Strandarkirkja

In earlier times Strönd (Coast in Icelandic) was a rich farm, where both sea and land gave generously.[4] The pastures were rich, consisting of good land facing south for grazing sheep and sheltered from the cold northern wind by the mountain Hlíðarfjall 5–6 km north of Selvogur. The good fishing grounds were also not far away so the farmers in Selvogur reaped from both the land and the sea. In addition to this there were mentions of farmers collecting timber from woods nearby and having the right to collect eggs and kill birds in the sea-cliffs at Krísuvíkurberg.

Landsýn in front of Strandarkirkja.

Strandarkirkja served as the parish church of the community of Selvogur (Seal Cove in Icelandic). In the early days of Icelandic settlement the area had numerous substantial farms. The town is first mentioned in Sturlunga Saga, where Gissur Þorvaldsson allows Dufgusi Þorleifsson take up residence there in the summer of 1238.[6]

Over the years, the town began to decline as wind and water erosion began to cause a collapse of the farming culture. The population has dwindled substantially as people started to move into cities, dropping to little more than 110 at the turn of the 20th Century and to 14 people in 2015.[7] Selvogur remained one of the most isolated settlements in the region, with electricity not being available in the area until 1970. Around the church, many abandoned farmhouses and other ruins can be seen as a reminder and insight into the life of the settlement in the past.[8] Selvogur now has only a couple of isolated farms and a popular free campground, as well as a café T-Bær for the travelers passing through.[9]

Interior view of the ceiling decor in Strandarkirkja

Strandarkirkja still functions as a parish church, although only on occasion. There is no longer a regular service for the small populace of Selvogur. The church is open in summer, from mid-May to August, hosting biweekly services, and is also open on weekends in spring and autumn.[10] In addition, masses are also held by the parish priest on Christmas, Easter, and Pentecost. A harvest sermon (Uppskerumessa [ˈʏhpˌscɛːrʏˌmɛsːa]) is held at the end of August by ancient tradition to celebrate the end of the harvest season. There is also a fisherman's mass (Veiðimannamessa [ˈveiːðɪˌmanːaˌmɛsːa]) in October that is open to all, but primarily caters to the hunters with their hunting cabin at the nearby Hlíðarvatn, a lake owned by the church.[11]

A statue of Norwegian granite carved by the Icelandic sculptor Gunnfríður Jónsdóttir (1889–1968) in 1950 called Landsýn [ˈlantˌsiːn], or 'Land in Sight', now stands by Strandarkirkja to commemorate the story of the church's founding. Gunnfríður Jónsdóttir herself is buried in the Strandarkirkja cemetery.[12]