncing Hallgrímskirkja (though he did butcher Héraðsskólinn 😅)
Funny enough this video came into my feed right before I left for a 3 week trip to Europe which included 5 days in Iceland. After watching we made a point to check out the Church and get some incredible views from the top (the weather gods were thankfully on our side) as well as explore the Rainbow Road and the surrounding area. And I agree Iceland is a gorgeous country. Thanks Blue and the OSP Crew!
Also highly recommend a trip to Iceland, especially if you like waterfalls! I was there almost 10 years ago, and this church was one of the stops. They had an altarpiece at the time behind the pulpit, which I got the impression they switch out every once in awhile, especially since it wasn't in your photos. One minor detail about Icelandic history: Our guide explained to me that they actually had an arrangement with Norway where they asked the Norwegian king to be their king as well, like a single king who reigned over 2 countries, treated equally. Through inheritance shenanigans, Denmark ended up getting Iceland when they got Norway, and proceeded to treat Iceland like England treated Ireland (i.e. a colony). Some Icelanders still have hard feelings against Denmark.
the beginning of the video just made me remember how many old houses in downtown Reykjavík are being torn down to build buildings that dont fit and are an eyesore
- 1:22 - That's Gullfoss, the "Golden Falls"! In late June, the walkway near the falls is surrounded by light mist, grassy slopes and wildflowers. And in the Visitors Center, you can get a giant bowl of lamb and cabbage stew with free refills and THE HEARTIEST FLAVOUR EVER. - They say the typical churches were wooden. Maybe so, but churches built of sod were a thing too. I was in one: dark, musty, and oppressive-feeling, but still pretty cool. - 5:40 Reynisfjara beach: I was there. DO NOT get close to the surf there. You'll get pulled away by the undertow and drown. - 7:27 GOD YES, THE FONT!!!!! That bubbled glass was the perfect addition. Just imagine being baptised in a geothermal pool, albeit not the boiling or acidic kind!
"They say the typical churches were wooden." NOW they are, but all those churches are mostly from the late 1800's, before that time most churches were "turf houses" because as Blue pointed out, wood was difficult to get, and I think there is only a handful of churches that were built from stone. Just google "Þingeyrarkirkja" or Thingeyrarkirkja" to see an example. This is why there are no castles in Iceland, and the only fortress to have ever existed here was 90% made up of a natural rock formation with very small amount of man-made stone walls.
Hey, greetings from some random dude that's lived over half his life in Sweden at the time of writing. It wasn't the focus, I know, but the video helped remind me of the time when I actively looked forward to getting dragged on walks with my parents, and might have even helped me realise why I enjoy those walks less nowadays. The architecture where I live now's kinda boring in comparison. Whenever I visited Gamla Stan, I'd go check out this one really neat comic shop. It went down some stairs and through a really small door. It'd have felt just like going to someone's basement, but the steps were just large enough, and everything felt just old enough, that I actively enjoyed just being there. Compare that to now, where I just go to a normal, boring store if I want to read some new Donald Duck stories. In conclusion: Hey, thanks for reading what some random-as-Hells dude in a UA-cam comment section that was barely even about the focus of the video had to say. You're never getting that time back, so I hope I had something worth saying.
3:53 - That explanation of the the Icelandic flags colors was beautiful (although, let's be real, 80% of European countries have a red/white/blue based flag). The only thing that trumps it in terms of nationalistic adorableness for me is Botswana naming their currency the pula. Pula means "rain (water?)", and Botswana is mostly desert.
Please cover the Cod Wars at some point. I'm doing a school project on them and they are the funniest thing ever. They are both internationally significant, as their end established an international precedent, and very easy to meme about
I'd say the funniest, though largely inconsequential, chapter in Icelandic history would be when Jørgen Jørgensen took over Reykjavík. Guy goes on a business trip to Iceland hoping to make a good profit while its cut off from Denmark due to the English wars. When the governor refuses to let him trade he and the crew just imprison him, Jørgen declares himself protector of the island and announces the establishment of a free republic. Two months later he is arrested by the British because he was still supposed to be a POW in England the whole time
From the high halls of Asgard, we bring you NEW PINS! 📌📌📌 THOR & ODIN are here for a limited time at crowdmade.com/osp
I think you forgot the 1 in 1937. At 7:50 it says "Hallgrimskirkja designed - 937"
@@archiebudge1821 😮😮
colonialism without the colonies!
blue, do you think you could do one on greenland? or did you already do that?
