Reykjavík Museum of Photography

Kári Meyer│Egonomic Growth

Celebrating the New Republic 1944. Photo: Sigurhans Vignir

Árbær Open Air Museum

Celebrating the New Republic 1944

Hlynur Pálma­son│Lament for a horse

Growing Pains

Heimir Freyr Hlöðversson│We are Earth – We are Water

Reykjavík Maritime Museum

Fish & folk – 150 years of fisheries

Viðey Island

Milestones│Richard Serra

The Imagine Peace Tower

Consumption – Reykjavík in the 20th century

The Age of Carts

Aðalstræti

A true natural gem in the urban landscape, Viðey has deep historical roots and cultural importance. This makes it a unique and fascinating destination for enjoyment, outdoor recreation and adventure-seeking. It also serves as a refuge from the hustle and bustle of everyday life, offering opportunities for urban dwellers to relax and rejuvenate. 

You can get to Viðey Island by taking a **5-10 minute cruise** through the blue waters with our partner, the boat tour operator [Elding](https://elding.is/tours/videy-island).

Please tread carefully to respect Viðey’s natural habitat so that it can be enjoyed again and again. The island has cliffs, rocks, ditches and ponds that can be hazardous, so watch your step. Please bear in mind that children are the responsibility of their parents or other accompanying adults whilst on the island.


### Viðey Island’s history

With its lush vegetation, Viðey Island was for centuries considered one of Iceland’s best farmlands. The island was home to educated and influential people in Icelandic society and it still has traces of cultivated hayfields and stone walls. The island is divided into two parts, Heimaey and Vesturey, which are linked by a narrow neck of land or isthmus called Eiðið. In the eastern part of Heimaey, there are remains of a village from the time of the “Million Corporation” (Milljónafélag) when fisheries and a vibrant community flourished there.  Only two buildings and ruins remain as a reminder of a bygone era. Heimaey boasts two of Iceland’s oldest buildings: the Viðey Church and Viðey House.  The island is also an outdoor recreation area publicly owned by the City of Reykjavík, with everyone welcome to come and enjoy the island’s tranquillity and natural surroundings.


Viðey has a land area of approximately 1.7 km2 and rises to a height of 32 metres above sea level. Some spectacular rock formations can be seen along the island’s shore. Particularly beautiful are the basalt columns at Virkishöfði (‘Battlement Headland’) and Eiðisbjarg. Viðey’s most common bird species is the common eider, which breeds on both sides of the Þórsnes headland, an area closed to visitors during the nesting season from 1 May to 1 July. Other common birds include fulmar, greylag goose, snipe, purple sandpiper and oystercatcher, with a total of about 30 bird species nesting on the island. 

## Ferry schedule

Winter (1 Sept–14 May): On weekends only.
Summer (15 May–31 August)

Further information [Elding](https://elding.is/is/ferdir/videy)

#### Lettered in Stones

On West Island, there are three stones embedded in the earth, with inscriptions. The orig­ins and purpose of these remain unknown.

#### Áfangar (Milestones)

For the Reykjavík Arts Festival of 1990, a work of art by US sculptor Richard Serra was created on the West Island. The work comprises nine pairs of pillars of columnar basalt, which “frame” certain landmarks and destinations. Serra, one of the most influential sculptors of the post-war era, made a gift of "Áfangar (Milestones)" to the Icelandic people

Each pair of pillars is placed that one stands nine metres above sea level and the other at ten metres. The pillar which stands lower is four metres high, and the other is three metres tall, so the tops of the pillars are level. The distance between each pair of pillars is defined by the varying gradient of the ground where they stand.

#### Imagine Peace Tower

The Imagine Peace Tower is a work of art conceived by the legendary artist, musician and peace advocate Yoko Ono as a beacon to world peace. The work is in the form of a wishing well from which a strong and tall tower of light emerges. The words ‘Imagine Peace’ are inscribed on the well in 24 world languages.

The light tower is composed of a number of individual lights that join toget her to form a single beam. Six of the lights travel through corridors across a platform that surrounds the well and are reflected upwards to the sky with mirrors. The strength, intensity and brilliance of the light tower continually changes as the particles in the air fluctuate with the prevailing weather and atmospheric conditions unique to Iceland.

“I hope the Imagine Peace Tower will give light to the strong wishes of  World Peace from all corners of the planet and give encouragement, inspiration and a sense of solidarity in a world now filled with fear and confusion. Let us come together to realize a peaceful world.”

–Yoko Ono

“Imagine all the people living life in peace”  – John Lennon

This idea for the Imagine Peace Tower comes from a conceptual artwork by Yoko Ono, entitled ‘Light House’.

“The Light House is a phantom house that is built by sheer light. You set up prisms at a certain time of day, under a certain evening light which goes through the prisms, the Light House appears in the middle of the field like an image, except that, with this image, you can actually go inside if you want to. The Light House may not emerge every day, just as the sun doesn’t shine every day.” y.o. 1965

For decades Yoko Ono has gathered the wishes and dreams of people all over the world. These wishes are kept in time-capsules.

The Imagine Peace Tower is surrounded by more than half a million Peace Wishes from people worldwide that the artist has collected since 1981 as part of her interactive Wish Tree exhibits. The wishes are stored in capsules and buried surrounding the Imagine Peace Tower.

Yoko Ono invites you to join her and hundreds of thousands of others by sending your wishes to the Imagine Peace Tower, Po Box 1009, 121 Reykjavik, Iceland.

#### Statue of the Virgin Mary

In 2000, a thousand years after the Christian religion was adopted in Iceland, a statue of the Virgin Mary was erected on Kvennagönguhólar to mark the millennium, and as a monument to Viðey’s long connection with Catholicism, especially the medieval Viðey monastery, which was dedicated to the Virgin Mary.

Viðey

Events

The History Island 


Daily from 15 May - 31 Aug. Starting at 10:15 (am) going to Viðey.

Last ferry from Viðey is at 18:30 (6:30 pm).

1 Sept - 14 May. 

Only ferry service during weekends from 13:15-15:15.

Adults 2.300 ISK

Children (7-17 years) 1.150 ISK

Children (0-6 years) Free, accompanied by an adult

67 + and People with disabilities 1.890 ISK

Reykjavík Culture Year Pass 8.130 ISK

Reykjavík Culture Year Pass 67+ 2.350

ICOM and City Card Holders Free

**Reykjavík City Museum manages all cultural activities on Viðey Island**


videy@reykjavik.is


Tel: 411 6360

Viðey Is­land

The His­tory Is­land

Events

Viðey Island

The History Island