Saint Olav's Church — Olavskirkjan in Faroese — is the oldest still-functioning church in the Faroe Islands, with origins in the 12th century. It has been in continuous use for nearly nine hundred years, and services are still held here. The church is a simple whitewashed stone structure with a turf roof, dwarfed by the ruined cathedral beside it but somehow more moving for its modesty.
The interior holds memorial tablets and old furnishings, and the atmosphere is quiet and intensely Nordic — low ceilings, thick walls, small windows filtering grey northern light. The churchyard contains some of the oldest grave markers in the Faroes, and the view over the sound from the gate takes in Hestur and Koltur islands with Sandoy beyond. Entry is usually free; opening hours are posted at the gate.