Iceland is not in Scandinavia
1:51 Red's dedication to not wear sleeves EVEN IN THE SCANDINAVIAN COUNTRIES is frankly astounding.
As a Scandinavian that all doesn't particularly care for sleeved clothing, the main problem isn't the cold... IT'S THE 🦆ING WIND!!!
As someone wearing a t-shirt and cargo shorts in the dead of winter, I don’t see a problem.
It looked like an indoor space to me. Having visited Iceland I can assure the indoor areas are extremely warm - the volcanoes provide cheap heat and electricity (dammit)
Sleeves are for squares.
Me a scandinavian:
Pathetic.
Having MCU version of the royal palace of Asgard resemble a golden version of this rather unique church rather than a more standard castle like in comics is actually pretty neat. It certainly makes Valaskjalf more visually impressive and eye-catching.
Now only if they included the good interior lighting aspect.
Yeah, its only when I saw the pictures of the church from head on I realised I was looking at Odin's palace from Thor
I pass by this bad boy almost everyday when I drive to school and I even have a good view of it from the eating area in one of the buildings. I don't think about it much, I know about the basic facts and I find it beautiful, but it's never fully seeped in, but this video has made me really appreciate this beautiful church of ours.
Thanks Blue. Don't stay from Iceland for too long 💙🤍❤️🤍💙.
I guess you go to Tækniskólan then lol
@@markushaahr9194 Nope, HÍ. In the eating area in Askja you can see the church from the side against the mountains. It's a beautiful sight.
💙💙💙💙🤍❤️❤️🤍💙💙💙💙
💙💙💙💙🤍❤️❤️🤍💙💙💙💙
💙💙💙💙🤍❤️❤️🤍💙💙💙💙
💙💙💙💙🤍❤️❤️🤍💙💙💙💙
🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍❤️❤️🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍
❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍❤️❤️🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍
💙💙💙💙🤍❤️❤️🤍💙💙💙💙
💙💙💙💙🤍❤️❤️🤍💙💙💙💙
💙💙💙💙🤍❤️❤️🤍💙💙💙💙
💙💙💙💙🤍❤️❤️🤍💙💙💙💙
💙💙💙💙🤍❤️❤️🤍💙💙💙💙
💙💙💙💙🤍❤️❤️🤍💙💙💙💙
💙💙💙💙🤍❤️❤️🤍💙💙💙💙
I like flags. And Nordic nations. It's so pretty, ethereal in places, and the entire history of history of cultures, there's so much to love.
P.s. that took me 7mins bc I didn't want to not do the flag justice.
Ah Blue and Architecture. Almost as iconic as Blue and Venice
Or blue and rome.
Or Blue and domes
Or Blue and blue
Or blue and cyan
@@lordotro That's more iconic.
There are two points I think you undersell about Iceland's history that I think really put context to why its architectural history is so divergent from other Nordic countries:
1. Iceland is extremely resource poor. After the first generation or so of Vikings managed to clear-cut the island's forests the only semi-reliable source of wood the country had access to was what drifted to shore. It's a bit hard to build anything much less elaborate landmarks when you barely have enough wood for a hearth, and is also a big part of why fermented food is such a key part of traditional Icelandic cuisine.
2. Iceland's weather is very harsh. Anything you build has to be able to stand up to the cold, and the rain, and the wind of the North Atlantic. Actually, one of the things that I noticed in Reykjavik were all of the older houses that were built to look like they were in a classic 19th century, European style but were made of painted sheet metal instead of wood. It was an interesting fusion between practical material and inherited style.
