Austurstræti 8

The stone building at Austurstræti eight features a distinct, steep roof and dark, heavy masonry that sets it apart from the lighter timber structures nearby. Known as the Landsbanki building, it served as the original headquarters for the national bank of Iceland. When the bank opened here in nineteen oh one, locals joked that the massive walls were designed to keep the wind out of the counting room. The heavy iron door still swings on original hinges, protecting a vault that once held the national treasury.