Hvalvik

Hvalvík stands on the Sundini, the sound between Streymoy and Eysturoy, and its church is the oldest wooden church still standing in the Faroes: built in 1829 in the traditional form, black tarred timber walls, white window frames, a turf roof and a small tower, with the whole thing surrounded by a low stone wall. The interior keeps its box pews and painted gallery. The village around it is small and quiet. Faroese churches of this pattern were built by the congregations themselves from imported timber, and Hvalvik is the one that survived intact when the others were replaced.

Background

Hvalvík, Kvalvig in Danish, fills the southern side of a valley on the east coast of Streymoy, in Sunda municipality. Across the river Stórá lies Streymnes, a village of about the same size, and the pair together hold more than 400 people, with Hvalvík itself counting 252 in September 2025. Being close to Tórshavn has made the twin village grow quickly in recent years. The church of 1829 replaced one from 1700 that a storm had ruined. Its timber was bought from a ship that ran aground at Saksun in 1828, and the pulpit, dating from 1609, first stood in the church in Tórshavn. Faroese stamps pictured the church in 1997.

Source: Wikipedia, "Hvalvík"

What's there

• The 1829 church - the oldest surviving wooden church in the islands.
• The turf roof - the grass roof on tarred timber walls.
• The box pews - the original interior fittings and painted gallery.
• The Sundini setting - the village on the sound between the two main islands.

When to go

May to September is when the church is most likely to be open. It closes during services. Outside summer access may need a keyholder.

Before you go

The church is often locked and opening is not guaranteed. The village has no facilities. The visit takes half an hour.

Nearby

Haldarsvik is north, and Torshavn is south.

Key facts