I have to disagree with you when you say Iceland is "resource poor". It has an abundance of fish, so many that it had three "Cod Wars" in the mid to late 20th century with Britain. It's also energy rich, all that thermal energy and hydro electricity means that it could host energy intensive industries like aluminum smelters that were uneconomic in countries with more expensive electricity. From a 21st century perspective, all that electricity is free of CO2, so they don't need to build an entirely new generation system like everywhere else in the world except for a few other cool wet and mountainous places like Norway. Tasmania and the South Island of New Zealand.
@@Dave_Sissonit's still very resource poor in the sense that many of the most used natural resources aren't present in Iceland in large quantities or at all, with wood being the most obvious one. It is absolutely one of the world's most geothermally active regions, though.
@@Dave_Sisson You are correct, I should have phrased it as historically Iceland was a resource poor country. It wasn’t until the mid 20th century that Iceland would be able to tap those energy resources you listed, but now that they can it’s a very different situation.
@@erikrinard Which is itself an interesting point of the concept of what is a "natural" resource is a little less defined than one might think. The general assumption is it's just the stuff you have, but it really only refers to the things that you can use, meaning what is a resource changes with time as technology advances.
there is also the reason that the "posh" architecture in Danmark; Norway and Sweden proper was build with the money of the Nobility and later the emergent and prosperous middle class (and even later by corporations ) of these countries. Given the small population and overall poverty of Iceland until the 20th century.... where's the money for a prosperous palace, Grand church or huge town hall going to come from ? I eaamn christian the IVth of Denmark did wonders wonders for Copenhagen's architectural beauty, but he ruined his countries finances while doing so
1:51 Every time I think Red saves all her chaotic energy for videos, we get a taste of her in real life and realize, "Nope, she doesn't *use* chaotic energy, she *is* chaotic energy."
My first thought was, "Wait, you actually take her _OUTSIDE?!_ "
Speaking as a Dane, it's really nice to see someone actually go into some of the bad stuff we, as a nation, have done through history. Very few people outside of Denmark are all that interested in Danish history, making Danes free to write it themselves... This results less in revision than just plain omission. I actually didn't know all that about Denmarks relation to Iceland. I'd love to see more ^^
We remember.
Tom Scott often complains about how British schools don't teach about the Empire or colonialism at all anymore, and in the US we're all taught that slavery was something a few bad Southerners did and that it all ended abruptly at the end of the Civil War, the end... so Denmark is not unique in omitting embarrassing parts of its history
@@VinemapleThink we all do it. Too much baggage for the kids which adults never learn leading to further issues.
_cough_ Visby.
As someone who is half dane and half icelandic I still vividly remember my disappointment and anger when I found out how inaccurate and xenophobic my danish history books in my danish school were about Iceland - and if I hadn´t had my icelandic mother to tell me it was incorrect I would´ve believed it. I think it also caused me to not be surprised when I found out that Denmark omits or rewrites a lot of past bad behaviour in general.
You actually succeeded in making me _want_ to visit a church. Congratulations, sir.
Ikr? Not just that, but I want to visit another country to visit that church.
Churches are more fun to visit when they have more architecture than racist fundamentalists.
Religion doesn’t have many pros. But those that they have are amazing. From stunning cathedrals so breathtaking arias.
@@pumpkingamebox Honestly, the architecture and art is the stuff that I find most attractive things that came from various religions.
As a heretic, I fully concur.
A few years ago one of my best friends went to visit Iceland. I didn’t know anything about it, and I remember her describing black sand beaches, volcanoes, ice floes, green valleys and rivers and I remember thinking, did this girl go to one place or like all of Europe but black out for half of it.
Then I saw the photos and was blown away. It’s on the bucket list now
Iceland is the Chile of Europe.
As a European, it always felt like God made Europe, then he made Iceland independently and placed it next to Europe (in the northeast where there was still space). That place just doesn't feel European at all. It's just so strange, fantasy-ish, alien-y. ;)
@@TikoVerhelst It has that desolate fantasy feel to it. Beautiful but somehow stark.
