National Theatre of Iceland

The National Theatre of Iceland is a vibrant theater in Reykjavík designed by Gudjon Samuelsson – the same architect behind the famous Hallgrimskirkja Church. Stop by to catch a show and view its stunning architecture!

Recommended Tours

The National Theatre of Iceland is now one of the two main theatres in Reykjavík. In Icelandic, they are referred to as Þjóðleikhúsið (the National Theatre) and Borgarleikhúsið (The People’s Theatre). The National Theatre, the one we will be covering in this article opened in the year 1950 and was designed by the great Guðjón Samúelsson, the designer of Hallgrímkirkja Church and many other remarkable buildings.

Everything about the building is grand and royal-like with red carpet floors on the inside and gilded artwork with gold and silver. Ever since its opening in 1950 the baronial structure, the brilliant shows and awards winning plays have sparked an ever-growing interest with the Icelandic nation for theater and arts.

Iceland’s National Theater in Reykjavik has three stages within the actual original building and one behind it in a separate building. The biggest one is the Main Stage, seating over 500 people, the second one is the Black Box seating 140, the third one, the Theatre Cellar with seats for 120 people. The fourth, the one in a separate building is Kúlan, or the Ball seating only about 80 people at full capacity.

The National Theatre has a very active performance season, each session with around 30 productions. The season is comprised of various performances balancing between new ones, old classics, foreign and locally written scripts, musicals, dance pieces and more.

The theater produces around ten new productions each year. It also collaborates with dance groups, independent theatres and performers. A production of Iceland’s National Theatre will be an intimate experience, even though it’s the biggest theater in the Icelandic theatre scene.

If you are looking to catch a show it is important to note that the theatre is closed during the summer months. Also, the majority of the productions are in Icelandic. Still, even for non-Icelandic speaking visitors the experience of going to a show can be magical!

Fun Historical Facts about the National Theater

The original idea to build a National Theater in Iceland came from a man called Indriði Einarsson in 1873
He later had his ideas published in a news article in 1905
A special entertainment tax was put in place in order for the Icelandic government to raise funds to build the theatre
The first drawings of the National Theater in Reykjavik were submitted by Guðjón Samúelsson 25 years before actual theatre would open
In 1929 the construction began but 3 years later it was stopped due to insufficient funds
In 1941 during the World War II British soldiers occupied the unfinished building in their efforts to prevent the German Nazis from invading Iceland
As soon as the British Army left the government put efforts into finalizing the building which opened in April 1950
Since the theater opening in 1950, only six people have served as its Artistic Director, five men and one woman

Where is the National Theater located?

The National Theatre in Reykjavik is located downtown on Hverfisgata 19, the neighboring and parallel street to the famous Laugavegur shopping street. It is easy to spot as its dark grey art-deco architecture really sticks out amongst white buildings and the occasional colorful corrugated iron houses.

The National Theatre of Iceland in Reykjavik

GPS coordinates of National Theatre of Iceland: 64.1471° N, 21.9314° W

How to get to the National Theater

The National Theatre is in walking distance from most accommodations downtown and located right next to Safnahúsið bus stop. It’s about 9 minutes walking from Harpa Concert and Conference Hall, 8 minutes from Hallgrímskirkja church and 12 minutes from Hlemmur Food Court.

Other Reykjavik Theaters

Reykjavik city is known to have a buzzing art scene, creativity and lots of color. So it’s no surprise that there’s more than one active theatres in Reykjavik. There is of course Þjóðleikhúsið “The National Theatre” but another big Reykjavik Theatre is Borgarleikhúsið.

Borgarleikhúsið was founded to compete with the National Theatre, which is run by the state. Another small one is Tjarnarbíó, which mainly showcases independent shows and plays.

Where to eat near the National Theater?

Julia and Julia café in Safnahúsið – for yummy cakes and quiche
Grái Kötturinn – for some delicious early breakfast
Hverfisgata 12 or the nameless Pizza place – for some tasty yet inventive pizzas
Dill – if you are looking for quality, the 1st restaurant in Iceland to receive a Michelin star. Book in advance!
Íslenski Barinn – for all the traditional Icelandic cuisine!
Mat Bar – for delightful small courses, incredible interior and great wine!