Traveling across Iceland provides a wonderful opportunity to capture its great variety of landscape, which definitely is the star of any photography tour.
Despite all this wonder, it’s worthwhile to take a walk through Reykjavik, as it features great architecture, inspiring art and a connection to its history. On the final day of the photography trip, we took such a walk.
One of the locations that stood out for me is the Hólavallagarður cemetery. It is rather different from many other graveyards in both its layout and its landscaping…
As you can see in this image, there are many trees planted, which gives the light a filtered quality that lends a sense of mystery to the graveyard. Walking through the cemetery, one gets a sense of the overall mood and can’t help but feel a connection with the people who lived (and died) here.
Hólavallagarður cemetery was established in 1838, and, as such, is the new graveyard, replacing one that had been used since Viking times. Some of the headstones have been sculpted by well-known Icelandic artists, such as Einar Jónsson.
Many details can be seen in the graveyard, such as lanterns and other small objects, which one can imagine were placed to assist the souls of the departed along their continuing journey. This graveyard has the feel of connecting one to past generations through its intimate details; it’s a great place for a quiet visit.
Walking along the streets of Reykjavik, one also finds a connection with modern life…
This mural is done by the Spanish artist Deih, and brings a very strong sense of comic book art and wonder about the nature of the character. It’s stunning and intriguing!
In another post, I will spend some time to feature some of the architecture, including Harpa!
Dutch goes the Photo! 