When we went in the spring, there were no green valleys. It was all brown and black.
@@ferretyluv Yes, summer is short, but then you see green valleys
I can confirm that, despite its size, spartan interior and single-colour stone, stepping inside this one feels warm, inviting, and even cosy!
I've been in plenty of Protestant churches, even some Lutheran ones, and while Dutch ones tend to make up for the starkness with nice woodwork, they're still not all that. They feel empty and cold. Hallgrímskirkja feels like the gold standard of minimalism
I went to Iceland around New Years and during a short tour I went on, the tour guide told us that it is basically law that no buildings around can be taller or obstruct the view of this church. No matter where you are in the heart of Reykjavik, you should be able to see it. It really helped me orient myself while walking around so I didn't get lost.
It's like the Washington Monument in DC.
In reality the downtown has historically been hindered from being further developed throughout the 20th and even in the 21st century by both the height limits imposed by the airport south of downtown and planned highways through the downtown. An example is "Amtmannsstígur", where the street draws its name from "Amtmannshúsið" (roughly translates to bailiffs house) that was demolished for a proposed highway that would run through downtown Reykjavík, but never materialised.
It was quite cinematic walking up the hill with it progressively getting larger
I love how you fawn over architecture.
I get that a lot of people find military history exciting, but your sheer enthusiasm for man-made rock piles that please the senses is just the greatest.
Of course the most iconic building in Iceland would be based on Basalt Columns. When nature gives you a perfect design, you don't mess with it.
Native Icelander here, absolutly love the video, can't believe Hallgrímskirkja was worth making a whole vid about. But love to see it. Word of warning though, Icelanders don´t like being referred to as Scandinavians/part of Scandinavia. That is only for Norway/Denmark/Sweden. Nordics/Nordic Region is the one you would use when you include Iceland and Finland with the other Scandinavians.
Mad respect for pronouncing all the icelandic words that well (i'm icelandic) and love the video
When I was there in 2016, I toured the church and I was impressed with how unafraid they were to embrace traditional Icelandic culture and history. There is a giant statue of Leif Erikson out front, which while arguably a huge figure in Icelandic history, most churches would not choose to put a statue of a pagan front and center. As Blue mentioned there are also a lot of distinctly Icelandic or even Norse style embellishments which many churches would also perhaps distance themselves from. It was truly beautiful to see a religious organization embrace culture as a unique aspect of their worship vs the puritanical distancing route taken by many churches. (Edit: Didn't know Leif converted to Christianity , very cool!)
He did convert when he went to Norway around the year 1000 A.D., just before his voyage to North-America.
In Iceland, year 1000 A.D. it was decided that all Icelanders would convert to Christianity. It was more a political decision than religious to keep the peace and the nation united. At the same time it was decided that people could keep on worshipping the Old Nordic gods if they wanted, as long as they did it in secrecy. I find that decision somehow very Icelandic. Of course soon Christianity took over and in the 16. century Iceland turned from Catholicism to become Lutheran protestant. That religious change was not as peaceful as the former and the Lutheran church was also much more strict.
Hi OSP Red and Blue from Vietnam!
I have been watching your videos for like 3 years now, and I really love them. But I was especially inspired by your 10 year anniversary Detail Diatribe, where you said "if you have an idea, even if you are not completely sure, just give it a shot."
I have thought about that for some time, and so recently I started my own channel on indie game analysis (which is sth I have thought of for many years). I have been enjoying this, and I have you two to thank!
So thank you very much for all the great contents and inspiring me. I wish your team the very best!
(Also yeah I'll get to watching Reboot someday)
I really love these summarizations. It’s helped me to get interested in parts of history I never would have even thought of previously.
“Not finished rendering yet” I love Red. Truly the best of us
When I visited Iceland, I spent over an hour in the chapel just appreciating how lucky I was to be there. What a beautiful space.
