Ring of Bjólfur: Viking Legend Informs Icelandic Viewpoint
This elegant mountain viewpoint in Iceland evokes a giant silver ring left on the alleged burial site of a legendary Viking.
Local lore says Bjólfur was buried on the mountain with his most precious belongings, though they have never been found. The viewpoint, therefore, is designed to represent a ring that has been left for him.
“The medieval Book of Settlements, or Landnámabók, tells of Bjólfur, the settler who first claimed land in Seyðisfjörður and gave the mountain its name,” Arkibygg Architects told Dezeen. “The book says little about him, but local tales tell that he was laid to rest in a burial mound high up on the mountain. By ancient custom, chieftains were often buried with their treasures, silver and jewellery. Bjólfur’s grave goods have never been found, but we let our imagination run free and left him a great silver ring.”
The circular, concrete-and-steel viewing platform is 32 metres (105 feet) in diameter and is located 650 metres (2,130 feet) above sea level on the slopes of Mount Bjólfur, overlooking the town and fjord of Seyðisfjörður in eastern Iceland.
Click to enlarge | Images credit: Arkibygg Architects
It provides a stunning 360-degree panoramic view of the fjord, the Atlantic Ocean, surrounding mountains, and the valley below. An important factor in the material selection is robustness and minimal maintenance, due to the harsh weather conditions and remote location. The sharp silver colour palette contrasts with the brown tones of the rocky landscape it sits on.
The landscape surrounding the viewpoint was preserved as much as possible, with any boulders that needed to be temporarily removed lifted back into place upon completion.
“The immediate surroundings - the soil and the rocks - matter a great deal. The aim was to disturb the ground as little as possible and to repair what was disturbed.
