Sun Voyager sculpture

The metal skeleton of the ship “Sun Voyager” on the waterfront in Reykjavík commemorates the founding of Iceland’s capital by the Vikings. According to their customs, each settler arriving at the island threw his sacred pillars from the boat into the sea and then settled where the waves washed them ashore. In 871, the Norwegian viking Ingólfur Arnarson settled in a place that he called Reykjavík – Smoky Bay, after the steam rising from the local thermal springs.

What is interesting about the Sun Voyager Memorial?

“Sunny Wanderer” is a design that resembles a Viking ship. It reaches 4 m in length and 3 m in height. The work is made of stainless steel: in clear weather, the sun’s rays shine like in a mirror.

It is worth noting that many tourists are confused because they believe that the Sun Voyager monument was created in honor of the heroic warriors. As the author himself explained, his creation is the personification of faith in a bright future and a symbol of progress. A special fact: the design is set so that when you look at it, the sea and the sky merge together and the horizon line disappears to form infinity.

When was the sun voyager built?

On August 18, 1990—Reykjavk’s birthday—on Saebraut, the full-sized Sun Voyager was finally unveiled. The piece is made of stainless steel and is supported by a circle of granite slabs and so-called “town-hall concrete” around it.

How to get there?

Finding the Sun Voyager Memorial in Reykjavík is easy: install yourself right in the heart of the city right on the waterfront. You can get there by bus and you should go to Barónsstígur stop.