Okay, well, I hope you enjoyed seeing some of the natural wonders Iceland has to offer! A lot of different tourist activities occur in the outdoors in Iceland, and one could spend months just exploring the outside world. However, I would also like to take a look at some of the art and culture this country has to offer.
There is so much culture in Iceland, and I wish we had time to explore it all. At least for this trip to Iceland, however, we will just focus on a few. Maybe we can come back some day and see a few more!
We cannot leave the country without visiting the National Museum of Iceland. This museum, which was established in 1863, is located in Reykjavik. It has beautiful exhibits that allow viewers to look into Iceland's history and culture. The main part of this museum is entitled Making of a Nation. We can really enjoy learning about Iceland's history starting from when it was settled in the 9th century. The museum contains 2,000 artifacts depicting Iceland's history from all different time periods. There are also numerous pictures and forms of multimedia that we can look at to truly learn about and understand Iceland.
Good news! I got us tickets to see the Iceland Symphony Orchestra. This Orchestra has been around since its first concert in 1950. The orchestra is known all throughout Iceland and is funded primarily by the state. We are lucky enough to see one of the 60 or so concerts the orchestra performs every year. They perform numerous of types of music ranging from classical to contemporary. This is a definite must see, and I'm glad we get to enjoy this unique cultural experience on our trip!
While I wish we could spend more time in Iceland, there are far too many countries to see. Before we leave, I would like some time to to explore Skalholt. Skalholt is an important religious and historic building in Iceland. The state religion of Iceland is Christianity, and has been since 1000 AD.
Skalholt was the home of the first bishop in Iceland when the country was Catholic, and it was the home to many bishops after him. Many people in Iceland stayed at Skalholt in the winter as well. This place is also where the Iceland officially changed its official religion from Catholicism to Lutheranism and where the New Testament was translated to Icelandic.
In 1963, a new church was built at Skalholt; a deputy bishop has resided there since 1992. This site is very important to and respected by the people of Iceland, and I think it is wonderful that we get to visit it and learn about the religious culture of the country.
I hope you have enjoyed visiting Iceland as much as I have! Seeing the beauty this nation has to offer and learning about the deep history and culture it holds have been such great experiences. I'm sorry we have to leave so soon, but there are so many more nations to explore. I hope you continue to join me on our trip!
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