The Unknown Bureaucrat sculpture stands beside Tjörnin, the lake in the centre of Reykjavík. Magnús Tómasson made it in 1994. In place of the torso and head there is a slab of Icelandic volcanic basalt, carried on the shoulders of the figure below. It honours the unnamed officials who keep the country running, and it is left open whether that is meant seriously or as satire. The sculpture takes two minutes to see; the lake beside it takes longer.
Unknown Bureaucrat sculpture
Local name: Óþekkti embættismaðurinn
Where the torso and head should be, Magnús Tómasson set a slab of Icelandic volcanic basalt: the weight of the state on the shoulders of an anonymous official.
- Accessibility
- Wheelchair-accessible approach.
- Parking
- Kerbside parking on the surrounding streets; the two car parks within 75 m are private.
- Transport
- Ráðhúsið bus stop, about 80 m from the sculpture.
- Hours
- Open 24 hours, every day.
What makes it special
Above the shoulders there is no man at all. A slab of Icelandic volcanic basalt sits where the torso and head should be, and the figure beneath carries it. Magnús Tómasson made the work in 1994. Read one way, the stone is the weight of the state and of duty to the public, resting on an anonymous official. Read another, it is a joke at the expense of the civil service. Both readings hold, and the work does not settle the question. Monuments to the unknown soldier stand in many countries; this one is to the unknown clerk. It stands at the edge of Tjörnin, in the open.
Good to know
- Parking takes patience. Kerbside spaces around the lake fill up, and it can take a pass or two before one opens.
- Toilets. Free public toilets stand about 90 m from the sculpture.
- Winter ice. Tjörnin freezes and has been skated on. One corner of the lake is kept clear so the birds keep open water.
- The lake is part of the visit. Swans and ducks stay on Tjörnin, and more to look at stands within a short walk around it.
Getting there
The sculpture stands beside Tjörnin, in the centre of Reykjavík. The Ráðhúsið bus stop is about 80 m away, so the last stretch on foot takes a minute. Arriving by car means kerbside parking on the streets around the lake, then a short walk to the water's edge. Nothing is fenced off and nothing is signposted as an entrance: the figure is simply there on the lakeside.
Best time to visit
Best: late afternoon into sunset, seen from the lakeside.
Avoid: no season rules it out; the sculpture is outdoors and stands there all year.
Tjörnin is worth seeing at sunset, and the sculpture stands on its edge, so the two go together in one stop.
Sun & daylight
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Frequently asked questions
Who made the Unknown Bureaucrat sculpture?
Magnús Tómasson, in 1994. The upper half is a single slab of Icelandic volcanic basalt, standing in for the torso and head.What is the sculpture meant to mean?
It is a tribute to the unnamed officials who help run the country, with the stone standing for the burden of the state and of responsibility to the public. Whether that is meant seriously or as satire is left to the viewer.Is there anything else to see beside it?
Tjörnin itself, with swans, ducks and other birds on the water. The Kvenfrelsisbaráttan monument stands about 70 m away, and the rest of the city centre is all around.Can it be seen at any time of day?
Yes. The sculpture stands outdoors on the lakeside and is accessible around the clock, every day of the year.