The Arctic Henge: A Portal to Light and Legend in Raufarhöfn
Photo credit: Visit North
At the edge of northeast Iceland, where the land grows wild, and the sea feels endless, a curious stone structure rises from the tundra. Massive arches, basalt columns, and sharp silhouettes point skyward — reaching toward the Arctic light like a timeworn compass. This is The Arctic Henge (Heimskautsgerðið) — part sculpture, part sundial, and part story.
Located just outside Raufarhöfn, one of Iceland's northernmost villages, The Arctic Henge is a work in progress. It's a monument inspired by old Norse mythology and Iceland's unique relationship with the sun—where folklore and modern art meet under the shifting northern sky.
A Modern Myth in Stone
The Arctic Henge is the vision of artist Erlingur B. Thoroddsen, who imagined it as a kind of Icelandic Stonehenge. But this isn't a replica — it's rooted in the Poetic Edda, Iceland's ancient collection of mythic tales, particularly the dwarves who were said to hold up the sky in the cardinal directions.
Each part of the structure represents elements of Norse cosmology: time, light, seasons, and the forces that shape the world. The layout aligns with the path of the midnight sun, casting light through the arches at key points in the year — especially around the summer solstice when the sun barely dips below the horizon.
The Journey North
Getting to the Arctic Henge requires intention. The drive from larger towns like Húsavík or Akureyri winds through remote, windswept landscapes where the coastline stretches quietly into the Arctic Ocean.
But once you arrive, the isolation becomes part of the experience. There are no crowds, fences, and often, no sound but the wind. You walk among the stones with only your footsteps and the sky for company — and maybe a seabird or two riding the breeze above.
The Arctic Henge invites you to stand still in a world that moves too fast.
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Photo credit: Visit North
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Photo credit: Visit North
Photo credit: Visit North
Photo credit: Visit North
Where Time Feels Different
Though it remains unfinished, there's something powerful about its incompleteness. The Arctic Henge feels both ancient and futuristic—like a ruin that hasn't been used yet or a message sent forward in time. It's a place for ceremony, solitude, or something in between.
On bright summer nights, it glows with the golden light of the midnight sun. In winter, it waits beneath snowdrifts and stars, sometimes lit by the northern lights arching quietly overhead.
Why It Matters
At Key to Iceland, we believe in places that make you pause — places that ask for presence, not just pictures. The Arctic Henge is one of those places.
It's not flashy. It's not finished. But it's real — born of Icelandic stone, shaped by imagination, and grounded in a landscape that has always lived between the seen and unseen.
Come for the structure. Stay for the silence, the symbolism, and the feeling of standing at the edge of something bigger.
The Arctic Henge isn't just a monument.
It's a compass.
Accomodation near the Artic Range
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