Norðurþing Municipality

Cultural heritage in Norðurþing Municipality

Cultural Heritage of the North

This collection highlights the diverse cultural history of Northeast Iceland, from the monumental Arctic Henge in Raufarhöfn—a modern stone structure inspired by Norse mythology—to Húsavík’s specialized museums. Discover the region’s maritime legacy through the Húsavík Whale Museum’s skeletal displays and the Exploration Museum’s tribute to Apollo astronaut training. The list also features local landmarks like the Swiss chalet-style Húsavíkurkirkja and the Kópasker Earthquake Centre, which documents the seismic history of the Tjörnes fracture zone.

Cultural Heritage of the North — Map

Kay Wiese / CC-BY-SA

A

The Arctic Henge - Heimskautsgerðið

A massive stone sundial inspired by the poem Völuspá from the Poetic Edda. Its gates and columns are designed to capture the midnight sun and align with the celestial movements of the seasons.

B

The Húsavík Whale Museum

Housed in a former slaughterhouse, this museum displays eleven whale skeletons, including a 25-meter-long blue whale, focusing on the biology and ecology of marine mammals in Icelandic waters.

C

The Exploration Museum

This museum details the history of human exploration, with a primary focus on the NASA Apollo astronauts who trained in the Icelandic highlands during the 1960s.

D

Húsavíkurkirkja

A distinctive wooden church built in 1907 in the Swiss chalet style. Its cross-shaped floor plan and white-and-green exterior make it a prominent landmark overlooking Húsavík harbor.

E

Húsavíkurviti

An 11-meter tall, bright yellow lighthouse built in 1956. It sits on the cliffs overlooking Skjálfandi Bay, guiding ships into the Húsavík harbor.

F

The Culture House

This regional museum houses a maritime collection, natural history exhibits, and the district archives, showcasing the social and biological history of the Þingeyjarsýsla area.

G

Earthquake Centre

Situated in Kópasker, this center documents the 1976 earthquake and provides information on the geology and seismic activity of the Tjörnes Fracture Zone.

H

Raufarhafnarviti

A 10-meter tall concrete lighthouse constructed in 1931. It marks the northern reaches of the Raufarhöfn coastline near the Arctic Circle.

I

Bóka- og Byggðasafn

A local museum in Kópasker featuring a collection of regional artifacts and an extensive library of Icelandic books and genealogy records.

J

Raufarhafnarkirkja

A concrete church designed by state architect Guðjón Samúelsson and consecrated in 1928, serving the northernmost village in mainland Iceland.

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