Búðakirkja

Búðakirkja — the Black Church of Búðir — is a small nineteenth-century church rebuilt in 1848 that stands entirely alone on a mossy lava field near the southern coast of the Snæfellsnes Peninsula, with Snæfellsjökull glacier rising in the distance. Painted in traditional black tar, it creates a stark and striking silhouette against the sky and has become one of Iceland’s most iconic photographic subjects.

The church is surrounded by one of Iceland’s largest lava-field wilderness areas, and the combination of the building, the lava, the sea, and the glacier visible on clear days makes this one of the most compellingly atmospheric spots on the peninsula. The adjacent Hótel Búðir is one of Iceland’s most romantic rural retreats.

Búðakirkja is reached via a short side road off Route 54 on the south coast of Snæfellsnes. It is freely accessible year-round and is particularly beautiful in low winter light or during the summer midnight sun. The church interior can sometimes be visited during summer months.