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All Iceland Reykjavik Monument to the Unknown Bureaucrat

Monument to the Unknown Bureaucrat

Iceland's tribute to its thankless civil servants.

Reykjavik, Iceland

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Ethan Nicholls
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Monument to the Unknown Bureaucrat.   Luc Coekaerts/public domain
Winter 2023   SEANETTA / Atlas Obscura User
  EdEddnEdgy / Atlas Obscura User
  Gogostevie / Atlas Obscura User
  Gogostevie / Atlas Obscura User
  Gogostevie / Atlas Obscura User
  unimoggers / Atlas Obscura User
  Julius Spada / Atlas Obscura User
  Fred Cherrygarden / Atlas Obscura User
Unknown Bureaucrat   TAAtlas / Atlas Obscura User
  drunktankpink / Atlas Obscura User
Monument to the Unknown Bureaucrat.   Ethan Nicholls / Atlas Obscura User
Monument to the Unknown Bureaucrat.   Ethan Nicholls / Atlas Obscura User
Monument to the Unknown Bureaucrat.   prosepina/cc by-sa 2.0
The Unknown Bureaucrat   Jaszmina Szendrey / Atlas Obscura User
  nagnabodha / Atlas Obscura User
The monument   Klara / Atlas Obscura User
  jyackabonis / Atlas Obscura User
  collinsconnor10 / Atlas Obscura User
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About

The phrase "faceless bureaucrat" is generally not meant as a compliment. But in Reykjavik, these seemingly anonymous workers are immortalized in art.

There, next to a duck pond, stands a statue of a man wielding a briefcase, walking toward city hall. It’s a common everyday sight; a depiction of the everyday “faceless” city officials on their way to work. However, this official is a bit different from its living inspirations, as it is literally faceless.

A large slab of Icelandic volcanic basalt sits where you would expect to see a torso and head. The unique statue was sculpted by Magnús Tómasson in 1994, and you'll have to decide for yourself whether it was meant as a serious tribute, or a humorous, satirical piece.

Monuments to an unknown soldier are common around the globe, but as Iceland has no standing army, perhaps a tribute to the civilians who serve their country is the next best thing.

Related Tags

Monuments Art Labor Statues

Know Before You Go

The monument is a short walk from the Reykjavík Official Tourist Information Centre, so you can easily pass by it while on your way to plan your adventures within and outside the city.

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Added By

Ethan Nicholls

Edited By

Jaszmina Szendrey, SEANETTA, Kerry Wolfe, nagnabodha...

  • Jaszmina Szendrey
  • SEANETTA
  • Kerry Wolfe
  • nagnabodha
  • Klara
  • drunktankpink
  • collinsconnor10
  • Fred Cherrygarden
  • unimoggers
  • jyackabonis
  • TAAtlas
  • Julius Spada
  • Gogostevie
  • EdEddnEdgy

Published

September 24, 2018

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Sources
  • https://grapevine.is/mag/column-opinion/2011/08/23/three-noteworthy-reykjavik-statues/
  • https://unusualplaces.org/monument-to-the-unknown-bureaucrat/
  • https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p01n5837/p01n8j74
Monument to the Unknown Bureaucrat
4 Vonarstræti
Reykjavik
Iceland
64.145768, -21.940372
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