Blue Church (Bláa Kirkjan)

Iceland's most photographed small-town landmark, at the end of the rainbow street

The Blue Church stands at the inland end of Seyðisfjörður's main street, framed by the valley walls and — on the right morning — reflected in the river alongside it. The rainbow-painted road leading to it has been photographed so many times that it risks becoming a cliché, but the setting remains genuinely striking: a compact Norwegian timber church in confident blue, with the high fjord walls rising steeply on three sides.

The church is still in use for services and concerts. The acoustics inside are good and occasional chamber concerts are held here in summer — check the town noticeboard or ask at accommodation for current events. Even outside service times the interior is usually accessible; it takes ten minutes to look around, and the detail of the timber construction repays attention.

things to do sight architecture
A story
The church was built in 1894 by Norwegian craftsmen who came to Seyðisfjörður to construct the timber buildings that still line the town centre. It was originally painted white, like most Icelandic churches. The distinctive blue colour is a modern choice, introduced when the building was restored in the 1990s, but it has become so associated with the town that it now appears on every map and postcard of the East Fjords.