Austurvöllur

Quick guide to Austurvöllur

Austurvöllur: the civic heart of old Reykjavík

Austurvöllur is small enough to cross in a minute, yet much of Reykjavík’s public life has gathered around it. On warm days the lawn fills with people, café tables spread along the neighbouring streets and the square feels like an outdoor living room. During demonstrations or national occasions, the same space becomes a civic stage facing the Parliament House.

The square works best as part of a walk rather than an isolated destination. It sits between the old harbour, Lækjartorg, City Hall and the oldest streets of central Reykjavík. Allow 20–30 minutes for the landmarks, or longer if you stop at a café, attend a parliamentary sitting or continue through the old city.

Parliament House and Icelandic democracy

Alþingishúsið stands on the southern edge of Austurvöllur. The original Parliament House was built in 1880–81 from hewn Icelandic basalt and designed by Danish architect Ferdinand Meldahl. Later additions include Kringlan from 1908 and Skálinn from 2002. Behind the building, the Parliament Garden dates from 1893–95 and is described by Alþingi as Iceland’s oldest public garden.

The exterior is the most dependable part of a casual visit. Parliament is a working institution, not a museum with continuous public tours. Alþingi currently organises building visits for educational or academic groups by prior arrangement, while members of the public may observe proceedings from the public gallery when Parliament is sitting and access is available. Check the official Alþingi visitor information before planning around indoor access.

Reykjavík Cathedral and the buildings around the square

Dómkirkjan, Reykjavík Cathedral, stands beside Parliament House on Kirkjustræti. It is an active Lutheran church and one of the city’s most historically important buildings. Its modest scale is part of the character of Austurvöllur: national institutions here are woven into ordinary streets rather than separated in a monumental district.

Hotel Borg anchors another side of the square, while Vallarstræti and Pósthússtræti are lined with restaurants, bars and cafés. Look beyond the individual façades to the relationship between them: the square is a compact room made from buildings of different periods, with the lawn and statue holding the centre.

Jón Sigurðsson and the independence movement

The statue in the centre represents Jón Sigurðsson, the nineteenth-century scholar and political leader associated with Iceland’s independence movement. His birthday, 17 June, became Iceland’s National Day. The monument gives the square a direct connection between political memory and the modern public life taking place around it.

A statue of Danish-Icelandic sculptor Bertel Thorvaldsen previously occupied the central position and now stands in Hljómskálagarðurinn. That change is a useful reminder that public squares are not fixed displays: the people, symbols and events associated with Austurvöllur have shifted with the city.

Demonstrations and public gatherings

Austurvöllur is Reykjavík’s best-known protest square because Parliament faces directly onto it. Large demonstrations during the financial crisis after 2008 reinforced that role, but the tradition is broader: citizens gather here to make political demands, mark national moments and respond to events.

If a demonstration is taking place, remain aware of barriers, police instructions and changing traffic around the old city. Peaceful gatherings can also be an important part of understanding contemporary Iceland. Photograph respectfully, avoid obstructing participants and do not assume a public event is staged for visitors.

Summer, winter and the best time to visit

Summer shows Austurvöllur at its most social. The grass becomes a place to sit, outdoor tables fill and long daylight keeps the surrounding streets active into the evening. Early morning is quieter and best for clean views of Parliament House and the cathedral.

In winter the square is more subdued, with snow, lights and short daylight changing its proportions. Wind can funnel through the surrounding streets, so Austurvöllur is usually a short stop between indoor attractions. Cafés, City Hall and Harpa provide natural sheltered pauses.

A self-guided old Reykjavík walk

Begin at Austurvöllur with Parliament House, the cathedral and the Jón Sigurðsson statue. Walk west to Reykjavík City Hall and Tjörnin, then loop through the streets around Aðalstræti and Ingólfstorg. Continue north to the old harbour or east through Lækjartorg to Harpa.

For a longer architectural route, climb towards Hallgrímskirkja via Bankastræti and Skólavörðustígur. This links the intimate scale of the old civic centre with the capital’s strongest twentieth- and twenty-first-century landmarks.

Reykjavík city tours near Austurvöllur

Austurvöllur sits inside the historic centre covered by Reykjavík’s strongest walking tours. These live FunIceland tours add Viking history, folklore, food, architecture and flexible city sightseeing.

See also in Reykjavík

Frequently asked questions about Austurvöllur

Austurvöllur photo album