Arctic Henge – Heimskautsgerði

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In the small north-eastern Icelandic village of Raufarhöfn there is an unusual sight. In the coastal village of less than 200 souls, a local hotel operator has placed a work of art made of large stones on a nearby hill.

The trail of history

Raufarhöfn is already mentioned in the Icelandic sagas as an important trading centre, but until 1836, when Raufarhöfn was granted market rights and a Danish merchant established a trading post, the area was very sparsely populated.
This did not change until the 1950s, when, as in other Icelandic towns, the number of inhabitants increased dramatically due to the herring fishery. The harbour, which had been well developed since the turn of the century to accommodate the fishing ships, facilitated the export of the fish to Europe.
However, when the herring stock around Iceland collapsed in the 1960s, the income also declined and so processing plants were closed and people moved to other areas.

To counteract this, a hotel operator came up with something special at the end of the 1990s.

In 2002, the first concept was designed, which, after some initial difficulties and multiple changes, was built in several construction phases between 2004 and 2016. There are still bigger plans, but they have not yet been realised. A model of how it might look one day is on display nearby. The structure is often compared to Stonehenge in Scotland and is therefore often called the „Arctic Henge“ (Heimskautsgerðið).
It consists of four approximately six-metre-high rock gates made of basalt stones, which are supposed to represent the four dwarves Nordri, Sudri, Vestri and Austri, who, according to Norse mythology, carry the four corners of the sky. The diameter of the complex is about 50 metres, in the centre of which is an eleven-metre-high tower with four pillars.

Useful Information

Raufarhöfn is a service centre for the residents in the area, most of whom still live from farming and fishing. The village has a bank, a petrol station, a shop with a café and a hotel, a community centre with a restaurant, a kindergarten and a primary school. There is also a health centre (isl. heilsugæsla) for medical care. There is also a gymnasium with a public swimming pool. A camping site and marked hiking trails also serve tourism.

About 10 kilometres further north at Rifstandi is the northernmost point of Iceland’s main island. Only the uninhabited island of Kolbeinsey, which belongs to the state of Iceland, and the inhabited island of Grímsey are further north.

How to get there?

Raufarhöfn is a little off the beaten tourist track and also far from the ring road. This is also one of the reasons for building the Arctic Henge, to attract more visitors to this beautiful part of Iceland.
The well-maintained road 85 leads, depending on which direction you come from, from the ring road at Akureyri via Húsavík along the coast until it meets the ring road again at Hofteigur and you continue on this road to Egilsstaðir or Seyðisfjörður.
The road runs along the coast and through wide green plains. Due to the remoteness and low population, you hardly meet any oncoming traffic here and sheep are the most frequent travel companions you meet along the way.
However, the remoteness also means that it is very difficult to travel here by public transport. There is a bus service that runs close to the village of Raufarhöfn, but this takes a very long time. We therefore recommend travelling to Raufarhöfn by car.

Conclusion

The „Arctic Henge“ is proof that something big can come from the idea of one person.
Especially in the twilight hours, beautiful photos can be taken here of the stone arches, the landscape and the numerous birds.
This remote part of Iceland is definitely worth a side trip.