Strandarkirkja

Strandarkirkja is a small white church on the south coast of the Reykjanes Peninsula, standing alone on a grassy promontory above the crashing Atlantic. According to tradition, sailors lost in a storm around 1200 AD prayed for deliverance and were guided to safety here by a mysterious light; in thanksgiving they built a chapel on the spot where they landed. The church has been a site of pilgrimage and votive offerings ever since.

The current building dates from 1888 and is notable for the hundreds of small plaques and offerings inside, left by grateful visitors over the centuries. The setting is extraordinarily peaceful and remote, with unbroken sea views and the sound of waves below. It is one of the most genuinely atmospheric religious sites in Iceland.

Strandarkirkja is reached via Route 38 on the south coast of the Reykjanes Peninsula, about an hour from Reykjavík. The road is paved and accessible year-round. The church is sometimes locked outside of services; the exterior and grounds can always be visited freely.