Saurbaer Church (Saurbæjarkirkja)
Saurbaer Church (Saurbæjarkirkja)
Saurbaejarkirkja is a tiny turf-roofed church located deep in a fertile valley 31km south of Akureyri. Built in 1858, the church is typical of the style of that region in that it does not have a bell-tower, the bell being hung above the entrance.
Thick turf walls and a turf roof supported by timber beams formed the outer construction, with timber on the gable ends. The inside was clad with wood paneling.
The church is rather charming but like other such buildings is not heated. For this reason, it made sense to make it small and the congregation would warm it through their body heat.
Today only six such turf churches survive intact and this one is maintained by the National Museum of Iceland.