Iceland Walking Tour - Westman Islands [4K] 

Explore the Westman Islands in this virtual walking tour. Vestmannaeyjar, also known as the Westman Islands, is an archipelago off the south coast of Iceland. It consists of 15 islands and 30 skerries and sea stacks. Heimaey (“Home Island”) is the only settlement on Vestmannaeyjar that is inhabited year round with a population of 4300 people. Vestmannaeyjar came to international attention in 1973 with the eruption of Eldfell volcano, which destroyed many buildings and forced a month-long evacuation of the entire population to mainland Iceland.
Information about the tour:
00:55 - Landakirkja church. It dates back to 1573 but has been rebuilt or modified several times. The first church was burned to the ground by raiders from Algeria in 1627.
01:10 - The sculpture is dedicated to people lost at sea.
01:51 - Framhaldsskólinn í Vestmannaeyjum. A college.
02:48 - Alda aldanna (Wave of Centuries). Sculpture by Einar Jónsson.
03:00 - Entrance to the graveyard. To the right is a black column which represents the height of the cinders and pumice/tephra which the volcano Eldfell spewed out during the volcanic eruption in 1973.
04:58 - Heimaklettur (Home cliff), the tallest mountain in the Westman Islands.
12:20 - The home Blátindur (Blue Peak) was built in the years 1941-42. By the end of March 1973 the house had been almost completely buried by lava, just like all the other houses in the area. A part of the home's living room remained uncovered by the lava flow and soon became the symbol of a town destroyed by lava, ashes and cinder.
15:40 - This path is on top of the new lava created by the eruption in 1973.
16:00 - A view over the town of Westman Islands.
20:38 - Here are fortifications built in 1586 by the order of the King of Denmark to protect trade from the English. After the Turkish raid (algerian corsairs) in 1627 it was rebuilt to protect against potential future raids. There were 6 cannons in the fort.
23:10 - Stafkirkjan church. A reconstruction of the first church built in the Westman Islands in the year 1000.
26:06 - The building furhter up ahead is Landlyst. A reconstructed birth center originally built in 1848.
29:30 - Harbour of Westman Islands. Vestmannaeyjahöfn.
30:00 - The photo is probably from the winter of 1932.
39:40 - Cliff rappelling is a popular sport in Westman Islands, the locals call it "Að Spranga".
47:04 - ÍBV stadium.
48:44 - The way to Dalurinn. In Iceland, last weekend of July or on the first weekend of August, Icelanders have their annual shopkeeper's holiday, named Verslunarmannahelgi. All over the country they celebrate by numerous parties and festivals. The most known as well as the biggest one is Þjóðhátíð, held here in Dalurinn, surrounded by mountain peaks.
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