The Night a King Stayed Here: Reykjavík's Royal Connection
The front page of Morgunblaðið, a local Icelandic newspaper, dated June 12th 1926.
In the summer of 1926, on June 12th, a Danish naval cruiser called the Niels Juel made its way through the North Atlantic and into Reykjavík harbour, carrying an unusual guest: Kristján X, King of Iceland.
When the ship appeared on the horizon that June morning, a crowd of 4,000–5,000 people had gathered along the harbour. The king came ashore first — tall and slim, in a dark uniform heavy with decorations — followed by Queen Alexandríne in a light blue travelling dress, and their son Prince Knud. Waiting on the quayside was Prime Minister Jón Magnússon, who escorted the royal couple directly to his own home at Hverfisgata 21. The house had been specially decorated and prepared inside and out for the occasion. Morgunblaðið, a local newspaper, noted at the time that it was the finest house available in Reykjavík. That house is today part of Reykjavík Residence Hotel.
King Kristján X leaving Hverfisgata 21.
Iceland's Only King
It was Kristján X's second visit to the country he had reigned over since 1918, when Iceland became a sovereign kingdom in personal union with Denmark. He holds a unique place in history as the only person ever to hold the title King of Iceland. Unlike the monarchs of larger nations, he had no permanent royal residence here, no grand palace, no local court. Iceland was governed from Reykjavík by its own parliament and prime minister; the king was a constitutionally distant figure who crossed the North Atlantic by warship on very few occasions.
The days that followed his arrival were spent exploring the country he nominally ruled. He attended a Sunday church service at Fríkirkjan with the full cabinet present, and visited Þingvellir, debating with his hosts the exact historical location of the ancient Lögberg.
The Building and Its Builder
The house at Hverfisgata 21 has its own story that runs alongside the royal visit. It was built in 1912 by Jón Magnússon, who was serving as Prime Minister of Iceland at the time of the 1926 visit.
The house he built, now home to Reykjavík Residence Hotel's Prime Minister's Residence, was already fourteen years old when a king slept within its walls. At the time, it was considered the only building in Reykjavík fit for a king. Today it stands as one of the oldest concrete buildings in Reykjavík.
Stay Where History Happened
Reykjavík Residence Hotel was built around the idea that the stories inside old buildings are worth preserving. Across our nine historic properties in downtown Reykjavík, each one carefully maintained, guests sleep in spaces that have lived through more than a century of Icelandic life. Tradespeople, families, writers, diplomats, and yes, at least one king.
Hverfisgata 21 sits at the heart of the city, minutes from Tjörnin, the Alþingi, Harpa Concert Hall, The National Theatre of Iceland, and the old harbour. The suites combine the bones of early twentieth-century Reykjavík with the comforts of a modern stay: kitchenettes, thoughtful design, and the kind of central location that makes the city easy to explore on foot.
History doesn't have to be something you view from behind a glass wall. Sometimes you can simply check in.