And hearing the orgel played in that space is magnificent
And here I am , living in Reykjavik all my life. 10 mintues walk to the church and Ive never been inside lol
1:32 fun fact, this town is Siglufjörður, the northmost town in Iceland and home of the Herring Era museum (it’s the red barn by the water)! It’s also where my grandmother was born and raised and I’ve been there three times. If you ever go, I can’t recommend it enough!
That is a space that a person could die in.
I don't get excited about architecture most of the time (except when I'm listening to Blue bc his enthusiasm and joy is contagious) but THAT is a place that could make anyone have a spiritual experience. I'd even go to Iceland to see that, and I am not much inclined to travel, ever.
My wife and I went to Iceland in September, so I'm thrilled to see y'all doing this one. The place was just absolutely amazing. It was a substitute trip for Japan (who hadn't opened at time of planning), and did not at all feel like it. Just an absolutely amazing trip.
Used to walk past it everyday to and from work before I moved and while I new the basic history I love that you give us both a deeper understanding as well as an "outside" perspective. I also performed there while I was still in choir and the acoustics are to die for 🤩
What a coincidence! I just got back to my hotel after visiting hallgrimskirkja. The extreme Icelandic weather is an important part of the church’s appeal in my opinion, as I was almost blown off my feet while walking to the entrance. The inside is a nice respite from the weather, and the sound of the wind outside sounds like you are lost at sea. When we exited there was a rainbow over the statue of Lief Ericsson looking down at the rainbow road. What an unbelievably beautiful country!
3:53 - Ooooh, that's some SLEEK lookin editing for the flag, I LIKE IT! I'd love to see other flag color-meanings done in this style, not necessarily by Blue of course, just in general i think it would make the symbolism a lot more clear
Great video! That subtle Skyrim music in the background towards the end was an excellent touch!
Þetta var frábært myndband! It's always nice to see a fresh perspective on things you're used to.
And I hope you had fun in my country. :)
This is one of those rare videos where I can say "Hey, I've been there!" Even before I knew the history it was impressive, but now it just recontextualises it and makes it even more so, nicely done Blue
I was just looking for the Journey to the west videos and saw you uploaded! An amazing timing it seems 👍
I literally just woke up. Excellent timing my god.
Literally started to tear up at the interior reveal. The hyucking aesthetic on display, that point of churches feeling like empty rooms, but this emptiest of rooms feeling whole and complete really hit me. All the space that isn't people is the filled with the room itself, awe inspiring without the weight of detail. And the crystal font almost actually made me cry. And like I know it is a Lutheran church, but it also felt like the least christian christian space I have ever seen. Like Christian in name, but Pagan at heart. But then, that could just be me projecting to all hyuck.
Maybe what you felt was the real way Christian church buildings should feel? As a Christian I hate that many churches look and feel ostentatious when they should feel welcoming and bring glory to GOD...
Well, the next roads along from the Rainbow Street are Loki Steps, Thor Street and Freya Street, and crossing them all is Baldur Street. I think it's fair to say the area hasn't lost touch with its old religion.
Quick thing that got glossed over, but I think is important for Iceland's modern history: The same day that Germany invaded France, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg, the United Kingdom invaded and occupied Iceland. They later handed over occupation to the United States, and THEN the Icelanders declared independence.
1:13 "Volcanoes sprung out from the ground tens of thousands of years ago, yet still to this day are constantly erupting-"
Except when Tom Scott is in town. 😅
I love your videos I have beed watching your videos for a bit and they bring me A LOT of joy. Thank you for making them.
Despite the lack of ornamentation, the inside of Hallgrimskirkja is astounding. When it's filled with light like that, it really gives a sense of what a luminous God's realm would be without just shining a spotlight in your face.
Yeah, it's a church with an interior that actually looks heavenly.
As a horse person, visting Iceland has been on the bucket list for years, and the natural beauty of the country is certainly part of that reason - I'd love to explore it on horseback. This video makes me more interested in exploring the settled parts as well
I took a horseback tour on my first trip to Iceland, would definitely recommend. I can recommend the outfitter I used if you want and if it doesn't violate some sort of UA-cam rule or comment etiquette.
