Seydisfjordur (Seyðisfjörður) A Picturesque Fjord Town
Seydisfjordur (Seyðisfjörður) A Picturesque Fjord Town
Characterful Seydisfjordur, located by the fjord of the same name, is accessed by a spectacular drive over Fjardarheidi heath, once a hazardous journey but today taking just half an hour on a good road.
Once over the summit, pull over and enjoy sweeping views of the fjord and the river Fjardara and its many delightful waterfalls.
Seydisfjordur was once the most important town in Iceland outside of the capital. The old part of town boasts many beautiful and well-preserved Norwegian timber buildings, dating back to 1900, which makes Seydisfjordur one of the most attractive of Icelandic towns.
It has a very good natural harbor which made it an important place of trade and transportation for over a century. Norwegians established an important herring fishery here in 1870 and in a matter of years, the little community grew into a prosperous town. The first submarine telephone cable connecting Europe to Iceland came ashore here in 1906.
When the only ferry between Iceland and Europe docks here once a week, the town springs to life and has quite a buzz about it. Thanks in part to Dieter Roth's influence - the artist spent much of the last ten years of his life in Seydisfjordur - the town has a busy arts scene and hosts the LungA youth Arts Festival each summer.
Take time to explore the town’s streets and browse the shops for crafts and knitwear. Visit its thriving Arts Centre Skaftfell and stroll up to Tvisongur, a ‘Song Sculpture’ erected on the hillside above Hafnargata, the main street on the south shore of the fjord.
Tvisongur is built of concrete and consists of five interconnecting domes of different sizes. The heights of the domes are between 2 and 4 meters and they cover an area of about 30 square meters. Each dome has its own resonance that corresponds to a tone in the Icelandic musical tradition of five-tone harmony and works as a natural amplifier to that tone.
Taekniminjasafn, the Technical Museum traces the development of technology in the town from 1880 to 1950 and includes the original telegraph station, which occupied the stately Wathne mansion, and a machine shop. www.tekmus.is
Seydisfjordur's beautiful blue Church is much admired and functions as a venue for concerts.
For eating out, try Hotel Aldan's restaurant and café and the cafe at the Skaftfell Arts Centre.