Historical and Cultural sites in Seyðisfjörður

The small town of Seyðisfjörður is famous around Iceland for its colour and creativity. One of its best-known features is the Rainbow Street (referred to as Regnbogagatan in Icelandic) in the heart of town, which can best be described as a beautiful community project. On a sunny day in the summer of 2016 the town's residents got the idea to paint Norðurgata, a cute street in need of some love and restoration. That same night, people in town as well as the town’s employees got together and painted the colours of the rainbow onto the street – unknowingly creating one of the most popular visual landmarks in East Iceland. Year round, guests from all over the world come to visit the Rainbow Street in Seyðisfjörður to snap a "selfie" of themselves on this colourful street, surrounded with old historic houses which the town is also known for. At the end of the street stands the town’s picturesque church, usually referred to as “Bláa kirkjan” or the Blue Church. Ever since then the residents get together regularly each summer to repaint the street, and everyone is welcome to take part.  The Rainbow Street is located right in the town’s center and close by are some great restaurants, the local handcraft market and Blóðberg, a design boutique, all worth checking out. One of Iceland’s best sushi restaurants, Norð-Austur on the second floor of Hotel Aldan, serves sushi from the freshest ingredients available. Café Lára is the perfect stop for some soul food, juicy burgers, and local fish.  Every summer, the Blue Church Summer Concert series takes place and has become one of the major cultural events in East Iceland. It offers a varied program of music where some of the country’s most interesting musicians perform.  Seyðisfjörður is one of the highlights on our Fjord to Fjord travel route. If you are currently travelling around East Iceland or planning your next trip, we highly recommend taking checking out our travel routes for inspiration.

The Church in Seyðisfjörður is one of the most recognisable landmarks in Iceland. With its distinct colour and buildingstyle it has become a popular spot for tourists, especially since the street leading up to it was painted in the colours of the rainbow. The church used to stand at Dvergasteinn farm and in 1882 it was moved to Vestdalseyri. At first the church stood on a hill overlooking Vestdalseyri but in 1894 it was blown over and damaged by a huge storm. The church was rebuilt, this time down on the peninsula and stood there until 1920 when the decision was made to move to its present location in the heart of Seyðisfjörður. In 1989 the the Blue Church was damaged by fire when renovation work was being carried out on the building and a pipe organ that was installed in 1987 was ruined by the flames. Today the Blue Church has a pipe organ of the same type as the one that was lost to the fire. The Church is open for visitors in the summer.

Tvísöngur sculpture, by artist Lukas Kühne, mixes concrete, nature, and sound to create an interactive tribute to Iceland’s unique tradition of five-tone harmony.  The installation piece looks like a grouping of interconnected cement bubbles from afar. Up close the five segments are quite large, ranging from roughly 6 to 12 feet tall and can be entered via rounded arches built into the walls. Once inside the stark industrial domes, visitors will find that they have each been designed to resonate at different harmonies as the wind blowing in off the cliff rushes through the openings. The collective effect is almost as though the wind itself is playing a giant instrument. The five chambers of the piece are meant to recall the Icelandic musical tradition of quintal harmony, with each dome reflecting a tone in the tradition. Juxtaposed with the serene and stark surroundings, it seems as though Iceland itself is creating the music. Tvísöngur is a permanent work and is meant to keep the country’s musical traditions alive, which is not an easy thing to do simply with concrete.

A walk to the Vestdalur Nature Reserve in Seyðisfjörður, up to the Vestdalur lake and the cave of "The Mountain Maid". The route once served as the principal communication link between Seyðisfjörður and other regions in East Iceland. Relics of this 19th - 20th c. pillar of transport can still be detected through meticulous road constructions, stone walls, and Cairns. Having passed several tiers of glorious waterfalls, the wanderer reaches a small lake, Vestdalsvatn, which remains frozen most of the year. With majestic Mt. Bjólfur to the left., a tiny cave awaits to the right, the site of one the most important archaeologic discoveries of later times. In 2004 a group of workers unearthed some human bones, later defined as those of lady, around thirtyish - along with more than 400 pearls and some pins dating back to the era of settlement.  The remains are believed to date from the era around 940. These are now conserved at the National Museum. Vestdalseyri / Vestdalur valleyDuration: 3,5 hours / 6 km Period: June - September 

Center for visual artsPeriod: All year round.Austurvegur 42710 Seyðisfjörðurs. 472 1632skaftfell@skaftfell.iswww.skaftfell.is Skaftfell is a cultural centre dedicated to nurturing and exhibiting visual arts, the main emphasis being on contemporary art. Skaftfell is a meeting point for artists and locals and serves as a center for visual arts in the entire region. Skaftfell was founded in the year 1998 by a group of art enthusiasts in the town of Seyðisfjörður. The centre is situated in an imposing old house, built in 1907. The  main floor houses extensive exhibition space with standing exhibitions the whole year round. The top floor encompasses agreeable lodgings for visiting  artists  and scholars .On the ground floor there is a Bistro endowed with a good library on art and related material. In addition to serving fabulous food and coffee, the Bistro hosts the West-wall gallery, a space dedicated to showing the works of young, experimenting artists. In the past decade Skaftfell has hosted a large number of exhibitions by international, national and local artists. With the main emphasis on contemporary art, Skaftfell has an important role in the area as a centre of information and education on art and related subjects. Every year Skaftfell organizes and/or hosts various seminars with art students in collaboration with the Icelandic Academy of the Arts and other schools and institutions. Skaftfell is founded in memory of the late artist Dieter Roth who lived and worked in Seyðisfjörður for periods of time during the last decade of his life. In Skaftfell you can find many of his books and prints on display.