@Erik Rinard I appreciate the help, but since this is sadly the kind of bucket list item that's on the list as in "Yeah sometime in the next 30 or 40 years preferably", I don't have any plans to go there at the moment and will likely not remember your advice anyways when it happens xD thanks though!
as someone from iceland id like to say, Thank you for making an 8 and a half minute long video simping for our church
Blue, you are a treat to watch. Especially when it is architecturally motivated. Wonderful, as always.
How lovely! Thanks for showing us this. Welcome home, all!
I absolutely love this channel, great video thanks Blue!
The amount of stuff I had to learn about Guðjón Samúelsson in my Art History classes makes it almost surreal to hear one of my favorite channels talk about him. Throughly enjoy the video!
Briefly stopped in Reykjavik last year, and taking a proper tour of the country next month. So excited!!!!
It's absolutely beautiful, I had the pleasure to visit Iceland and the whole country is stunning, Reykjavik included.
Red pointing at Blue with too much ice cream is, to quote a friend of mine, "a mood".
Ooh a rare history on a nordic country very fun
The way he said "by 930" at 2:26 makes it sound like the Vikings did all of this settling in one day and got more people to move in by 9:30 PM.
Yes!!!! Finally!!! I've been waiting for this ever since the city in a minute vid on the icelandic capital
Hey Blue. Thanks for a fantastic shortform video of icelandic history. Icelandic history nerd approves!
7:16 war ship ? 👀
I had the absolute pleasure to stay near the church when I visited, and to hear a performance of their pipe organ while I was there. It really is a beautiful building.
Also, on windy days, the pillars serve as excellent shields from the elements if you're waiting nearby for something.
Thanks for this.
Very interesting. You never fail to make me exited about architecture :) .
the skyrim music in the background really was the perfect little touch to listen to while looking at the pretty architecture
Jeremy Soule, who composed the music for Skyrim, came here looking for inspiration.
I think it is safe to say he found some.
A wonderful demonstration of architecture as art. As you say, I'm normally not a fan of this overall style, but the Hallgrimskirkja _absolutely_ makes it work. I'd even say that we can see influences from this concept in other places as well, as video games like tapping into that "stark beauty of a partial render" and "beautiful, open space defined by the light that strikes it as much as its shape" thing. The creative use of negative space is all too easy to underestimate in art, and this wonderful church shows exactly why we shouldn't do that.
Beautiful 😍
Thank you for the Skyrim music!
Always a pleasure to watch OSPs videos, but a couple of notes:
0:51 I think a typo has sneaked in, because I assume you meant "Nyhavn" and not "Nyvahn as is in the video.
1:05 also, iceland is not a scandinavian country. It is a NORDIC country, but the scandinavian countries are exclusively denmark, sweden and norway. The nordics are those three plus iceland and finland.
Regards, a Danish person that wants OSP to remain absolute top quality bants with substance :D
In English Scandinavia pretty much means anywhere speaking an Old Norse derived language or heavily culturally influenced by the cultural grouping of what I believe you mean by Nordic countries.
There's not as clear a distinction between Nordic and Scandinavian.
A bit like how a lot of people seem to confuse English for British, despite those being very distinct things to anyone on the British Isles.
the misspelling is pretty funny because Nyhavn is written on one of the houses in the picture
As an Icelandic person I agree with you, we are not Scandinavian but we do like our Scandinavian friends :)
My favourite thing about this church is the way they light it up at night so it looks just a small hue shift away from looking like Minas Morgul.
"Not finished rendering yet." Yep, that sounds like something Red would say. (Had me in stitches for a couple of minutes)
I got to play in a chamber music concert in this church in 2015. So cool to learn more about the history, thank you!
Having just visited my capital of Copenhagen and walked in the King's Garden at Rosenborg Castle, it was pretty neat to see it here. I was gonna comment that Iceland isn't part of Scandinavia, but I just read on Wikipedia that it's not as clear cut for English speakers. Like Finland, I would call Iceland Nordic, but not Scandinavian.
But it has scandinavian culture.
