Akureyri the ‘Capital of the North’ private walking tour

Akureyrarkirkja or The Church of Akureyri is a prominent Lutheran church at Akureyri in northern Iceland. Located in the center of the city, it was designed by Guðjón Samúelsson (1887–1950) and completed in 1940. Akureyrarkirkja contains a notably large 3200-pipe organ. The bas-reliefs on the nave balcony are by sculptor Asmundur Sveinsson (1893–1982). The altarpiece dates to 1863 and was designed by Danish artist Edvard Lehmann (1815–1892). The windows were designed and made by J. Wippel & Co. of Enxeter, Devon in Britain. The Italian white marble baptismal font is made by Florentine sculptor Corrado Vigni (1888–1956). The angel baptismal font is a replica of a work by noted Danish sculptor Bertel Thorvaldsen (1770–1844). The original work is situated at Copenhagen Cathedral (Vor Frue Kirke).

Located just 100 kilometers away from the Arctic Circle, Akureyri is Iceland’s Northern Capital and the fourth-most-populous town in Iceland. The biggest city outside of the Greater Reykjavik region by population. You will find the populous, bustling city of Akureyri, with its thriving industries from shops, cafes, and museums, at the base of Eyjafjörður Fjord. Akureyri is the little big city in Iceland. It is large enough to offer a rich selection of entertainment, art, and culture, yet small enough to be very personal and close to nature. It‘s easy to be fascinated by Akureyri with it‘s brightly painted wooden houses, cozy bars, and steep streets leading down from the hills into the friendly city center. Even the traffic lights are cute, with stoplights in the shape of red hearts. The area where Akureyri is located was settled in the 9th century but did not receive a municipal charter until 1786. Allied units were based in the town during World War II. Further growth occurred after the war as the Icelandic population increasingly moved to urban areas.

Arts Alley is the nickname given to the cluster of cultural and artistic institutions that line Kaupvangsstræti. Here you'll find the Akureyri Art Museum, which is full of interesting artifacts relating to the area's cultural history. Also keeping up the street's reputation are the Akureyri School of Visual Arts, Kaktus performance space, and a smattering of artists' studios and galleries. All the galleries open new shows on the first weekend of each month.

Many articles and photographs portraying the life and work of past inhabitants of Eyjafjörður and Akureyri can be seen in the Akureyri Museum. The Museum offers two permanent exhibitions depicting the history of the area from settlement to modern times: “Eyjafjorður from Early Times” and “Akureyri – the Town on the Bay”. Many interesting and unique artefacts can be found in the exhibitions relating to the Viking period, the Middle Ages, religion and everyday life in Eyjafjörður and Akureyri in the past. All exhibition texts are in English but also available in German and Danish. The surrounding museum garden is an idyllic picnic spot and the 19th Century church is well worth a visit. The Museum hosts a number of events throughout the year.

The Public Park was first opened in 1912 and the botanic section added in 1957. The park has been enlarged three times since 1912 and is now about 3.6 ha and lies at 40-50 m altitude at Eyrarlandsvegur road near midtown. The aim of the botanical garden is to grow trees, shrubs and perennials in the demanding climate of Northern Iceland, which is characterized by pronounced seasonality of temperature and day length. Situated in the shelter of Eyjafjord, which is one of the longest fjords in Iceland and provides a favourable microclimate for plant growth. Besides the 430 native species, the surprising number of 6600 alien taxa grow in the garden. The garden is an IPEN member and is active in seed-exchange, public information, education and recreation.

Nonni Museum is a museum designated to the memory of Jón Sveinsson, a writer and a Jesuit priest. In the oldest part of Akureyri, you will find a small dark wooden house from the 1840’s it is one of Akureyri’s iconic building. It keeps a fascinating story. Would you go on a journey to Mars knowing that it was unlikely that you would return? Would you send your child on such a journey not knowing much about the destination? This was Nonni’s, destiny although the destination wasn’t Mars. In 1870 he went on the journey of his life. His destination was a school in Amiens in France where he was to become a Jesuit priest, spending his life in Europe and eventually use his adventures as a boy in Akureyri and Eyjafjörður as an inspiration for stories that were published around the world in such diverse languages as Japanese, Chinese and Esperanto.

St. Peter's Church is a religious building of the Catholic Church which is located in Eyrarlandsvegi 26, in the town of Akureyri, Norduland Eystra in Iceland, and named after Saint Peter.