Hofskirkja

What makes it special

Hofskirkja is a small timber church built inside thick stone walls, under a roof of stone slabs laid with turf. The grass on top holds the warmth in, and the building is partly dug into the earth, so the ground itself works as insulation.

Inside the stone shell stands a timber frame about 9.8 metres long, painted in bright colours and divided into nave and choir by a chancel screen.

Built in 1883 to 1885 by the carpenter Páll Pálsson, it is often called the last turf church raised in Iceland. The National Museum of Iceland rebuilt it to its original form in 1953 and 1954, and it remains the parish church of Öræfi.

The churchyard keeps an older custom too. Its graves are raised in the traditional way, as low grassy mounds set beside the church walls.

Visiting

Both the churchyard and the outside of the church are open to you at any hour, and you can walk round them for free. From the parking area, walk into the churchyard and keep to the path.

Go once round the church to see the turf roof and stone walls from every side, and on clear days the glacier beyond. Stay off the graves and the gaps between them as you walk.

The interior is normally closed, so look in through the windows for the painted nave and choir. Keep your hands off the turf walls and roof, which damage easily. Keep your voice low too: this is a cemetery and a church in use.

Guided or on your own

You do not need a guide: the visit is a walk round the outside, and there is nothing to unlock. If you are travelling on a tour, only some multi-day South Coast and Ring Road tours stop at Hofskirkja. Day tours from Reykjavík normally turn back at Jökulsárlón or earlier, so check the itinerary before you book.

Tips

Wind on this stretch of coast can be very strong. Hof is a cluster of working farms, so park where you do not block a gate or a farm track.

Snow on the roof and the glacier behind make a striking scene in winter. Plan to arrive in daylight then: the days are short and the road can be icy.