Christmas bell at the intersection of Aðalstræti and Hafnarstræti
Reykjavík's Christmas bell first appeared at the intersection of Vesturgata, Aðalstræti and Hafnarstræti in 1943.
The owners of Rafal electronics store decided to bring joy to city residents by installing an electric outdoor Christmas decoration. It was the first of its kind in Reykjavík. Within a few years, residents viewed the bell as the first sign of Christmas. The bell contained a speaker that chimed every 15 minutes.
When the store, renamed Raforka, moved to Grandagarður in 1967, the owners took the bell with them. A year later, the store relocated to Austurstræti 8, and the bell followed. It was installed annually before Christmas until 1978 when the store closed.
A replica was later placed at the original location in 1990, and this bell is still in use today. There are now 15 Christmas bells decorating the city center, with the 1990 bell being the largest.