@@Carewolf Yes, they all have similarities. I was mainly thinking of 1:02 where Iceland is listed as a Scandinavian country.
Correct, Iceland and Finland are not in Scandinavia but Nordic like the three Scandinavian countries Norway, Sweden and Denmark :)
I am a icelandic native here and i just wanted to tell you that your video is very well made and nails basically half of what you need to know about the small history of icelandic architecture.
However i would like to make one small correction and that is that iceland is infact not scandinavian but rather nordic since its not a part of the scandinavian Peninsula, and even though we relate alot to the other nordics our biggest "friend countries" are greenland and the faroes even though they are still under danish rule.
My wife and i were just talking about visiting Iceland, this will make for an excellent stop
I LOVE THE ARCHITECTURE VIDEOS!!!
If you guys get a chance to go to Norway I recommend Trondheim. The cathedral there is awesome to look at.
a video about Scandinavia while I’m visiting family in Scandinavia, the perfect timing!!!! 😂😂😂😂😂
Thanks for this - have wanted to go to Iceland for so long.
Yaaaaaay OSP doing a video on my home country!
blue's architecture deep dives are amazing 😊
I need to move to Iceland now. Holy mother of pearl, this is amazing and wonderful and damn near perfect.
This was the first major location I visited during my 2019 stay in Iceland. The tower has stunning views of the city, but I never made the Bifrost connection to the rainbow road (which sounds crazy in retrospect).
Went to Iceland many years ago (like 20 now) and the hotel we stayed in was directly opposite this bad boy. If you get the chance to visit Iceland I highly recommend it!
I have enjoyed your videos for a couple of years now (which is precisely how long I’ve been watching them upon learning of their existence). One thing, though: why not use BCE & CE vs BC & AD? Otherwise, thank you to all y’all for being alive and so very creative!
Youre making my desire to go to Iceland stronger 😂 seeing the insides of the church reminded me a bit of the Sagrada Familia’s interiors. I love the crisp white and clean interiors
Fun fact about Hallgrímskirkja: the church bells are named Hallgrímur, Guðríður, and Steinunn, after the poet, his wife, and daughter. I thought that was very cute. And Blue did a pretty good job pronouncing Hallgrímskirkja (though he did butcher Héraðsskólinn 😅)
6:20 I hear that sneaky skyrim music
I'm not a huge fan of architecture, pretty building is pretty, but with how passionately Blue speaks I could listen to him describe salt mining.
Literally just came back from Iceland a few weeks ago. The whole island is an absolute treasure that needs to be protected at all costs
6:35 so you could say it’s a Bi-frost?
man saw a church so cool he had to research its entire history and tell us all about it
_...And I can see where he's coming from_
"And, as is right and just..
🎵 It comes with a dooooome 🎶"
A Iceland 🇮🇸 summarized video is a good way to start the day.
Funny enough this video came into my feed right before I left for a 3 week trip to Europe which included 5 days in Iceland. After watching we made a point to check out the Church and get some incredible views from the top (the weather gods were thankfully on our side) as well as explore the Rainbow Road and the surrounding area. And I agree Iceland is a gorgeous country. Thanks Blue and the OSP Crew!
I appreciate the use of Skyrim music. Fits very well with Iceland
This video makes me want to go back so badly ❤❤❤ and I've been in Iceland only a few weeks ago 😂
Really appreciating the use of Skyrim music in this one.
0:57 literally is a Winner. I’d pay 1400 dollars no pets no parking space and walk to the DUMPSTER to stay in that
Ngl RED AND BLUES voices are the most recognizable voices on UA-cam for me
having gone to iceland two years ago... seeing basically every image and going I SAW THAT!! is kinda fun
Also highly recommend a trip to Iceland, especially if you like waterfalls! I was there almost 10 years ago, and this church was one of the stops. They had an altarpiece at the time behind the pulpit, which I got the impression they switch out every once in awhile, especially since it wasn't in your photos.
