There's something so fascinating about the northernmost parts of the world. Vast panoramas, mountaintops trapped in eternal fog, endless fjords, and evergreen meadows make this area of the globe such a magical place, a true demonstration of the beauty and might of mother nature. This time, we're traveling to a small fishing village in Iceland called Raufarhöfn to see the Arctic Henge (Heimskautsgerði). This village is located in the remote northern part of the country.
Arctic Henge
Like Stonehenge, the Arctic Henge also aims to be a sundial. But unlike its British counterpart, the Arctic Henge is still under construction. Construction began about a decade ago. The building was inspired by both Nordic history and neo-pagan beliefs. The Poetic Edda is the Nordic myth telling the stories of Germanic Gods. One poem from it, the Völuspá - Prophecy of the Seeress - is the main source of inspiration for the monument.
This poem tells of 72 dwarves that are represented by the 72 blocks of stone in the Arctic Henge, each inscribed with a name. No one really knows the true meaning of the number 72, but some speculate that, perhaps, each dwarf represents a week of 5 days, and together, they all make 360 days - a year.
Arctic Henge is located on a hill near the beach called Melrakkaás, Foxhill. It is 50 meters (164 feet) in diameter, with 6 meters (19'5'' feet) high gates. In the middle, there is an even taller column of 4 pillars that will have a prism on top to scatter light into colorful rays.
Getting there
The nearest town is Húsavík. From there, the monument is 130 km (81 miles) away or about an hour-and-a-half-long drive. Here is a route for your convenience: click here.
Húsavík sits on a bay called Shaky Bay, known as the Whale Capital of Iceland. If you go whale watching, there's almost a 100% chance to spot more than one. It is also the location of the oldest house in Iceland that was built in the year 860. As befits a small town, there are only 6 restaurants, 2 supermarkets, and 5 cafés, but there's also one beer brewery. It is located perfectly for Northern Lights gazing. For more information about the town, visit the tremendously helpful official town website.
