Leif Eriksson Monuments Pages

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Reykjavik

Eiríksgata / Frakkastígur

Leifur Eiríksson

Statue of Leif Eriksson

Stirling Calder
1930

Description

In front of Reykjavik's Hallgrímskirkja, is the most impressive statue of Leif Eriksson. He look to the west to the Ocean.

Inscription(s)

LEIFR
EIRICSSON
SON OF ICELAND
DISCOVERER OF
VINLAND
THE
UNITED STATES
OF AMERICA TO
THE PEOPLE
OF ICELAND
ON THE ONE
THOUSANDTH
ANNIVERSARY
OF THE ALTHING
A.D. 1930

Annotation

The statue which was donated to the Icelandic nation by the US Congress in 1930 to commemorate the millennium of the Alþingi (parliament).

A monument based on this one is on Keflavik airport.

Commemorative coin

On June 21, 2000 the Central Bank of Iceland issued a commemorative coin to mark Leifur Eiríksson's discovery of North America. It was minted by the US Mint in 9/10 silver, weighing 26.73 grams and with a diameter of 38.1 mm, the coin is legal tender in Iceland with a value of 1,000 krónur. The reverse depicts Calder's statue. On the obverse is the stylised image of the guardian spirits of Iceland familiar from current Icelandic coins.

View from the tower of the Hallgrímskirkja. The statue of Leif Eriksson is at the bottom. The street from the church to the west is the Skólavörðustígur. Leif is looking through this street to the west, to the Ocean and Greenland.