One minor detail about Icelandic history: Our guide explained to me that they actually had an arrangement with Norway where they asked the Norwegian king to be their king as well, like a single king who reigned over 2 countries, treated equally. Through inheritance shenanigans, Denmark ended up getting Iceland when they got Norway, and proceeded to treat Iceland like England treated Ireland (i.e. a colony). Some Icelanders still have hard feelings against Denmark.
the beginning of the video just made me remember how many old houses in downtown Reykjavík are being torn down to build buildings that dont fit and are an eyesore
- 1:22 - That's Gullfoss, the "Golden Falls"! In late June, the walkway near the falls is surrounded by light mist, grassy slopes and wildflowers.
And in the Visitors Center, you can get a giant bowl of lamb and cabbage stew with free refills and THE HEARTIEST FLAVOUR EVER.
- They say the typical churches were wooden. Maybe so, but churches built of sod were a thing too. I was in one: dark, musty, and oppressive-feeling, but still pretty cool.
- 5:40 Reynisfjara beach: I was there. DO NOT get close to the surf there. You'll get pulled away by the undertow and drown.
- 7:27 GOD YES, THE FONT!!!!! That bubbled glass was the perfect addition. Just imagine being baptised in a geothermal pool, albeit not the boiling or acidic kind!
"They say the typical churches were wooden."
NOW they are, but all those churches are mostly from the late 1800's, before that time most churches were "turf houses" because as Blue pointed out, wood was difficult to get, and I think there is only a handful of churches that were built from stone. Just google "Þingeyrarkirkja" or Thingeyrarkirkja" to see an example.
This is why there are no castles in Iceland, and the only fortress to have ever existed here was 90% made up of a natural rock formation with very small amount of man-made stone walls.
6:30 Rainbow Road is a representation of LGBT pride and a reference to the Bifrost.
My first thought was Mario Kart's Rainbow Road maps.
Lovely video, and feels oddly relevant as I am literally off to Iceland in the next 12 hours! I'll have to check it out!
The church is very hard to miss! 😅
Blue and red pose for photos exactly like I would expect them to
Hey, greetings from some random dude that's lived over half his life in Sweden at the time of writing. It wasn't the focus, I know, but the video helped remind me of the time when I actively looked forward to getting dragged on walks with my parents, and might have even helped me realise why I enjoy those walks less nowadays.
The architecture where I live now's kinda boring in comparison.
Whenever I visited Gamla Stan, I'd go check out this one really neat comic shop. It went down some stairs and through a really small door. It'd have felt just like going to someone's basement, but the steps were just large enough, and everything felt just old enough, that I actively enjoyed just being there.
Compare that to now, where I just go to a normal, boring store if I want to read some new Donald Duck stories.
In conclusion: Hey, thanks for reading what some random-as-Hells dude in a UA-cam comment section that was barely even about the focus of the video had to say. You're never getting that time back, so I hope I had something worth saying.
Gods damned Blue, your descriptions read like poetry to the ears. Another fantastic video.
Simplistic Yet Elegant interior yes so good
3:53 - That explanation of the the Icelandic flags colors was beautiful (although, let's be real, 80% of European countries have a red/white/blue based flag). The only thing that trumps it in terms of nationalistic adorableness for me is Botswana naming their currency the pula. Pula means "rain (water?)", and Botswana is mostly desert.
Please cover the Cod Wars at some point. I'm doing a school project on them and they are the funniest thing ever. They are both internationally significant, as their end established an international precedent, and very easy to meme about
Yep, learning about the Cod Wars in the Reykjavik Museum was the funniest thing ever
I'd say the funniest, though largely inconsequential, chapter in Icelandic history would be when Jørgen Jørgensen took over Reykjavík.
Guy goes on a business trip to Iceland hoping to make a good profit while its cut off from Denmark due to the English wars. When the governor refuses to let him trade he and the crew just imprison him, Jørgen declares himself protector of the island and announces the establishment of a free republic. Two months later he is arrested by the British because he was still supposed to be a POW in England the whole time
5:43 I've been there and to the Hallgrimskirkja. Unluckily, when I arrived, it was just about to close