Travel to the North of the Globe to See the Arctic Henge

Edited By: Tamar Z.

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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.

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Arctic Henge

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Getting there

Plaque at the Arctic Henge site, Iceland

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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.

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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.